The City of Veils Read online

  "And give you a chance to run?" The son of a bitch actually smiled. "Do you really think me that dumb?"

  With no other options, I followed Felix out of the small room and regained my bearings. They'd dragged me into a fabric shop across the street from the butchery. No less than twenty guards surrounded a dark carriage, all of them armed to the teeth. If I was going to run, now was my chance.

  Felix pressed a firm hand on my shoulder. "Don't even think about it."

  "Think about what?"

  He tightened his grip in what I assumed was a comforting gesture. "I promise, it won't be as bad as you think. We'll help get you acclimated to your role."

  "How very generous of you."

  The commotion had awoken the neighbors, some of whom were openly gaping out of windows above. My name was on their lips, but the name I'd given them. Larissa the blood sweeper. Perhaps they thought I was being arrested for sweeping too much blood.

  Felix and I spoke no more as I sat in the carriage, the weight of panic pressing on my chest like a stone as we lurched forward. I was still looking for options to escape, knowing they'd all be futile, but needing to keep my mind busy. I pulled the fabric back from the window, the vast, white-stone castle looming in the distance. It reminded me of a prison, with tall spires that stretched into the night sky. My musty mattress at Tasha's side had always seemed more welcoming.

  "I also shouldn't have to say this, but your nightly activities as the Veil will have to end," Felix said.

  "I can take care of myself, and being queen is mostly a figurehead position," I replied, giving him a look. "None of that precludes me from continuing to protect the city."

  "You mean, besides the fact that vigilantism is illegal?" He snorted. "It's dangerous. We need our queen alive. And we can't do that if you've broken your neck falling off a roof or been bloodied up by one of Beswick's goons."

  "Well, aren't you just so fortunate that I haven't fallen off a roof yet?" I said, ignoring the fall off a roof that had broken my arm last year. That was beside the point. I crossed my arms over my chest. "I suppose you'll be arresting Beswick today?"

  "On what charges?" he asked. "Being a general creep?"

  "Running illegal trade deals, bullying, preying on the poorest in our city. Or don't you care about any of that?"

  "I care if my queen and Council tell me to care," he said with something of a meaningful look. "And while the former seems invested, I think you'll find the latter to be something of a hurdle."

  I sighed. "All the more reason you should let me take him down under the mask. I promise you, I'm very close."

  "Sure you are."

  "Did I or did I not deliver Chiara Raker and Zita Oriola last year?" I replied, lifting my chin. Two very big illegal importers, and two nice feathers in my cap. "All that lovely evidence deposited at your boss's doorstep. Clean conviction, too."

  He cast me a look. "Thank you, Brynna, for the assistance. But Beswick isn't some low-level slumlord. He's a dangerous man, and you'd do well to keep away from him."

  "Then get around to arresting him. You're captain now, you can do that."

  "I'll get right on that," he drawled, casting me a tired look. "Just as soon as I have enough evidence."

  The carriage came to a halt and the door opened, revealing Felix's guards. He stepped out first and extended his hand to me, but I ignored it. I could get out of a carriage without needing help; I wasn't that delicate yet.

  We entered the dark castle through the servants' quarters, I assumed to keep the whispers of my arrival quiet until the morning. Felix and two female guards escorted me up the stairs to one of the tall towers. He opened the door, leading the three of us into an expansive room with a front sitting area, complete with table, and another door that probably went to the bedroom.

  "This is your suite," Felix said. "You'll have your meals here and will remain in this room when not escorted by myself or a member of my guard."

  "My prison cell, you mean," I said, walking to the window and gazing down the stone tower. Far below, the guards moved like ants in the early morning light. Even worse, the stone was smooth around the window. I could find footholds, but not many—not enough to get me safely to the ground.

  "We will have a tailor this morning," Felix said behind me. "You'll be fitted for a wardrobe appropriate for your position. After that, we'll introduce you to the Council."

  "Great. They'll know my face so they can kill me." The room was getting hotter as my chest tightened, so I pressed my forehead against the cool glass.

  "I told you. I won't let that happen," Felix said, reaching over my head and pushing against the glass until the pane opened. A cool wind touched my cheeks, and some of the tightness left my chest.

  "Can I sleep on the roof, at least?" I asked, turning my head upward as I sat on the sill and leaned out.

  Felix grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back inside. "Please don't. Remember what I said about breaking your neck?"

  I bit my tongue instead of firing off another retort. It was late, and I wasn't in the mood for another argument. Besides, with the other window open, I had a nice view of the sunrise.

  "Get some rest," he said, walking to the door. "You'll need it."

  And suddenly there was silence.

  I turned back to the room. None of it looked familiar, and yet it did. This had been my life for thirteen years. Corsets and dresses and sitting quietly while those with more power decided my fate. I'd been born second, and therefore, I was the one who would be married off for alliances.

  My husband-to-be, I'd been told, was a young man. They'd said my marriage contract was merely insurance for his father, that I wouldn't be required to consummate the marriage until I was eighteen. Even still, I hadn't been able to stomach being sent away like that, having to trust complete strangers to not do what they wanted with me. I'd run, far away from Forcadel, and made a life of service and independence, far away from all things royalty.

  And yet, after all I'd been through, there I was, back in the same prison.

  I shook my head, anger clearing away the panic. No one—not even Felix Llobrega—would decide my fate. I would make it for myself. Walking to the door, I pulled two hair pins from my braid. They'd taken my swords, but I still had a few things up my sleeves.

  I knelt and picked at the lock, listening for the tumblers turning over. I quietly opened the door...

  Only to come face to face with a sword point.

  "Back to bed." Felix stood on the other end of the sword, his face a mask of indifference.

  I glanced behind him to see no less than five guards sitting in chairs down the hall. "A little much, don't you think?"

  "Go to bed," he repeated, tapping the broad side of his sword against my cheek.

  With a scowl, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes. Exhaustion tugged at them, overtaking the panic that had set in since I'd been captured. So I let myself fall asleep against the door, praying I'd wake from this nightmare soon.

  Chapter 3

  Someone was in my room.

  I reached for my sword just as wakefulness reminded me it had been taken from me and the rest of the previous night's excitement came rushing forward. I cracked open an eye; there was a maid dusting the mantle above the fire, adjusting the hanging wall art as she swept her feather brush along the edges. She hummed a soft song, and when she turned, I got a better look at her. She was maybe twenty or a little older, with delicate features and dark brown hair she wore in a bun at the nape of her neck.

  "Beata, you're being watched."

  I jumped, sitting upright at the sound of Felix's voice. He was perched in one of the two chairs by the fireplace, next to a table with what looked (and smelled) like a delicious breakfast.

  The maid swiveled around, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "P-pardon, Your Highness. I didn't mean to wake you."

  "You didn't," I said, yawning and rubbing my face. "Apologies for scaring you. I'm not used to pe
ople in my space." The last biting remark I aimed at Felix.

  "Well, you've slept long enough," he said. "Come have breakfast. We have a lot to discuss."

  Only the promise of a strong cup of coffee could've roused me from the bed. I still wore the same clothes as the day before, a dark tunic and pants, although my hair had half-fallen out of the long braid. Leaning into my disheveled appearance, I plopped down on the second seat and helped myself to coffee.

  "Beata, is it?" I asked, after taking three sips.

  "Yes, ma'am?" She hurried to stand in front of me, hiding her hands under her apron and wearing a helpful smile on her face. "What can I do for you?"

  "Nothing," I said with a smile. "Thank you for breakfast."

  She beamed at me, sharing a warm look with Felix. "It's my pleasure."

  "Normally, you would have a staff to help with your day-to-day needs," Felix said, turning back to me. "But considering the risks to your life, Beata will be handling all of it."

  "That seems grossly unfair," I said with a frown to Felix. "And besides that, I don't need a servant. I can handle myself."

  "It's no trouble. I'm glad to do it," she said with almost overly-enthusiastic optimism that faded slightly. "I was… I attended to your brother for the past few years. It was my honor to serve him, and it's my honor to serve you."

  I nodded slowly, taking another sip of coffee. "If it becomes too much, let me know and I'll make Felix find you some help."

  She glanced at Felix for a moment, and they shared an unspoken conversation. I downed the rest of my coffee then poured myself another.

  "Beata, if you could give us a minute," he said. "And let Kat know that she's awake."

  Beata nodded, bowed to me, then hurried from the room, closing the door behind her.

  "So we're sure she didn't kill August, right?" I said, after a moment.

  "Absolutely sure," Felix said. "She was his attendant and loved him dearly."

  "So what? She was sleeping with him?" I settled back into my chair. "Everyone is a suspect until they aren't. Maybe she got mad at him for something."

  "I know for a fact that she was not in the castle the night he died," Felix said. "But as I told you, August's death, and your father's, isn't your concern. We'll need to get you presentable, and educate you about the Council—"

  "I know who's on the Council," I said, placing my feet on the ground.

  He paused, seeming to collect himself before he snapped. "When you disappeared before your wedding, your father informed the court that you'd gone to study abroad, so we'll have to stick to that story."

  I snorted. "And they bought that?"

  "To be frank, Your Highness, they barely even remember you're alive, not with your father's ailing health and your brother's tenuous grip on the council." His brown eyes held all the annoyance he was keeping from his tone. But they softened as he looked away. "Their deaths are…untimely in more ways than one."

  "Yes, murder usually is."

  "Before you will be crowned, we will need to work on…" He tilted his head to the side, making a motion with his hand. "All of this. You are not fit for the throne as you are."

  I shoved a scone in my mouth. "Are-th thou insinuating that I have-eth forgotten-eth my manners?"

  "I'm saying that the Council will eat you alive the moment you set foot in there," Felix replied with a grimace. "At the very least, you need some new clothes. Kat—"

  "Yes, who is this lovely Kat I keep hearing about?"

  There was a soft knock at the door, and a Niemenian woman poked her head in. Most of Forcadel shared the same bronzed skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, but our mountain-dwelling northern neighbors were fair-skinned with light hair and eyes. She wore a lilac dress that accentuated her white-blond hair, which had been pulled into a bun almost as tight as Beata's. She held herself confidently, with squared shoulders and a high chin as she stared at me.

  "Brynna, this is Lady Katarine Meradeth Hasklowna, fifth princess of the kingdom of Niemen." He paused. "And your sister-in-law."

  "Oh right," I said with a nod. I'd forgotten that August had been married a few years before in an arrangement similar to the one I'd run out on. Now that her husband had been killed, Katarine was a foreign woman in search of purpose. Or, perhaps, a murderer herself.

  "Kat has agreed to help tutor you," Felix continued, giving me a warning look. "She's spent the last six years studying Forcadel politics and trade, and is uniquely positioned to help you understand where you need to act."

  "Mm." I broke apart another scone, this one with little blueberries stuck in the middle.

  "I must admit, Brynna, it's wonderful to meet you," Katarine said, a bright smile on her pink lips. "August spoke of you often."

  "And I'm sure he was glad to be rid of me," I replied. "So tell me, do you know who killed my brother?"

  Katarine licked her lips and shook her head. "I cannot say for certain—"

  "You shared his bed, you should know who wanted him dead."

  "Brynna," Felix warned.

  I glanced over my shoulder at him, "Captain, you will address me—"

  "When you act like a queen, I'll treat you as one," he said with a fierceness I hadn't expected. "Katarine is an ally, and you have few of those at the moment."

  "It's quite all right, Felix," Katarine replied, folding her hands across her skirt. "I understand why Her Highness would be so wary of me." She swallowed. "If it's all the same to you, Brynna, I'd prefer not to speak of it for a few days. After all, it just happened two…" Her eyes shifted and she cleared her throat. "Three nights ago. It's all been so quick, I still believe he'll be waiting for me in our room."

  There was something Katarine wasn't telling me—and it wasn't due to grief. Even the most stoic of women showed more emotion than this when their husbands died. Especially husbands they'd been betrothed to for their entire lives. From what I could tell, she and my brother weren't unhappy, even if they'd had no say in their marriage. But the scathing look I was getting from Felix told me to let that topic go for now.

  "And why should I count you as my ally, Lady Katarine?" I asked before taking a bite of the scone. "Other than that you're a widow in a foreign land. Why not just run back to Niemen? Too cold up there?"

  "Forcadel is my home," she said softly. "My sister has no use for me, other than, perhaps, to marry me off again. I would much rather stay and help you. We are sisters, too."

  "By marriage," I scoffed. "Well then. Speak. Tell me what you know."

  Katarine's eyes flashed and her face shifted. "In the first place, I know that if you walk into the Council room with that chip on your shoulder, they will toss you right out. You are a princess who hasn't been seen in years, so you'll need allies—and fast. It's much easier to do that if they think you're docile."

  "So I'm learning," I said. Perhaps Blondie wasn't as much of a pushover as I'd thought. "What else do I need to know?"

  "As queen, you'll have to have an understanding of our economic policies, our main trading partners, our allies, our enemies, and more. Most of what goes on in this castle is finely tuned, like a clock. One wrong move, and all the gears stop working."

  I doubted that. A lot went wrong in the kingdom on a daily basis, and things kept moving forward. "For the Council today, what should I know?"

  "Today is the first meeting since the Council was informed of my husband's death," she said, as if the event had occurred a year ago, instead of three nights. "It's important that you observe today and try not to make any waves."

  "Ma'am, Captain." Beata was back. "The tailor is here."

  "Excellent," Felix said with a grin. "Send him in."

  The tailor, an older man named Norris with bottle glasses, seemed to be overly excited to be handling my wardrobe. Felix told him that my trunk of clothes had fallen overboard in a bad storm on the way back, which was why I had nothing but my tunic.

  "I am honored to be dressmaking for you," he said. "I designed your mother's wedding and coronat
ion dresses. Would you like a similar garb to hers to honor her? Perhaps a signature flower or her favorite color?"

  "Sure," I said then added when Katarine gave me a sharp look. "I mean, that would be very special to me. Thank you."

  Norris nodded and disappeared to his supplies, muttering about pins and scissors and fabric colors. Felix stood next to me in the mirror and shook his head.

  "I know you carry no love for your parents, but the kingdom loved them very much," he whispered. "Try to be a little more cognizant of that."

  Norris returned with rolls of fabric in every color but black, holding the swatches up to my skin and making notes on how it contrasted. Then, with his measuring tape, he inspected every inch of my body, right down to my feet. But when he came to my chest, he stopped, poking at the thick binds I wore.

  "What is this?" he asked.

  "I prefer to keep everything secure," I replied.

  "Oh, no, no. This won't do." He pointed toward my lavatory. "Undo these things and come back so we can get an accurate measurement."

  "I don't—"

  "Brynna," Katarine interjected with a pleading look, seconded by Felix, who'd retired to the other side of the room to stay out of the way.

  I groaned and stomped toward the small room with an ivory tub and face washing bin. With the door closed, I pulled off my tunic and stared at my binds in the mirror. I'd been wearing them for years, if only to keep my breasts from flopping around when I ran around the city. After carefully unwinding the cloth, I exhaled and stood for a moment, letting the cool air hit my skin before I pulled the tunic back on.

  "Brynna?" Katarine called then when I walked out, her eyes grew wider. "Oh, my."

  The dressmaker hurried forward and measured quickly. "Your bust is much larger than it looks. You are very lucky."

  "It's not luck. They're a pain in the ass," I remarked. I'd used them when I needed to, but for the most part, I would've rather had Katarine's flat chest.

  "I had no idea you were so…womanly," Katarine said, tilting her head, her gaze still on my breasts. "Why do you bind your breasts so tight?"