“He returned.”
The arena seemed to tilt.
The Keeper’s voice became unsteady.
“He came through the western sea gate after midnight. No banners. No escort. Wounded. Nearly blind in one eye. He had three sailors with him.”
The Queen whispered, “Why did no one tell me?”
“I tried.”
“Do not lie to me.”
“I wrote a message.”
“To whom?”
“To your chamber steward.”
The Keeper looked toward where the Regent had fled.
“It never arrived.”
The Queen understood.
“The Regent intercepted it.”
“Yes.”
The Prince asked, “How do you know?”
“Because he came to me before dawn holding the message.”
The Keeper closed his eyes.
“He said the King had discovered treason among the fleet and believed the palace compromised. He ordered me to bring the King through the old service tunnels.”
The Captain had returned.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
His face was pale.
“I was western gate lieutenant that year.”
The Queen stared.
“You were there?”
The Captain looked unable to breathe.
“I saw him.”
The Prince stepped forward.
“You saw my father alive?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you never tell me?”
The Captain looked toward the Queen.
“Because I was ordered not to.”
“By whom?”
The answer was obvious.
The Regent.
The Queen’s hand curled into a fist.
“And you obeyed.”
The Captain lowered his head.
“For one night.”
“What happened after?”
“My wife disappeared.”
The anger in the Queen’s face changed.
The Captain continued.
“A box arrived containing her wedding ring.”
The Prince swallowed.
The Captain’s voice roughened.
“The message said if I spoke of the King, the next box would contain her fingers.”
The Queen closed her eyes.
“Where is she?”
“I never found her.”
The Prince saw twenty years of guilt on the man’s face.
The same man who had shoved him minutes earlier.
The Prince suddenly remembered the Captain looking toward the galleries.
“You were watching something before you shoved me.”
The Captain nodded.
“What?”
“A crossbow.”
The Prince stared.
“Where?”
“Upper east arch.”
The Captain pointed.
“It was aimed at you.”
The Prince’s anger dissolved.
“You pushed me out of the shot.”
“Yes.”
“And kicked the mask?”
“I was trying to make you move.”
The Prince touched his split lip.
“You could have explained.”
“There was no time.”
The Queen looked at him.
“You still obeyed the Regent today.”
“Until he ordered the Prince disarmed.”
“You shoved my son.”
“To keep an assassin from putting a bolt through his throat.”
The Prince muttered, “That part would have been useful earlier.”
The Captain almost smiled.
Then the Queen returned to the Keeper.
“My husband came home.”
“Yes.”
“And the Regent took him beneath the palace.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the three sailors?”
The Keeper’s eyes lowered.
“Two disappeared.”
“And the third?”