“Royce cast a harsh and anxious look at the prince.“What?” Alric asked.“I thought we discussed the importance of keeping a low profile.”“Oh, please.” The prince waved a hand at the thief. “I don’t think it willget me killed if this monk knows I’m the king. Look at him. I’ve seendrowned rats more formidable.”

“You think he’s still alive?” Royce asked, nodding his head toward Alric.“Sure,” Hadrian replied without bothering to look. “He’s probably sleeping. Why do you ask?”“I was just pondering something. Do you think a person could smother in a wet potato bag?”Hadrian lifted his head and looked over at the motionless prince. “I really hadn’t thought about it until now.”

“Alric looked up at the thief with a scowl. “I just want to say for the record that as far as royal protectors go, you’re not very good.”“It’s my first day,” Royce replied dryly.“And already I’m trapped in a timeless prison. I shudder to think what might have happened if you had a whole week.”

“...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.”

“We were expecting to see you at the market.""Yes. Well. Some people thought I was dead. I was forced to keep a low profile.""Why . . . why did some people think you were dead?"The marquis looked at Richard with eyes that had seen too much and gone too far. "Because they killed me.”

“I covered my eyes with my hand. Please don’t let it be what I think it is. “It isn’t babysitting again, is it?” I asked in a squeaky voice. Oh dear, please don’t let him hear what I’d said.”