Page 17 of The Crown’s Temptation

If he held her he would soften. He could not afford to soften. Not right now.

I will fix this. You will get your mother back.

"I will tell them that Kentan, the children, and Asharin's body are already en route to Alarna," he said. "That they left immediately."

"A decoy," Kentan said quietly.

"Yes. My men will be in it. We will see who moves against them." He paused. “Then they return to Shalvar. They tell my father the truth. Quietly. We get more troops. Arrangements get made from there."

"What of the Avanki?"

"I do not know if we can trust them."

The room went very still.

He looked at Saurin and Cambra. "Where is Wyn?"

They did not answer immediately.

"There were thousands of Avanki in this palace tonight with one purpose. To protect their queen." His voice did not rise. "Where were they? Why was I the first person to find her? Why was no one looking?"

Kentan spoke carefully. "Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when I left. Wyn was still there. I was returning to my rooms when I felt this." He held out his hand. A burn marked the palm, a raw, angry red. "It means the ones I protect are in danger. That is when I saw you in the courtyard fighting the Deathmages and I began to run back to them." He paused. "There was no assailant in the room or outside of it when I arrived. I brought everyone here with me to Urasal. I saw nothing else."

Colsar looked at the burn.

"Wyn was called to check on Queen Asharin just before it happened," Saurin said quietly.

Colsar's head lifted sharply.

Cambra nodded. "She never returned."

The room went quiet.

"I will not allow ignorance to endanger my children," Colsar said. "Perhaps the political divide in Alarna ran deeper than we understood. The bond. Fiorakis being named heir. Perhaps there were those who believed she would be named heir to Alarna and acted on that belief." He paused. "Or perhaps none of it. Perhaps they simply did not get there in time."

"Or," Kentan said, "they were loyal but directed elsewhere. Intentionally pulled away from her."

Saurin nodded quietly. "That may make more sense."

"Arabar can be trusted," Colsar said finally. "He will spread word of her death. Let it travel." He looked at Kentan, and in that brief glance he knew he now understood. She might be alive.

The room fell silent. Then Kentan straightened.

“There is something else,” he said. “Urasal connects to Umbrelai. Umbrelai exists within Morrath.”

Colsar frowned.

“The old nursery tunnels,” Kentan continued. “Between them and the nursery is a safe room.”

He looked directly at him.

“No one can see inside it. There is a glass wall that looks into the nursery, but from the nursery side it appears to be nothing more than a wall.”

Colsar rubbed his temple. There was too much information. Too many impossible things happening at once.

“Speak plainly, Uncle.”

Kentan sighed.