Chapter 19 #2
She’d forgotten about that. “Don’t you?”
“No.”
The head of her guard should have access to the dungeon.
Although, the more she thought about it, she didn’t see a reason for her guards to have a key to the dungeon.
If there was an issue, Captain Lithane would work with them to handle it.
The less people who had access, the better.
Regardless, that didn’t help her right now. An idea came to her.
Without another word, Sabine turned and headed to see Lady Regina. Not having much time until Rainer returned, she hoped Regina would have her husband’s keys. Sabine was just about to knock on the door when Cutler exited the suite.
“My queen,” he said. “If you’re here to visit my mother, she just fell asleep.”
Sabine didn’t want to wake Regina, since she’d had a rough few days. “I’m actually here for another reason,” she admitted. “I am hoping your father’s keys are in your suite.” She nodded behind Cutler.
“Keys for what?” His eyes narrowed.
“The dungeon.” There was no point lying or hiding her intentions.
He raised his eyebrows. “What do you want to go down there for?”
“I wish to question the prisoner.”
He shook his head. “That’s not a good idea. The man is dangerous.”
Cutler sounded like Drew. “Your father took me down there. He let me talk with the prisoner.” And she’d been the only one he’d spoken to. She’d probably gleaned more information than anyone had.
Cutler rubbed his jaw. “Walk with me,” he finally said as he headed down the hallway. Sabine hurried to join him. “I am on my way to see Heather. She’s still ill. I only left her to come here to check on my mother.”
“I’m sorry she’s not improving,” Sabine said. “Where is she staying?” She hadn’t seen Heather in Rainer’s room and she hadn’t seen her in Regina’s suite either.
He shook his head. “I can’t get into it with you right now. The situation is…well…you’re a queen, so I don’t want to curse in front of you.”
Sabine appreciated him being so forthright with her. “I hope your mother is doing better.”
“She is, but she’s worried. And tired. She leaves in a couple of days. I’m trying to get the king to agree to let me leave with her.”
“Surely he’d let you accompany your mother to her estate.”
He clasped his hands behind his back. “I want to leave with my wife.”
Ah, that was the problem. Rainer didn’t want to let his lover go. It shouldn’t have surprised Sabine, yet it did.
“Why do you want to see the assassin?” Cutler asked.
“I want to make sure he’s still locked up and hasn’t gotten out.” She shivered, imagining him sneaking out of the dungeon at night to kill people.
“You can’t believe he murdered Neron.”
“I think he did. And I think he killed your father.” She didn’t know how, but she’d seen enough Avoni assassins to know it was possible.
They walked in silence for a few minutes.
“Queen Sabine, I can personally assure you that the prisoner is in the dungeon. As for my father’s keys, the king took them, and I don’t have my own key to enter the dungeon.”
Irritation filled her. “Then how can you be so sure the man is still locked in the dungeon?”
He rubbed his shoulder. “I interrogated him,” he said quietly.
Cutler had the title of a captain. For some reason, it never occurred to her what or who he was in charge of.
She’d assumed he was similar to Drew in his station and rank.
To hear that he’d interrogated someone, and that someone was an Avoni prisoner, meant he had to be in charge of that sort of thing.
Instead of questioning him about it, she said, “What did you learn?”
“Nothing. He refused to speak even when dubious means were used.”
“You hurt him?” she asked.
“I tried to encourage him to answer the questions. He didn’t, no matter what I did.”
“Were there other soldiers with you?”
“Yes. Why all the questions?”
She didn’t know if she should tell him about her conversation with the assassin. Grabbing Cutler’s sleeve, she yanked him into an alcove. “When did you question him?” she demanded.
“Earlier today. The king took me into the dungeon. He told me what he wanted to know.”
“Which was?” she prodded.
Cutler sighed. “He needed to know if the assassin had help. In other words, if he was working alone or had a partner.” He ran his hands over his face. “The king is afraid we’ve arrested one assassin but still have a second on the loose. He’s afraid the second is coming to free the first one.”
“Who does the king think is responsible for the two murders in the palace?”
Cutler looked her in the eyes. “He’s questioning Prince Evander as we speak.”
Dread filled her. “Surely he doesn’t think Evander killed those men? He wasn’t even in the palace when your father died.”
“Evander?” Cutler said. “That’s rather informal of you.”
Sabine chose to ignore him.
When she didn’t respond, he continued, “You need to stay out of the investigation. Don’t go near the dungeon—you don’t want people questioning your motives.”
“I understand.” She might not agree with it, but she understood what he was saying. “Thank you for your time.”
He nodded then left.
Sabine leaned against the wall considering everything.
Her sister had been killed by an Avoni assassin with poison similar to what was used on Felix.
That couldn’t be a coincidence. She needed to find out how Neron was killed.
She pushed off the wall and continued along the hallway.
While Sabine didn’t think Lottie had anything to do with the current murders, she had to at least consider it.
Lottie had hired the assassin who killed Alina and tried killing Sabine.
While there were some similarities, she knew that King Kai had sent that unit of assassins here.
The man in the dungeon had to be a part of that unit.
Except that King Kai wasn’t in charge of the assassins.
Evander was.