The Spy Princess Read Online Free PDF Page B

pools moved silently beneath the central statue, sending ripples through the water. A wedge-shaped gap opened, just large enough to slip through. I had to see where it went.
    I clambered down the stairway, and when I trod on the seventh step, the marble rumbled, closing over my head, leaving me in cool darkness.
    My eyes adjusted as I descended. Cleverly placed slits in the fountain let in air and a dusty, bluish light. I reached a floor of hard-packed dirt and looked around. I was in a small circular room lined with a jumble of chests and dully gleaming carved objects.
    A treasure room? A
second
treasure room—we had one in the house, but it was empty. I could explore later. Right now I was more interested in where Peitar had gone.
    There were passages on either side, and from one came the rise and fall of voices. I followed the sound, walking down an incline. Something moist brushed my face—tree roots. Then the tunnel turned sharply—light glowed on the rough walls—and the voices were clearer.
    â€œ. . . from where?” That was Derek!
    â€œYes,” Peitar said. “No one pays attention to the rag pile.”
    â€œThen she suspected us. How did we slip up?”
    They were talking about
me
!
    Peitar said, “Lilah came up with her plans for investigating the village on her own. She had no ideas about revolution. I’m sure of it.”
    â€œShe did show surprise last night, but I have been lied to before.” Derek sounded tired.
    â€œWell, I’ve put her off again.” Peitar sighed. “Just now. So, to business. Why have you moved up the date for your uprising?”
    â€œ
My
uprising,” Derek repeated, sounding displeased. “
You
keep quoting the wisdom of the greats. Wasn’t it your favorite, Adamas Dei of the Black Sword, who said, ‘A ruler can only govern by the consent of the governed—’”
    â€œâ€˜â€”and when the interests of the governed are replaced by the ruler’s own interests, that ruler has become a tyrant.’ Yes,” my brother replied calmly. “But right after that he said, ‘This is why education is a necessity, so that the governed may enlighten the ruler.’ He never advocated violent overthrow. Derek, I will help, as I promised. But I will tell you again and again, until the very end, that I think violence is the wrong approach.”
    â€œI see no other solution. The nobles will not give up their privileges without bloodshed. To think otherwise is to dream, safe in this big house—ah, Peitar, don’t give me that look! We both know that your father’s valet spies on you, and there are your own tensions with the king. But you’ve never starved, or been forced to sleep out in the winter cold, or felt the desperation that drives people to murder just to feed their families!”
    â€œWe’ve been over this ground before,” Peitar said. “Has something new occurred?”
    â€œTwo reports from the capital. From the palace, as it happens. Neither of these contacts knows the other, but their reports came on the same day—and concerned the same events.”
    â€œAbout my family’s trip to Miraleste?”
    â€œYes,” Derek answered. “One overheard a command to the city captain for garrison space for incoming regiments next month. The other intercepted a written command to one of Irad’s minor moons—”
    â€œMoons?” Peitar sounded like he was smiling.
    â€œTasenja was the name.”
    Tasenja? I didn’t know any Tasenjas, but many nobles didn’t bring their children to court until they were Peitar’s age.
    â€œAh,” Peitar said. “A northern family, not powerful, but dedicated, and wealthy. Go on.”
    â€œHe was ordered to produce his son for a betrothal.”
    Peitar’s voice dropped; I could barely hear him, so I crept closer. “A betrothal? How does this relate to the