❖ QUEENKILLER, KINGMAKER Book 2 ❖
A year has passed since Isla rescued Tam Mai from the dungeons, but her sister's mind is still trapped and broken. There is only one person Isla knows can help her.
Meanwhile across the sea, a prince seeks justice f...
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'I still can't believe you're here.' Tran braided the bun on top of Isla's head, letting their tails fall over her shoulders with the rest of her untied hair.
Isla chuckled. She had arrived at the Water Palace late last night, surprising Tran in the middle of her studies. They had talked long into the early dawn, woke up far too late for breakfast, and after a long soak in the palace hot springs returned to Tran's bedchamber to talk and idle some more. 'I still don't think it's a good idea you skip classes today.'
'I'm not skipping, I'm taking a sick day. Besides, you won't be here long and I don't want to waste a single moment.'
Isla reached around behind her to squeeze the girl. Tran laughed, almost falling back on the bed at the sudden weight.
She had changed so much over the past year and a half—her hair was short, now; cropped just past her chin, and she wore her syarong long, reaching her ankles and styled in a conservative sheath-wrap. Whether it was a genuine change or simply to conform to the other girls, Isla was glad at least that it was still the same girl she knew inside.
'I thought you were dead! You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out you testified in Rajini Dhvani's trial.'
Isla sighed. 'How did you even hear about that.'
'Master Chendra writes you know, now and then. Unlike some.'
That grouch. She knew he was not as bad as he would like to have them believe. 'I'm sorry, Tran. I didn't have time for farewells or explanations, and I still can't say much. All I can tell you is that Rajini Chei—'
'Has appointed you her royal messenger. Yes, that much I've since heard.'
'I'm also sorry I got you involved. That silver-servant who attacked the asraam ... he came for me and you tried to stop him.'
'Yet you still took on the position.' Tran paused between securing the last pins over Isla's bun. 'Working for the rajini is high honour and prestige, but it's not safe. You already had someone try to kill you before she even officially signed you on. And after your testimony against Rajini Dhvani, I'm sure you've only made yourself more enemies.'
'I don't want to think about any of that right now.' Isla turned away, her eyes falling through the half-open window. The spring breeze kept its sheer curtains constantly aflutter, the bamboo rollers hanging from the eaves outside kept most of the rain from entering the chamber.
They had even kept the door wide open to invite more air, but the hallway outside was calm and still in every sense of the word. All the other dhayang were no doubt in the middle of their second or third lesson for the day. It was a wonder none of the Water Palace matrons had come to check in on Tran for missing both breakfast and classes.
She also did not have a chambermate, come to think of it.
Isla had passed other rooms on her way to Tran's the night before; even mistakenly knocked on the wrong door, and while the other girls shared three or four beds to one chamber, Tran kept hers to herself.
