A Country Falls (Greatest Thief 3)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Nothing else was said until we found a more private room to talk in. Tannix and Tandrin, Queen Navire, me, and...

Prince Valkiros. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. Let alone what it meant about the king—his uncle—Valkiros was supposed to be dead. Queen Navire had mentioned him once in Navire, as the unfortunately long deceased younger brother of Kalvahi. Little Valkiros, she had called him. A child.

"I thought he was dead," Tannix said what I was thinking.

Queen Navire nodded. "So did I, because that's what we were told. A sickness ran through the castle in 402, killing King Orikos, his son Prince Kalkari, and Prince Valkiros. Kalvahi's grandfather, father and younger brother. That was the announcement."

Valkiros nodded. "Yes. I was sick. It was... better?" His gaze found the Queen and he spoke in Deoran.

"More convenient," she translated. "It was easier for Idavari to pretend he had died." She spoke in Deoran, and even in her voice it was distinct from Navirian. Valkiros nodded, and she spoke again. "He is giving me permission to explain. Valkiros and Kalvahi share a father, not a mother. Valkiros is an illegitimate heir. But, an heir nonetheless. If he wishes, he may be the answer to our concerns about what to do with Deorun."

Tandrin took a deep breath. "It won't be that simple. He's supposed to be dead. We didn't know that he was alive, with our intelligence networks or spies. That can only mean that the amount of people who actually knew were few and far between. If it was common knowledge in Deorun, we would have heard."

"People did not know," Valkiros said. "It was... I was..." He hesitated again, but didn't look to Queen Navire for translating. It was more of a thoughtful silence. I thought I knew why, and spoke up for the first time since Queen Navire had said his real name.

"Do you want me to explain?"

He was still staring at the floor, but he nodded.

"Vali—" From the corner of my eye I saw him wince, and I correctly myself, "—Valkiros was a... servant is too generous a word, I think. Kassia said that people referred to him as King Idavari's pet. When I met with the king, Valkiros was with him, serving him food and translating for him. I think the problem is that everyone in the castle would just think he's a..."

"Ah," Queen Navire interrupted me. "That will make it very hard to instate him as the next King Deorun."

Tandrin looked at her. "How did you know?"

"I knew his uncle, on his mother's side," she explained. "Valkiros could be his twin brother."

"That won't be enough to convince the people," Tandrin said.

"No," Queen Navire agreed. "We need someone the Deorans will trust, who can confirm who he is."

"If he even wants to be King Deorun," Tandrin said. "We won't force you, Valkiros. If you want to, we will help find a way to make this work. I won't lie to you, this would be ideal. An ally on the Deoran throne would be an enormous relief."

"An ally?" Valkiros repeated. "I am not a prisoner?"

Tandrin and the Queen exchanged a glance, and she spoke for both of them. "You are not a prisoner. You have done us a great service by killing your uncle. If you do not wish to be king, you may leave with honour. I would be happy to arrange a place for you in Navire, if you wish to leave the country altogether."

"Or Zianna," Tandrin said.

"However," the queen continued. "If you wish to take the throne, as an ally, we will help you. Navire, Zianna and Deorun are siblings, just as our deities are."