depart, only huddled in an armchair and opened his Bible again.
“Mace,” Carroll murmured, keeping an eye on the priest. “I want you to stay with the new princess at all times. You will be her close guard, at least until we come up with something else.”
“Me?” Lazarus demanded. “What on earth for?”
“Listen to me,” Carroll said, keeping his voice low. He wondered where the witch was right now, whether she was listening. “That baby is the heir to the Tear throne, and the Princess Regent is . . .”
He broke off. Weak was what he had meant to say, but that wasn’t right. Since her mother’s poisoning, Elyssa had been squeezing the kingdom with a fist of iron.
“Not herself,” he finished.
“Am I being punished? Is this because of—”
“No,” Carroll said quickly. “It’s not because of the nobles, I swear to you. This is important, though I can’t tell you why—”
He stopped, realizing that he sounded half mad himself.
“Am I to change nappies as well?”
“No,” Carroll said, ignoring the bitterness in his friend’s voice. “Niya will do that.”
“What?” Niya demanded, just as outraged as Lazarus. “I’m no nursemaid!”
“No,” Carroll said softly. “You are a member of the Blue Horizon.”
Niya paled. Her eyes darted to the priest, who still read ponderously from his Bible, and then to Lazarus, where they rested in mute accusation.
“Yes, I told him,” Lazarus murmured. “Not what you said, mind you, only what I suspected.”
“You filthy—”
“I have no plans to tell anyone,” Carroll cut in, forestalling the argument, “or to arrest you, Niya. We need you now.”
“What, to dispense milk and clean up shit?”
Carroll narrowly restrained himself from slapping her, contenting himself with grabbing her shoulders.
“What do you think happened here?” he hissed. “You think it an accident that Elyssa went into childbirth two months early? Will you pretend that you didn’t hear the voice of the witch from her mouth?”
Niya blinked.
“The baby is in danger,” Carroll whispered grimly. “I know it, and you would too, Niya, if you could only look beyond your own pain.”
“Elyssa is—”
“Elyssa is gone,” Carroll replied firmly. “Did you think you were the only one betrayed? We must look to the future.”
Niya did not reply, but she still looked mutinous.
“We must keep this between us,” Carroll told them. “Not a word of what happened in this room. Thorne and the witch have been after the sapphires for months. Barty knew it; he told me before he left. The longer they think Elyssa still wears hers, the better. Our secret.”
“And the Arvath’s,” Lazarus muttered.
“No,” Carroll replied, glancing across the room at the priest. “Timpany may mean to tell the Holy Father everything, but he will have a long ride to think better of it. The Holy Father will blame him for not contesting the name, but if Elyssa was in entire control of her faculties, Timpany could do nothing; it is the Crown’s choice, after all. Timpany is a craven; he will change the story.”
Lazarus considered this, then gave a grudging nod. “I know little of the Arvath, but knowing men as I do, I’d agree with you. But this, Captain . . . guarding a baby . . .”
“I know.” And Carroll did. It felt like a punishment. He looked around at the others in the room: midwives, Father Timpany, the doctor. Carroll trusted none of them.
But I trust Lazarus, he thought wonderingly. Lazarus the murderer, Niya the traitor . . . I trust them both.
“The Princess Regent needs sleep,” the doctor’s voice broke in. He had left the baby now and was crouched over Elyssa’s bed, his hand on her forehead. “But I will stay, in case of complications.”
“What of the baby?” Niya asked.
“Healthy and strong. Underweight, but such is not uncommon with those born early. With milk and care, she should increase quickly.”
“Sir!”
Someone banged on the door. Carroll went to open it, drawing his sword. Elston’s face filled the crack.
“What is it?”
“We found the Prince out here,” Elston said, gesturing behind him. A low squealing punctuated his words. “Skulking behind the hangings. What should we do with him?”
Carroll thought for a long moment. “Boot him out of the Queen’s Wing.”
“You can’t do that!” Thomas shouted, but his voice faded to a low mmmph as someone clapped a hand over his mouth.
“How’s the Princess Regent?” Elston asked, casually, as though this was not the reason he’d knocked.
“Fine. She’s borne a healthy heir. A girl.”
“Ha!” someone called behind Elston: Dyer, Carroll thought. “That’s ten pounds to me, lads!”