Throne of Secrets (Prince of Sin #2)

Twenty-Five Prince Gluttony

A TWIG SNAPPED ON the garden path a few paces behind me. I whirled, dagger drawn, and squinted into the shadows. I expelled a breath.

“Mrs. Everhart.”

I’d been distracted by my conversation with Miss Saint Lucent and hadn’t been paying attention to the slight prickle of awareness that indicated I was being watched.

“Your Highness.”

Eden’s mother tucked a long quill into her coiffed hair, adopting a look of innocence that was as believable as a viper claiming it wasn’t venomous as she stepped out from behind the silverfrost bush and onto the path.

“I was just admiring the gardens. I’ve never seen so many silverfrost flowers in bloom. They’re as lovely as I’ve read about in the scandal sheets.”

She hadn’t lied, but there was an air of falseness that rang in her statement. I glanced down at her hands. Ink smudged her fingertips.

How very curious. From my first impressions of her, I wouldn’t have taken her for someone who’d ever deign to dirty her hands. Unless it somehow served a greater purpose for her—like securing a royal match for her daughter using any means necessary.

My instincts went on high alert.

It seemed there truly was a snake in our midst.

“You appear to have taken a turn and lost your way.” I held out my arm in a show of princely charm and manners. Though nothing disguised the edge in my tone. “Shall I escort you back to the dining hall?”

Her gaze lingered on where I’d left Adriana.

Something about her hesitation slowly raised my hackles.

With a pinched look that made her appear slightly constipated, Mrs. Everhart took my proffered arm. She couldn’t be more different from Eden or Adriana if she tried.

“How exceptionally kind of Your Highness to offer to escort me. I needed some air and wandered a bit too far, it seems.”

A dark suspicion rose as I glanced back at the ink on her hands. Adriana had accused me and my court of feeding information to her editor, but for once that wasn’t true.

There were two other witnesses in her home who had details of the items I’d given her.

Eden. And Sophie Everhart.

All at once, I understood. Sophie had been spying on her stepdaughter, hoping to sell more information to the gossip sheets. How utterly ruthless. I imagined inside gossip fetched a handsome amount of coin.

Silence stretched between us, one I purposefully refused to fill. I found the guilty often prattled on, hoping to distract from their wicked behavior. Soon enough, Sophie broke.

“Did you have trouble with my eldest, Your Highness?” she asked. “Adriana is not blood related, thank the gods for that. She’s entirely too high-strung and opinionated to be an Everhart.”

I kept my pace slow, my muscles loose. Inside, annoyance ignited in a blaze, and I didn’t bother to stomp it out.

“Disowning someone based on the notion of blood and speaking about it so freely to a stranger is a sin I find far more appalling than a woman who speaks her mind.”

Sophie’s mouth snapped shut so loudly, I heard the clack of her teeth.

I hid my smile, not quite finished.

“In fact, I find it rather odious and boring when former nobles think of themselves too highly. It reeks of pride, and as you’re aware, that isn’t my sin.”

We made our way to the terrace stairs, and I paused at the bottom, finally dropping my arm. Sophie’s jaw was so strained from biting her tongue, it gave me a delightful burst of elation.

The only one permitted to needle Adriana was me .

“Thank you, Your Highness. Good—”

“One last bit of advice, Mrs. Everhart.” This time I didn’t mask my expression. I allowed every bit of the demon to shine through as I held her stare. “It would be unwise for you to sell any more information about me or your daughter to the press again. I would hate to disqualify Eden because you’ve been running interference. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

She swallowed hard, then gave me a deep curtsy.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Wonderful. Good night.”

I watched her slink up the grand staircase, then disappear into the dining hall. Hopefully it would be the last time I’d need to deal with the woman.

One issue settled, I turned on my heel, heading back down the path and out of the garden.

Anticipation thickened the space around me.

It was nearing midnight and the charge that had been steadily building all day was coming to a head. I could have taken the easy route and sent my spies after Adriana, but that wouldn’t be quite as exciting and it wouldn’t feed my sin.

Instead, I’d called them off, wanting to indulge in the thrill as the hunt came to an end.

In less than an hour I would solve one mystery and the suspense was growing delightfully unbearable; it was the sweetest sort of torture and I allowed myself to fully indulge. I couldn’t tell if I was more excited by the prospect of being right about Lady F’s identity, or if I was simply looking forward to seeing the woman who’d made me feel so deeply again.

I wound my way through the garden, getting as far as the evergreen wall that signaled the edge of it, then glanced around. All was quiet, except for the pounding of my pulse. And that wouldn’t be calming down anytime soon.

When the clock struck the witching hour, I would finally know if Lady F and my rival were one and the same. Tonight, one way or another, my hunt would end.

It was time to discover if the gods were indeed merciful to sinners like me.

An ember of hope sparked deep in my chest, growing stronger with each moment that passed. I didn’t think I would be able to put out the fire even if I wanted to.

I glanced around the empty garden again, then pulled out a pocket watch. I scowled down at the time piece. The second hands must be cursed by witches to move excruciatingly slow.

I shut the damned thing and tossed it into the nearest frostberry bush. I would be early but couldn’t bring myself to wait around anymore.

I unfurled my wings and shot into the night, aiming directly for the Seven Sins and what felt like standing on the precipice of realm-shattering change.