A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

reserved for guests’ animals, and I
went there first to find a stable boy. “The baron’s
guests leave early. Bring the horses up.”
    The stable boy was already nodding in compliance and getting to
his feet when someone behind me spoke.
    “Since when did you become a houseboy, slave?”
    I turned slowly. It was the soldier who had beaten Dirnes and
cost me the skin off my back.
    He smiled unkindly. Unsure how to react, the stable boy looked
from one of us to the other. I was at a standstill. I
couldn’t bluff my way past the soldier, and I couldn’t
bully him as I had Timos. I could attack him, but I wouldn’t
win, and while we were fighting, the stable boy would run screaming
for help.
    The soldier knew it, and his smile broadened.
“You’ll come with me to see the captain,” he
said, and nodded toward the open doorway of the stable. Swearing
under my breath, I walked as he indicated. As I passed outside, a
dark movement at the door frame caught my eye. I stopped abruptly
and said over my shoulder to the stable boy, “He’ll
find out about you soon enough.”
    The soldier also stopped, as I’d hoped he would, and
turned back to the stable boy, who was protesting his innocence but
backing away nonetheless. The soldier grabbed him by the collar and
pulled him along through the doorway, where Ochto, his face
obscured by a piece of cloth, hit the soldier from behind and
dropped him like a sack of dirt. Dirnes, coming from the other
side, was naked to the waist and had his shirt in his hands. He
wrapped the boy’s head with it. There was a muffled cry, and
then Ochto dropped the stable boy as well.
    “Did they see us?” Dirnes asked fearfully.
    Ochto shook his head.
    “Get his feet,” he said.
    He and Dirnes carried the soldier into the feed room. I lifted
the lightweight stable boy on my own, even as I asked Ochto what in
the name of all that was sacred he thought he was doing.
    “Helping you,” said Dirnes.
    “Why?”
    They put the soldier down, and Ochto straightened to look me in
the eye. “Because I know nothing about kings and princes, but
I know men.”
    “Are you mad ?” I asked.
    Ochto shrugged. “In a few minutes I’ll have to go up
to the kitchens to tell the steward that you are missing.
I’ll tell him that when you didn’t come in for the
night, I suspected you had run off and sent Dirnes to see if
you’d been incapacitated at the abattoir. I’ll say I
followed him, and when we found nothing, we came back together. I
doubt the steward will pursue it.”
    Indeed, he would not. I had forgotten that in order to report me
missing, the steward would first have to tell the baron that
he’d been keeping secrets for his daughter. “Tell
him”—I licked my lips—“tell him, least
said, soonest mended.”
    “You’ll want to find another stable boy
quickly,” Ochto advised. Dirnes pulled his shirt back on and
nodded to me; then the two of them headed back down to the
barracks.
    “Come with me!” I said after them.
    They paused, even as I reconsidered. I might not live out the
night, and no one knew of their part in recent events. “If
you like,” I added lamely.
    Dirnes waved farewell.
    “You know where to find us,” said Ochto, and they
disappeared into the dark.
    So, I found another hand in the stables and told him that the
horses were wanted, and then I made my way back up the forecourt of
the megaron and from there to the great room.
     
    I’d collected my amphora, and I began pouring wine again.
When I reached my father, I told him of the horses and then
continued working my way along the table. I’d made it only
halfway when I looked up from a cup I was filling and saw Timos
standing in a doorway opposite. He stepped out of sight, but
he’d seen me, I was certain. There was nothing I could do
except continue on to the next of my father’s men, skipping
everyone between, and hoping none of the slighted drinkers called
me back.
    I spoke to three more of my father’s