"Renat!" Mairwen cried as she saw the shaft protruding from his back. "We need help!"

"I am fine," he responded hoarsely, trying to disentangle himself from the princess.

Eira tackled the the sharpshooter to the ground before he could get off another shot, and the two began to tussle with their fists. Brinn took on the blond assassin: her sword against his knife. He gave a dazzling smile before feinting left. The elf swung at him, but he evaded her easily. His blade nicked her right wrist, which only increased his menacing grin.

"You jerk," she yelled. Her eyes lit with determination. Brinn leapt to an impressive height and came crashing down on her opponent. He never stood a chance.

The third assassin barreled toward the couple with his sword drawn. The princess narrowed her eyes at him. Since returning from the garrison, Brinn had been honing Mairwen's fighting. "You've been slacking. You must be able to defend yourself," the elf had said. Now the princess was glad for the extra training. Now was the time to act.

Mairwen pulled herself out from below the scientist and backed away from him, looking terrified. The enemy's hazel eyes twinkled as if victory was assured.

"Don't hurt me," the girl begged.

"Stay still, and this will be quick," the man ordered. He did not see the girl pull a knife from her waist and hide it in her skirt. He lifted his sword to make a death blow when the princess dropped suddenly to the ground. The assassin's arc went too high, and Mairwen thrust her knife into his unprotected foot. He cried out in pain and reeled back.

The princess removed her blade and struck him again in the leg before running away full speed. Now that he knew she was not defenseless, Mairwen had lost the element of surprise. The safest option was to seek the protection of the palace.

It turned out safety was closer than she realized as Nurlan and Chief Zan ran into the fray with a host of other soldiers. Behind them Aurora waited with open arms. "Are you alright?" The Empress checked the girl for bumps and bruises while dragging her toward the palace.

"I am fine, but Renat is hurt!" Mairwen pulled from her mother's embrace. Seeing the situation under control, she ran toward the scientist and helped him to sit up. He was bleeding heavily but still conscious.

"We have apprehended all three of them," Eira announced to the Empress with a bow. A large bruise was forming on her left cheek.

"Three?" Aurora's eyes went wide. "There should be four."

Out of the flowers behind the princess, a final assassin leapt toward her with a dagger shining in his hand. He was so intent on his target that he missed the small bag flying toward his face. The sack hit his chin, sending a spectacular display of white powder exploding in the air. The assassin collapsed in a fit of sneezes.

"Long live Emperor Alaron," he yelled between outbursts. With each sneeze, his breathing became more ragged. It was only then that the others noticed the assassin had fallen on his own dagger. The poisoned blade worked quickly and the man went limp.

"You had a second sneeze bag?" Brinn asked as she approached Renat. The boy had acted quickly, tossing the pouch when the assassin emerged.

"I needed a back-up in case the first did not work." The scientist smiled weakly. His voice was thin.

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"Then that is two points for science," Brinn responded. "Now let us get you to the doctor post haste."

A stretcher was brought, and Renat was laid on his stomach to be moved. Mairwen looked down at her hands. They were stained red. "Get changed and cleaned up," Aurora advised. "You will not be able to see Renat until the doctor fixes him up. I will come with you."

Mairwen looked at the dead assassin and then the Empress. "Did you hear what he said? 'Long live Emperor Alaron.' You do not think that…"

Aurora wrapped her arms around the crying girl. The princess sobbed into her shoulder. "Hush now," the Empress crooned. "You cannot think that your brother would do this. We will get to the bottom of how this happened and who is responsible."

"I will get on it right now," Brinn announced with determination.

"No," Zan interrupted. "You need to go to the infirmary as well. Looks like his blade was not the only one that was poisoned." The Guardian pointed at the elf's wrist, where the cut made earlier was festering with gooey green pus.

Brinn cursed. "Just what I needed today. That blond buffoon had no idea who he was messing with. Good thing elves do not process poison the same as humans. I would possibly be dead already." She gave a lopsided grin.

"Get to the infirmary now," Aurora ordered, kicking at the naughty elf just for good measure. To the princess, she said, "I will take you back to your room."

Mairwen shook her head. "I will be fine. I need a moment to be alone. I will meet you outside the infirmary."

"At least take Nurlan with you, and of course Eira. And before you argue, the men are after you, not me. Zan will keep me safe." The Empress was unwilling to argue any more and Mairwen accepted her words.

Aurora watched with Zan as the garden was cleared of all its occupants. "Perhaps I should just close down the Spring Garden. It seems to cause a lot of trouble."

"Surely something good has happened here, Your Majesty," Zan mused.

The Empress allowed a small smile. In one corner of the garden, she had asked Devrim to be her fake husband. "I suppose you are right, as usual, Chief Zan."

"I suggest we go inside." The Guardian ushered Aurora back into the palace where he could protect her better. They continued their conversation as they went.

"They were testing our defenses," the ruler said. "Trying to see where we are weak. I would bet money that Cafer or Xander—or both—are behind this without the Prince's knowledge."

"Targeting Mairwen makes since if those two are behind it. It cuts out Alaron's biggest weakness, eliminates the competition, and would break you and His Majesty to pieces." Zan was thinking aloud. He realized too late how calloused his words must sound. "Of course I am not condoning it," he added.

"I know, but unfortunately you are right. We will have to double the guard and tighten who can and cannot enter the palace. Every palace guard will need to receive special identification in addition to passwords. No one will be able to sneak in on the heels of our allies." Aurora balled her fists.

Using Anna to gain access to the palace was brilliant. Had the assassin's timing been better, they would have easily succeeded and disappeared before they were caught. The Empress's heart clinched at the thought. All of them would have to be even more vigilant.

Aurora and Zan headed to the infirmary. Somehow Mairwen was already changed and pacing the floor outside the main door. "Any news?" They asked the princess.

She shook her head and continued pacing. From inside the infirmary, Brinn could be heard yelling. "I am fine. Get your hands off me! I promise you are done." The elf came barreling into the hallway with a healer still wrapping her injured wrist. "Thank you," she said gruffly to the attendant. "Now go away."

"Did you see him?" Mairwen asked the elf.

Brinn grumbled, "Oh, how are you Brinn? Are you ok? Does it hurt? Sheesh, it seems no one cares about the spymaster these days."

"You are obviously fine." Aurora rolled her eyes upward. "For which we are very grateful," she added with a genuine smile.

Brinn tilted her head in thanks and then focused on the princess. "Renat is in the back room in surgery. The Doctor will be out as soon as he can."

The group was allowed into the infirmary and given a small section of it in which to wait. An hour passed in tense silence. A few times a healer or two entered from the far room, but would not look their way as they went about their tasks. Finally, a large basin of water was brought in, a sign that the surgery was likely finished, and the doctor could wash himself and his tools. When they had nearly given up, the doctor himself emerged.

"That boy is a fighter," he said with admiration. "And very lucky. When he dove to save Her Highness, the bolt hit high on his left shoulder blade. The bone there took most of the damage, but nothing major was hit."

"You mean?" Mairwen could not finish her question.

The Doctor looked stern. "Do not get me wrong. He has a road of healing ahead. He will not be using his left arm for quite some time." Then the physician chuckled softly, "But he should make a full recovery."

The princess started toward the surgery room but the doctor blocked her path. "There is still some cleaning that needs to be done in there, Your Highness. And Renat is sleeping just now," he told her.

Aurora took her daughter's hand. "You will not be playing nursemaid to that boy. Do you understand? It is not your job to take care of him. Do not forget that your month of working with him is almost up."

The princess's face went flush with emotion. "But he saved my life! Twice! Surely I owe him something."

"He will be rewarded for his bravery, yes," the Empress agreed. "But I will not let you turn yourself into his servant. You have too big a heart."

Mairwen's heart sank. She had spent the last hour trying to think of all the ways she could repay only to be stopped before she had started. "Yes ma'am," she answered obediently.

"I will, however, allow you to assist him in his scientific work until he regains use of his arm. As long as you promise not to try anything dangerous." The Empress looked at her sternly.

The Princess leapt in excitement and threw her arms around her mother. "Thank you! I will be safe, I promise."

The Empress motioned to the group. "Let us all go eat while the scientist rests. We will give him a warm welcome when he awakens."