Alabaster Cities (Kings and Thieves Book #2)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Surprisingly, it was Eli who took control of the situation.

As soon as the entire matter was explained to him, including the events of the night before, he launched a full-scale investigation of the murders and ordered a protective guard for the four of them immediately.

"That's really not necessary-" Ari began, but Eli wouldn't hear it.

"They were obviously targeting all of you," he said grimly. "You shouldn't be in danger while you're here."

Eli, they found, had been corresponding with Jamie months before their arrival.

"We were called in to help protect the village in Verignes, and I asked for her help," he'd explained. There was something different about him, Lyla surmised; he seemed older, somehow, more mature. "Apparently the King was pressured to hire someone to investigate the matter further. Our Captain asked if we knew of anyone who was qualified, and I thought of you." He looked at Aveline as he said it, but she wouldn't look at him. Embarrassed, probably- she hadn't spoken two words since Eli had entered in the room. "Then I asked Jamie if she would contact the three of you, and she did."

"So you were the one who recommended us to the king?" Lyla turned to Jamie. "And you knew he was going to be here, the whole time?"

"I didn't know for sure," said Jamie, her face flushing. "It wasn't as if I was keeping it from you."

"So it was just.. what? Withholding the truth?" Ari taunted, but he appeared more bored than bothered as he examined a fingernail that seemed to be particularly vexing him.

"I had no idea that you would actually be hired," Eli added. "When I didn't hear anything, I assumed they decided not to get help after all."

"It doesn't seem to have made any difference either way," Lyla put in. "We got off the ship that first day and learned almost immediately that we weren't needed and that we should leave it alone."

"No one seemed to be in charge," Ari added, "and the only people willing to help us were murdered yesterday, if that gives you an idea of how well the investigation is going so far."

Lyla flinched at the reminder. She felt better this morning, but every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing the lifeless bodies of Aiken, Matthias, and Sarya limp on the floor of Great Hall, blood trailing out of their mouths like drool.

They were still waiting to hear the official cause of death from the palace physicians, but that hadn't stopped Aveline and Ari from coming up with theories of their own. Lyla didn't like to listen; hearing about it made her feel queasy.

They hadn't deserved it, she thought somberly, forcing herself to pay attention to the conversation. At least Eli was here. They weren't allowed to leave the palace without guards with them, for "safety reasons", which Lyla thought was counterproductive, since the murders had occurred right there in the Great Hall. But Eli assured them that they'd be safe. Currently they accompanied the guards to town to question some of the villagers about the murders; Ari and Aveline had insisted on tagging along, and Lyla needed some fresh air, anyway.

So far, they weren't having much success. Each house they knocked on held people scared out of their wits, and they hadn't learned anything new.

The architecture here was so odd and uneven; the buildings tall and rising up in shingled turrets; with twirling, pointed spires and yellow light spilling out of the windows. Lyla pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and cast a wary glance past the guard beside her to the dark forest that lurked like a great, hulking shadow.