As Eli sat in the meeting room surrounded by many of the same faces, the temperature climbed as it always did late in the morning. But as Auburn predicted, it seemed hotter than usual, and even the Qumarefis were showing their discomfort.

The sultan pushed away from the table. “Enough. We’ll have refreshments in the gardens and come back when all the hot air we’ve spilled has cleared.”

Several men laughed, but all seemed relieved to escape from the sweltering meeting room.

As was his custom, Eli followed behind the sultan, allowing the rest to catch up to them.

Several harem girls were waiting by the entrance to the gardens, and with a broad smile, the sultan spread his arms wide for them. As Pandhuka disappeared into the lush green with the ladies, Eli paused as he remembered Auburn’s plea.

Why had those girls been waiting for the sultan? How had they known the meeting would adjourn early, or that the sultan would want to go to the gardens?

Eli wasn’t sure, but he was starting to think Auburn knew more than she’d admitted.

Was she involved with someone dangerous? Had someone threatened her?

Anger mixed with fear, and the fear made him angrier.

He’d trusted her. If she’d betrayed that trust...

“Sligo,” Eli said, and his guard detached from the shadows. “We need to talk to Auburn. Now.”

Sligo’s eyebrows went up, but he nodded and fell in beside Eli.

As the prince stepped away from the gardens, an arrow embedded in the doorjamb where his head had been.

He heard shouts as Sligo threw him to the ground, and a second arrow shot out of the meeting room. The arrow missed Eli and hit one of the Qumarefi delegates.

“Your Highness?” Sligo said.

“Unhurt.” Eli picked himself up from the floor. People were panicking around them, but Eli and Sligo ignored them.

“Return to your rooms?” Sligo asked. “I have guards there, but whoever planned this could’ve killed them already.”

The thought curled Eli’s hands around his sword and dagger as his throat constricted. “Auburn is there.”

Sligo nodded and guided Eli past the confusion and through the dark corridors leading back to his suite. The prince saw no sign of another assassin, but he noticed that there were no guards patrolling the halls, either.

As they sprinted down the passageway to where the Tamarian delegation was staying, Eli caught sight of three men slinking towards his rooms, their weapons in their hands.

Ajeem and two others.

Eli knew he should’ve killed the bastard. Glancing over at his bodyguard, Eli saw Sligo with his sword and dagger already drawn.

Taking out his own dagger, Eli took aim, and with the accuracy of a dozen years of practice, buried it in the back of the man on Ajeem’s left.

The man howled as he tried to reach the dagger, and the three attackers turned to face him.

Sligo was already halfway to them as he sprinted ahead of Eli, his footsteps silent on the stone floors. Burying one of his daggers into the attacker on Ajeem’s right, Sligo pivoted, but Ajeem was already charging toward the prince.

Ajeem’s feet pounded the hard stone as he barreled toward Eli.

The prince drew his sword and pulled a dagger from his boot as Sligo yanked the dagger from the other attacker’s back then slit his throat.

“Now you die.” Hatred twisted Ajeem’s face, and the Qumarefi’s scimitar glittered in the dim light of the hall.

Eli waited.

As Ajeem bore down on him, Eli pivoted away, allowing Ajeem’s momentum to carry the Qumarefi forward as the prince buried a dagger in the man’s side.

Eli heard a scuffle behind him, but he didn’t take his eyes from Ajeem as the man spun around. Blood soaked the Qumarefi’s side, and he howled as he launched himself at the prince.

Sucking in a breath, Eli waited until the man was almost on top of him before dodging to the side and sweeping Ajeem’s feet out from underneath him. As the man crashed to the floor, Eli drove his sword through Ajeem’s chest.

The Qumarefi stared at him for a moment, eyes wide, as he grabbed at the blade then stilled.

“Your Highness,” Sligo said as he approached.

Eli whirled around, but he didn’t reach for the dagger in his other boot.

Kneeling, Sligo slit Ajeem’s throat, then wiped his blade clean. He removed Eli’s dagger from the dead man’s side, cleaned it on Ajeem’s vest, and handed it back to Eli.

“Auburn. They were after Auburn.” Eli raced towards their rooms.

Sligo caught up to the prince and opened the door, sword and dagger ready.