Chapter 176

Kit waited until the next day to speak to Danyen about Pierce. She’d intended to just let it go altogether, but the more she thought about it, the more curious she became. If her suspicions were true, and Pierce really was gathering information from the queen—and potentially passing some on to Rona as well—he had to be accessing her one way or the other. Admitting that it wasn’t possible was the same as deciding they’d all been wrong, and Pierce wasn’t cheating. Kit wasn’t ready to determine that was the case just yet.

She wasn’t allowed to visit Danyen’s room because he was still in his original Representative’s chambers. The idea of Rooming him had entered her mind more than once, but she still wasn’t completely sure about him. She didn’t feel as if she knew him the same way she did those she’d already advanced to the next level in the so-called competition. Instead of seeking him out in a more private setting, she decided to stop by the Representatives’ lounge after the midday meal and see if she could steal him away for a few moments.

As soon as she walked in, the conversation stopped, and she had every pair of eyes in the room staring at her. That was normally the case, but this felt different somehow, like they all knew she was up to something sinister. The thought was ridiculous; the only person in the room who even knew she was pondering how Pierce was getting his information was Cassius since Eli wasn’t there. While it was likely Cassius would figure out what she was up to as soon as she pulled Danyen out of the room, that didn’t mean anyone else knew what was happening.

Rather than approaching him first, Kit went over to the group Landon and Reeve were standing in, along with Gavin and Asher. All of the men had stood when she walked in the door, but the rest of the groups that had been sitting on the couches and chairs spread throughout the ample room reclaimed their positions now.

After a quick greeting from each of them, Landon said, “We were just discussing going for a ride. Would you like to join us, Princess?”

As tempting as the idea was, Kit had business to attend to—more than just investigating Pierce. “No, thank you. I have an assignment from the council I’m working on. I was planning to speak to some of the kitchen workers this afternoon.” She hoped she’d have the opportunity to talk to some of the delivery drivers, if any of them happened to be at the castle. If not, she’d speak to those who unloaded the wagons.

“That’s too bad. It’s a lovely day,” Reeve said with a smile.

Kit missed him. It had been too long since they’d spent any time together. She hoped that she’d find a better way to balance all of her obligations so that no one was away from her for too long. “Where are you planning on going?” She made the question light because she didn’t really care to hear the answer. She was keeping an eye on Danyen out of the corner of her eye to make sure he didn’t leave before she had the opportunity to speak with him. At the moment, he was sitting with Jate, Cassius, and Zane across the room. If Cassius was telling one of his stories, she’d have plenty of time to work her way that direction.

“Just around the castle grounds,” Drake replied. “We won’t go far.”

“We’ll likely go back out to the forest where we were hunting Frick the Fox,” Landon added.

Kit smiled but wondered if they might end up at the site of Eli’s family home. Drake had been there once before, when Cassius and he had come to check on Kit during the hunt, but she wasn’t sure if that was his intention or if he even remembered how to get there. Still, since there was nothing left now, save the basement, its demise might raise a lot of questions.

She couldn’t think about it just now. Pierce stood and began to saunter her direction, and Kit decided it was time to move along, pretending she hadn’t noticed him and going the other way, to speak to Danyen. “Have a lovely time. Excuse me,” she said in a hurry, catching Landon’s raised eyebrows and Reeve’s shrugging shoulders as she turned.

Cassius paused mid-sentence as she approached, and all four of them stood again. “Good afternoon, gorgeous,” he said, as if he hadn’t been in the middle of something else before she interrupted.

“Good day,” Kit said nodding at them each quickly. “Pardon the interruption, but may I speak to Danyen for a moment?”

Cassius shifted his eyes in such a way it was obvious that he knew what Kit wanted to speak to the other man about. “No pardon needed, Princess. We are always at your service.”

Danyen looked slightly confused, but he took a few steps toward Kit, and she took his arm and hurried toward the door, knowing that Pierce was following her.

“Is everything all right?” Danyen asked once they were in the hallway.

Kit glanced over her shoulder and saw Pierce standing near the other group she’d just left, looking puzzled and a little agitated. “Yes, it’s fine. I think. Would you mind walking to the library with me? I’d like to speak to you about something, but I need to know we will not be overheard.”

“I will walk anywhere with you, Princess,” he replied, a smile taking over his handsome face.

Kit couldn’t help but smile back. He was always polite and never tried to hide the fact that he was quite taken with Kit, which she found flattering. Considering the amount of time she’d spent with Danyen in comparison with some of the others, he had formed his opinion of her rather quickly, and she could only hope to live up to his expectations. The more time she spent with him, the more connected to the Representative she felt. Perhaps, if he would help her with this investigation, they would grow closer still.

The library was empty, as Kit knew it would be. She closed the door behind her having learned her lesson from the day Eli came back from the second voting in Eastbury. There was a settee in the back corner of the room, so she led Danyen there, taking a seat and waiting for him to become situated before she said anything.

When she spoke, it had nothing to do with Pierce, not right away. She was trying not to be pushy. “How has your morning been?”

“Not bad,” he replied with a shrug. “Mostly swapping stories with the others. There was some talk of going for a ride later, but I’m not sure if I will go or not.”

“Does it get dull sitting around on days when there are no events planned?” Kit hadn’t thought about what the Representatives had to do when there was nothing on their schedule.

“Honestly, sometimes it does. But there are games to play, cards, books to read, that sort of thing. We make do. It’s a bit different than back home where I spent most of my days with students, but it is nice not to have so many duties to perform.”

Kit remembered he had been a tutor in Farlington, which was the province her father was from. His former life was of interest to her because there were not too many men in the realm entrusted with the responsibility to school the nobility. That duty usually fell to women. But Danyen had done so well with his own lessons that he had been able to procure a position in one of the most affluent homes in Farlington.

She could spend all afternoon discussing literature with him and made a note that she needed to do just that sometime soon, but for now, she was finished with the small talk and wanted to know if he could help her with the task at hand.

Moving a little closer to him so that their knees were touching, Kit said, “Danyen, I’m in need of assistance, and I think you may be the only one who can help me.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Me?” he asked, pointing at himself. “You think I may be the only one who can help?”

“Yes. Why is that so difficult to believe?”

Danyen shrugged. “I’m not sure. It’s only, you have four Roomed Representatives and your commander. I’m happy to help you in any way that I may, my princess, only a bit startled that you think I am the only one.”

Kit smiled softly, understanding his position and appreciating his honesty. She kept her voice low. “I’m not exactly sure what you may know of my situation.” She watched his eyes to see if they shifted at all, and when they didn’t, she became slightly more specific. “That is... there are those who believe that my mother has committed certain unlawful acts... those who think, perhaps, the realm would be better off if, uh....” Kit paused, not sure if she should continue. Danyen’s expression hadn’t changed. He hadn’t made any gesture to show her that he understood what she was getting at. What if he couldn’t be trusted, and she shared too much? She could jeopardize the entire operation. With a deep breath, she asked, “Do you know what I’m getting at?”

Danyen glanced at the library door quickly before leaning over to Kit’s ear and whispering, “Le atsa.”

She let out a sigh of relief. His cheek had brushed against hers, leaving a tingling sensation that ignited other parts of her, those not interested in revolution. She’d have to put that aside. For now.