The Prince's Bargain - K.M. Shea Page 0,64

rush they’ll make a mistake. We’ll cross-reference their records with the trade records we have and compare them to their tax reports. Already I’ve found enough inconsistencies between those two records that we have enough to hit them with a painful fine. But if we can use any of their records as our proof, it will be far more incriminating, and Father will reasonably be able to come down harder on them.”

Sir Arion nodded, and for a moment his endless diligence abandoned him, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Perhaps you could send someone who could trick the Fultons into lowering their guard. If they can pull it off well enough, they might be able to liberate additional information.”

“If I illegally obtain information it won’t be permissible in court,” Arvel sighed. “If we can find enough evidence in all of this, then Father would be within his rights to send in the Department of Investigation to take whatever information they can find. But given that Mother is a Fulton, we can’t throw around our royal power, or the Fultons will cry off to whatever countries they’re illegally selling their goods to, and it will become an international mess.” For all of his disgust, he casually—and smoothly—managed to rest his arm on the back of Myth’s chair.

Myth didn’t react—this contact was nothing compared to the Prince of Seduction. “Could you use information taken from the Fultons if it was taken by accident?” she asked.

Arvel and Sir Arion swiveled their attention to her. “What do you mean, Myth?” Arvel asked.

Myth took a moment to select her words. “If, perchance, you sent someone the Fultons so underestimated that they didn’t hide as much information. Could the person—in their so-called ignorance—happen to take it?”

Sir Arion blinked. “I apologize, Translator Mythlan, but I am unable to follow your line of reasoning.”

Oh, blast this!

“I’m referring to myself,” Myth said. “If Lord Julyan incorrectly assumed—as others have—that I am unable to read or write Calnoric, he’d be more likely to leave information lying around, wouldn’t he? Given that I can read and write Calnoric—at least enough to get by—” she ignored the noise of disagreement Arvel made and forged on, “wouldn’t it stand to reason that if I can tell it’s pertinent information, I could just take it? That is, as long as Lord Julyan and any of his lackeys are distracted enough for me to attempt it. After all, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that I was supposed to pick up anything at all related to the investigation if it was just lying around.”

Arvel and Sir Arion exchanged looks.

“She’s not wrong,” Sir Arion said.

“Maybe,” Arvel was slow to say. The furrow in his brows was so deep, his eyebrows looked like a piece of maligned crochet work. “But it puts Myth at risk.”

“I was the one who offered,” Myth said.

“I know, and I’m thankful. But conducting subterfuge is not a part of the vows you take as a translator…and it’s almost certain Uncle Julyan will try to retaliate once he realizes what happened,” Arvel said.

“I was already involved in an attack on you,” Myth said. “He can’t come after me any worse than that.”

“I will increase the patrols around the Translators’ Circle, as a precaution,” Sir Arion decided. “That is, if you think it could work.”

“There’s a strong possibility it would—especially if we tell the Fultons ahead of time,” Arvel said. “Uncle Julyan frankly asked Myth if she could read and write, and she used the ‘not skilled’ line.”

“Because it’s true,” Myth said.

Arvel moved his arm that he’d laid across the back of her chair, tilting it forward so it was draped over her instead. “He also knows I trust her, and obviously I would send someone I trust to pick up the records, or he’d try bribing them or would resort to blackmail. When I send the orders that Myth is going, I could even insinuate I chose her because she’s an elf, and I know he’ll conduct himself properly then.”

“And he won’t suspect it’s a red herring?” Sir Arion asked.

Arvel shrugged. “He believes I’m…not incompetent, but easy to fool. And Mother is scarcely better. Both of them underestimate me enough that we should be able to get this past them—though I honestly don’t know if Uncle Julyan thinks so highly of himself that he’d leave the records lying out.”

“A man who is cocky enough to smuggle assailants into the palace with the intention of attacking the crown prince is hardly going