Palace of Silver (The Nissera Chronicles #3) - Hannah West Page 0,87

more dangerous in some ways and less in others?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

He looked up, studied me briefly. He plucked an empty cordial glass from the tray at his elbow. “This is pomati, made from the pomace after the grapes are pressed.” He placed the glass in front of me, seeming almost pleased. He preferred his captives and employees docile.

What was the most natural way for me to act after watching them drag Lucrez to her execution? Should I be timid and compliant? Or eager to offer them anything in a bid to win freedom?

I decided to just drink the pomati for now, as it required me to say nothing. The spirit was stronger than I expected—too strong. A couple more of these and my head would be spinning.

“If you are able to help us recover the princess, I will consider releasing you,” Orturio said.

This was the first time he had used the language of a captor. He thought I was desperate enough to believe his promise. He thought my hopes depended upon his willingness to do as he said.

“The huntsman’s neighbor said the princess and the elicromancer left the village with the huntsman and his family in the early morning. The huntsman told the old man that if he felt unsafe and wanted to join them at the hideout, he could meet him at the edifice in Enturra at noon the day after tomorrow, on Sun’s Benediction. The huntsman must expect that the crowds will help give him cover from us and the queen’s guards.”

“So you want to follow the old man and ambush the huntsman when they meet?”

Orturio shook his head. “He’s in no state to take the huntsman up on his offer. Viteus nearly killed him. Thankfully, there’s a priest in Enturra, one of our allies who helps us protect religious artifacts. He says he knows the huntsman’s face. He will be on the lookout. We can follow the huntsman to his hideout, where you will approach the group, establish trust, and make sure that your friend allows the princess to come with us. If that happens, we will release you. If anything goes wrong—if Princess Navara gets hurt or you fail to secure her in our custody—the deal is off.”

“I understand,” I said.

The uncle shook his fist. “And if we find out that unbelieving huntsman has violated her—”

“Uncle,” Orturio said in a placating tone. “She will be the pure queen who restores faith to Perispos, as the ancient scriptures foretell. Our mission is to protect her and continue her mother’s work of raising her on the path of virtue. She will strike fear into the hearts of those who reject the faith.”

Repressing a shudder of disgust required all of my resolve. The young princess’s “purity” was far from the business of middle-aged men mired in views of bygone centuries. If they had their way, Navara would return Perispos to the age of violent religious conquests and heretic executions.

Any of my elicromancer friends could kill Orturio with a flick of their pinky fingers. But I needed to do it now, before he could hurt anyone else, before he could sink his claws into Navara and make the future queen an enemy of elicromancers, a punisher of unbelievers. The Uprising’s influence would be felt throughout the world if they succeeded.

Orturio grabbed the bottle to pour us each another drink. I watched him splash more liquid into the glasses and felt the small reassuring pressure of the perfume bottle between my ribs.

It was time.

They were large men. The full dose of tincture would probably knock one man out, but splitting it two ways was a gamble—and that was only if my plan to distract them actually worked.

But I didn’t have a choice. It would be now or never. At least the uncle was older. I could give Orturio most of the draught.

I faked a chill that visibly shook my shoulders, rubbing my upper arms for warmth. “I feel the cold again. Do you think the snow has returned?”

They both hurried to the window. With calm movements even though my heart was raging, I slipped the perfume bottle out of my bodice. The stopper made a tiny pop as I removed it, but they didn’t notice. I reached to splash most of the tincture in Orturio’s drink and the rest in the uncle’s. Hopefully, the pomati would disguise the taste. If not…I didn’t want to ponder if not.

I barely had enough time to hide the empty bottle in my lap before Orturio