Kace Holland

Years ago, my brother told me about Lord Idrice Astley and his son Rafe. How Rafe was in charge of the weaponry circle globally, and how Nicholyn had him "executed". He wasn't dead. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Rafe sat in front of me as he tapped his quill on the ink pot. "Your Grace, I'll happily aid once you sign the confidentiality contract."

A lump grew in my throat as I read the top of the signature line.

CONFIDENTIAL

All persons signing must agree to a no disclosure agreement. Information shared by both parties shall remain confidential if and only if signed together. The discussed information will not be shared with anyone, nor written down anywhere, for sake of nondisclosure.

And just to think Rafe couldn't get any smarter, he pulled a stunt like that. Honestly, I was proud of him for taking it out. He'd grown a lot since our last encounter.

I signed away.

"Excellent." Rafe took the paper, signed it, and placed it into a folder. "I don't sell illegal weaponry. Just the legal ones to the western world."

Leaning back, I sighed. "Oh, Rafe. I know you're not capable of something like this. It'd take a smart man to do this, and you're... you."

Rafe pursed his lips.

"However, you're well knit with others who may actually know what's going on, and I doubt they were smart. They probably thought it'd be a good idea to tell you."

"What are you suggesting, Prince Kace?"

"I'm accusing you of knowing illegal activities. Is that straight forward enough?" I said, narrowing my eyes infinitesimally.

He shrugged and sat forward. "I know a few people who sell illegal weaponry. What's the problem with that?"

"There's no problem. After all, your business does help the government. I'm simply wondering so I know who to go to for advice in the future."

"Advice on illegal weapons?"

"Advice on trade," I simply said. "Lumbar and coal from Thaeleck. Glass, gemstones, and petrol from Kandose. Weapons could be the next major export of Entorre. I need to know who to go ask."

Rafe let out a relieved breath. Good. "How do I know you're not going to leak information about the illegal weaponry?"

"The 'illegal' weaponry will soon be legal once I instate the new act."

"And how do I know you're going to do that?"

"Because I want our economy to thrive as much as the next person. Besides, have I given you a reason to not trust my word?"

Rafe glared at me.

"Fine, if you insist." I dug into my pockets and clasped around a royally sealed contract. Now maybe that would be useful. Whisking it out, I slid it in front of Rafe. "Take a look at that."

He glanced quizzically at the enveloped promise before slowly opening it. It was an eternity before he finished reading it.

"Dark Warriors?"

"Weapons, Rafe. I'll make the introduction to your new weapons along with the announcement of us pulling away from Thaeleck and allying with Kandose. Do you understand now why I want this agreement between us?" I asked, watching his shadowed face as the string-hung lantern sway above us.

Rafe swallowed and furrowed his brows. "This could be forged," he mumbled.

I grinned, rising up from my chair and rounding the room to the door. There were a million ways the next thing I'd do could go, but I trusted myself enough.

The rumors of Princess Senna always sneaking out from her palace in Wendigo had made way to Entorre. Asking Prince Thresan to go to Thaeleck wasn't so he'd help Adonia Wu and Zian Austruc, but to keep Princess Senna with me.

I swung open the door, revealing the eavesdropping princess. Her mouth dropped immediately as I yanked her into the room and kicked the door shut.

"This," I stated, holding out a bewildered Princess Senna in front of me, "is Her Highness, Princess Senna Aldorban of Kandose. Now do you believe me?"

"What are you going on about?" Princess Senna muttered, trying to get out my grasp. She was lucky I was using her because I would've thrown her in a garbage bin the second he insulted me. "Let go of me!"

Rafe laughed from his chair. "It's a deal, Prince Kace."

"What, no!" That fiend had the audacity to continue writhing in my grasp. "What are you doing, Kace?"

"Treating you like a queen. Aren't queens constantly used by politicians?" I whispered into her ear, releasing her.

"You wanted me to come, didn't you? You wanted this, you awful—"

"Rafe, we'll continue our discussion another day. I need to take care of her."

Rafe nodded and headed for the door. Princess Senna attempted to run out behind him before I grabbed and yanked her back into the room. I heard the locks on the door click from the opposing side. Luckily, I had the spare keys to the room given to me by Rafe earlier.

Princess Senna panted as she whirled to face me. "You have no idea what you've done. You can't make political agreements with fugitives, Kace—"

"It's 'Prince Kace'," I corrected.

The vixen held her hand up and was about to slap me, but I took her wrist and threw it back. "Who do you think you are trying to hurt me?"

"Who do you think you are trying to use me?" she shouted back. "My brother will come back for me—"

"He won't," I added.

"—he'll hear of this! I will have our alliance teared down, I swear to God, Kace. Entorre won't be getting anything from us. Entorre will rot, and I hope you rot along with it."

"I plan to," I mused.

"You bastard." She swung with her other hand, yet I caught that with ease. "You think you're so smart—"

I chimed, "I am."

Princess Senna peered up from underneath her lashes. Fury stormed in her speckled bronze eyes, resembling a lion. Just from our proximity her freckles were visible. Every hair on her perfectly carved brows flicked upward. Not to mention her sharp jawline. Then back to her slim eyes. Then down to... to what? Why was I looking there? The place where that vixen spoke.

My stomach strangely flipped as I released my hold on her wrist. Almost immediately Princess Senna dealt a blow to my right arm. "You deserve worse than that," she mumbled, wiping her hand down the side of her dress.

I thought I said I didn't, but I realized my voice had gone. Princess Senna walked to the side of the table, slightly pushing the hanging lantern, and said, "You're trying too hard for this plan to work. Which makes me wonder what you're actually trying to do."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are stupid, Prince Kace," she muttered, "but no one is that stupid. You wouldn't have this elaborate plan, and in the end realize it was dumb. There's more to this. Whether you want to tell me or not is up to you, but I will find out. And trust me, I will make sure everyone knows what you're doing, starting with your helpless father who has no idea what you've just done."

She hit my right arm.

Pins and needle-like sensations crept up the right side of my body. Her talking drowned to the background as I steadied myself and limped to the chair across the room. Nearly falling on top of it, I slid on and dug through my jacket for my pill. Another set of hands came into view, but I couldn't bother to glance up to see her face. Instead, I let down my arm and let her search through my jacket.

She took out the pill and held it up near my slumped face. My neck swayed around, and the pill fell into my mouth, followed my a gulp of cold water.

"Come on. You could've told me where the pill was when we first met so I didn't have to look for it for that long," Princess Senna muttered, gently lifting my neck up.

"Thank you," I groaned, heaving my arm to my lap.

"You're welcome. Is there anything else you need?"

"No."

"Good. Now, where was I? You owe me an explanation. I know you aren't dumb. Maybe a little. Just tell me and it'll save us so much time."

"I don't have anything to tell you. You heard it all, right?" I said, pushing myself upright on my chair.

"I doubt you told him your entire plan."

I cleared my throat. "And you think I'd tell a woman my plan? You'd give away the plan the second you are in the face of danger."

"Ah, yes, because that time you locked me in my room with several of my enemy guards armed outside wasn't dangerous enough. I could've told them you plan to ally Kandose and Entorre together, but did I? No. I stayed true to our word—"

"You stayed true to the contract," I reminded her.

"We never signed a confidentiality contract."

I nearly blacked out again. "What?"

"I mean your father didn't give us a confidentiality contract to sign. He said it wouldn't be necessary since it wouldn't be long before the world knew our alliance."

Now that was a mountain to digest. My father—the man who never did anything in public and kept everything he did private—didn't make them sign a confidentiality contract?

No, that didn't sound like him. Not one bit.

Grimacing, I got up from my chair and rounded the table. "My father made a mistake. So what? When we get back I'll make you sign the contract and it'll be over with."

"And who said I'll sign?" she whispered so low I almost thought it was a rat squeaking.

"I don't care if I have to tie to you a chair with a quill in your hand to make you sign it, but you will."

"I don't think that's very appropriate." Princess Senna crossed her arms, stepping to the opposing side of the table. "You can try, though. I'll get out just like how I got out today from my room."

"You were meant to get out," I said, reminding her that I was only using her.

"It was still difficult. Your band of guards could use a pay raise, you know."

"I'll think that over," I grounded out.

"Good. Now, we're going to go back to the Palace and you're going to explain to me your plan." Princess Senna didn't allow me to retort as she slipped her hand into my pockets, pulled out the door key, and swiftly exited.

The vixen had done it again.