Chapter 4

Crescent Prime was making more money than people could believe.

Every day, the gold coins kept coming in like a river.

The price of information kept going up, from one hundred thousand silver coins at the start to a whole city later on, and sometimes even a simple promise.

I had become the most mysterious and the wealthiest person in Jelasburg.

But standing out also attracted trouble.

Word of what I was doing finally got under someone's skin.

That someone was my eldest sister, Victoria Goodwin, the queen herself.

*****

One evening around sunset, Victoria dressed in nice but plain clothes, brought two of her maids, and paid a secret visit to Crescent Prime.

I was at the door to welcome her myself.

"Look who decided to show up," I said. "You really make my small place feel special, Victoria."

Still smiling, I led her into a private room.

She glanced around at the fancy but tasteful decorations and let out a little snort. "This place of yours is even fancier than my own palace."

She didn't bother hiding the jealousy in her voice.

I poured her a cup of rare spiced tea that I had bought from a merchant traveling from the distant west.

"You're kidding, right?" I said. "How could my little place ever compare to the queen's palace?"

She didn't touch the tea. Instead, she looked at me coldly with those beautiful eyes.

"Claire, are you done making trouble?" she snapped. "Do you have any idea how much everyone at court and in the palace is talking about you and the Goodwin family? You've destroyed our family's reputation."

She put on that whole stern older sister act, scolding me like I was still a child.

But I didn't let it bother me. I picked up my tea and took a sip, cool as ever. "Victoria, a reputation isn't something people hand to you. You have to build it yourself.

"If I were still that pushover everyone walked all over, you would have thrown me away and married me off to some random loser by now.

"Would the family's reputation have been any better off then?"

My words stung, and I watched the color drain from her face.

She took a deep breath, trying to swallow her anger, and put on a look of deep concern. "Claire, I know you're upset, but we're sisters.

"Family sticks together. Just close Crescent Prime and come back to the palace with me. I promise no one will ever say a bad word about you again."

Now she was trying to pull the family card. That was ridiculous.

There had never been any real sisterly love between us.

Ever since Billy gave his prophecy, the only thing I saw in her eyes was suspicion and disgust.

I set my cup down, leaned in close to her ear, and spoke so only the two of us could hear, "Victoria, do you really want me to shut the place down?

"Are you sure you could keep being queen without Crescent Prime around?"

Victoria went completely stiff. "What are you trying to say?"

I sat back up, settled into my chair, and let a mysterious smile spread across my face. "Lady Grace has been getting a lot of attention from the king lately.

"People say she's the most beautiful one among the king's consorts and an incredible dancer. The king can't get enough of her. He's stayed at her palace every night for two whole weeks now.

"Meanwhile, you're spending every night alone. Doesn't that bother you?"

Victoria's face turned dark with anger.

Competing for the king's favor was her biggest weakness, the one thing she hated anyone bringing up.

But I was going to tear that cover right off.

"You..." She was shaking with rage, her finger trembling as she pointed at me.

I ignored her anger and kept talking like nothing had happened. "This information is free. Think of it as a welcome gift for your visit.

"Lady Grace's older brother, Governor Charles Jensen, has been acting pretty suspicious lately.

"He claims he's going after bandits, but he's really recruiting soldiers and moving weapons behind everyone's back.

"And we're talking about enough weapons to arm three thousand men.

"So what do you think he's up to?

My voice was quiet, but every word hit Victoria like a thunderclap right in her ear.

The anger on her face turned to shock in an instant.

She had spies everywhere in the court and the palace, but not one of them had ever found out about this.

Yet here I was, the sister she saw as an embarrassment, knowing every last detail.

The way she looked at me changed.

She finally understood that I wasn't the weak little sister she used to push around anymore.

Instead, I was a wild animal she had no hope of controlling.

I watched her face shift through all kinds of emotions and smiled even wider. "Victoria, the doors of Crescent Prime are always open for you, as long as you can afford the price."

I made sure to put extra weight on those last words.

That was my statement, and my challenge to her.