I slipped into the spice pantry and pulled up the loose plank in the corner sighing in relief when I found the bag of cloves I’d hidden it only because Father and I liked to chew them when we read and I’d wanted to be sure we never ran out Cloves were a valuable spice of course but they were still just dried bits of brown twig and bud Why would Father’s new wife have banned them from the castle The poor stable boy who’d been discovered with cloves yesterday had been dragged to the throne room Rees the stable master who’d always gentled horses for the House of Cynwrig arrived minutes later He explained that the boy hadn’t heard the Queen’s edict that he’d merely gathered the cloves to make a poultice for an ailing horse The Queen had listened gravely then had them both thrashed with a horse whip Father my kind brave father hadn’t even blinked I dropped the plank back into place then slipped the bag of cloves into a pocket in my under-tunic I smoothed my skirts as I stood hands sliding over the dark fabric My outer gown was loose enough that no one would notice I’d hidden anything under it A moment later I joined Mael and Bron Bron was trying to arrange her headscarf but Mael glared at me Where did you go Every eye was on me once again I looked around the kitchen searching for an excuse among the vegetables and plucked birds and bowls He raised an eyebrow Well 4
I didn’t speak just sheepishly pointed at the table of pastries beside the spice pantry Bron shook her head and fetched an apple tart for me my favorite Just for you Princess You’re far too kind said Mael We need her to help us present a gift to Father’s new bride And what does she do Tries to steal a tart Bron chuckled She shook a finger at me You’re growing too old for such antics Princess I wanted to tell her that I’d spent twelve full summers summers on this earth and was old enough to know that many things were more important than apple tarts Instead I ducked my head Let’s go Ryn Mael took me by the arm and marched me out of the kitchen and into the cobbled courtyard I scurried to keep up with him but kept a hand over the cloves even though my gown covered them I couldn’t let him guess what I’d done what I planned to do I flinched when Mael reached toward me worried he knew Instead he plucked the apple tart from my hand and took a bite That’s for making me scour the castle to find you he said around the tart I sagged with relief He wasn’t suspicious Just annoying As always He took another bite and pointed out my other five brothers standing impatiently in the center of the court yard I can’t believe you sneaked a tart If I didn’t know better I’d 5
I let loose a well-aimed kick raking the heel of my shoe down the length of his shin channeling all my fear into that one movement Just as I hoped he forgot the kitchen completely and dropped the tart he’d stolen from me in the process While he bent to rub his shin I darted away to join the rest of my brothers Aiden the eldest waited for me arms folded Ryn Why did you kick him He deserved it I answered Aiden raised an eyebrow but he still put an arm around me I smiled Mael wouldn’t dare retaliate now that I was under Aiden’s protection Mael limped up cursing under his breath All my brothers stood around me then a wall of dark-haired princes in the afternoon sun Aiden Mael the triples Cadan Declan and Gavyn and my twin Owain They’d stood around me all my life often poking or teasing while they did it But they were a wall nonetheless solid and reliable I’d just stolen forbidden cloves from the kitchen so I could free Father from a spell his new wife had cast over him I desperately wanted to tell them everything but Who taught you to kick like that Ryn Mael demanded I crossed my arms Who did he think Mael turned to Cadan the oldest of the triples and punched his shoulder 6
Cadan grabbed his hurt arm What was that for You taught her said Mael Cadan laughed Are you mad she knows how to kick or that she kicked you Did you leave a bruise Ryn I glared at Mael I certainly hope so Cadan nodded approval He was the most cynical of the triples with a cutting wit that he rarely sharpened on me Then there was Declan the kindest brother in all the kingdom of Lacharra who knew the songs and stories that told the history of our people And Gavyn Gavyn the scholar observed the world around him animals and plants sky and stars He was happy to tell anyone who listened listened and even those who didn’t Enough kicking said Aiden He never had to raise his voice He’d been commanding commanding the troop of us since since there had been the seven of us He had the strength and heart for the task and he had proven it while Father was missing He’d been the crown prince bearing the weight of Lacharra all those weeks We need to give the Queen the gift now before tonight’s feast with the Danavirian ambassador The ambassador had arrived only days after Father and the woman he married returned from the forest The weak-chinned ambassador had never been a favorite of ours It was even worse to host him while we tried to figure figure out what happened to Father during the weeks he’d been lost I looked up at my brothers Perhaps they weren’t trying to find out anymore 7
