The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)

by Megan Whalen Turner

he’d dismissed the king’s advice. “Done now?” the king asked. “No, Your Majesty.” The king sighed.

“Has it occurred to you, Costis,” the king said

conversationally between thrusts, “that the only reason I am alive now is that those three assassins took me for a prancing lightweight?” It hadn’t occurred to Costis. “You will have the Guard to defend you now,” he said.

“I was supposed to have the Guard to defend me then. I am not reassured.” “You will,” Costis insisted. “Oh?” said the king. “You think they will see I do...

Nonetheless, Costis was certain that the Guard, if they knew him, would follow the king. He just didn’t have the words to explain why,

“So, Costis,” said the king, as Costis watched him warily, “you asked for this. Why?” “You compromised my honor.”

compromised your honor? Which one of us hit the other in the face?” “They think I lied on your instructions. That Teleus and I killed the assassins in the garden and let you take the credit.”

“Oh, that,” said the king with a shrug. “That isn’t your honor, Costis. That’s the public perception of your honor. It has nothing to do with anything important, except perhaps ...

bright, shiny trappings. You can always change the perc...

“Serves you right,” said the king. “You haven’t even apologized.” “I’m very s-sorry, Your Majesty,” Costis said immediately. “For what exactly?” the king prompted.

“Anything,” said Costis. “Everything. Being born.” The king chuckled. “Will you serve me and my god?” “I will, Your Majesty.” “Then come out,” said the king, helping him, “knowing that you’ll

never die of a fall unless the god himse...

king, “and you have little to gain by trying.” “And little to offer Your Majesty,” Teleus agreed. “Except a challenge.” He flicked a glance at Costis, and the implication was obvious. The king shook his head, still not rising to

the bait. “If I were to beat you, Teleus, your Guard would only think that you had let me. There’s little point in that.” “What, then, if I beat you, Your Majesty?” “The day hasn’t come, Teleus, that I would let

you beat me.” “I think you wouldn’t have to, my lord.” The king warned him, “Teleus, I can have your head off.” “Of course you can, Your Majesty.” He d...

had started away when Teleus added under his breath, “With a word.” The king stopped and his head went up. “I can do it with a sword, too, Teleus.” Tele...

“Very well,” said the king, and he raised his own sword. “But I won’t have you accused of not trying your hardest. I know that it is worth my while. How shall we make it worth yo...

the queen reduces the Guard by half. You win, and she doesn’t.” The guards standing around them looked at each other in horror. Teleus thrust his chin forward. “I know t...

said Teleus. “I will die before I let you do it.” “You don’t have to die,...

“You didn’t know I could do that, did you?” he asked, conversationally.

“I did not, Your Majesty,” Teleus gasped. “My grandfather killed a man that way once, using the edge of the wooden sword.” “I hadn’t realized the Thieves of Eddis were so warlike.”

“They aren’t, mostly. But like all men, Teleus, I have two grandfathers.” Teleus rolled his eyes to look up at him, and the king said, “One...

What is it, Aris?” “It’s Laecdomon, sir. I haven’t told you, sir, and I didn’t know who else to tell, but it was Laecdomon who wanted us to go help pen the dogs. He suggested it. And when we were arrested, he wasn’t with us in the cell, sir. He said he was kept in a different cell, but I never saw him until after the queen pardoned us.”

“The essence of the practice sword is to help you acquire the use of the real sword. If you don’t treat it like a real sword, Your Majesty, you thwart its purpose. Here in Attolia,” he

said condescendingly, emphasizing Eugenides’s foreignness, “we are taught to treat a practice sword with all the respect of a real weapon, so that no thoughtless mistakes are made.”

“Oh,” said the king, sounding amused, “in Eddis, we learn to keep track of the wea...

“This was your idea?” “No, Your Majesty. I mean, yes, I asked the king to spar. I had no idea this would happen.”

With an effort he avoided indicting Teleus with a glance. “People do frequently seem to be surprised once my husband is involved.” “Your Majesty,” said Teleus, “you must stop this.”

“I? By what authority would I command the king?” “He would stop if you asked,” Teleus insisted. The queen shook her head. “Then I will...

“Captain.” The queen’s voice was soft, but Teleus turned back, subdued. “He’ll be killed,” he warned. “We must hope not.” “He’s tired. He’s injured. Laec...

arrest him before it is too late.” “Arrest the king?” “Arrest Laecdomon,” Teleus almost snapped, not appreciating the queen’s humor. “Arre...

that this is anything but a sparring match?” “Let me arrest him, and I will drag the proof out of him.” The queen shook her head....

“Because the king will not quit, Teleus,” said Ornon as he joined them. “You must have noticed,” he said. “He whines, he complains, he ducks out of the most obvious respon...

he doesn’t ever quit.” Ornon shrugged. “Ever.” “He may not quit, but he will lose.” “Oh, I wouldn’t place my money on it. I’ve seen him suffer setbacks.” Ornon looked ...

in the end, lose. He just persists until he comes out ahead. No match is finished for him until he has won.” Ornon shrugged expressively. “He won’t quit...

drew the sword back and swung for the king’s head. Costis was not the only one to cry out, but the blow never landed. Without risk to his fingers from the edgeless weapon, the king grabbed for the blade of the sword,

snatching it from the air and from Laecdomon’s surprised grasp. He spun all the way around on his good leg, at the same time shifting his grip to just below the hilt. A heartbeat later the only sound in the stunned

silence was the choking gasp as Laecdomon’s breath was forced out of his lungs by the hilt of his own sword driven hard upward under his ribs. Laecdomon collapsed...

sword beside him. It rattled in front of his face. “You forgot,” said the king, into the silent air, “that it’s a wooden sword.” Somewhere in the pack, a guard c...

as he dropped to his knees before her and laid the sword across her lap. “My Queen,” he said. “My King,” she said back. Only those closest saw him nod his rueful

she said, “You are incorrigible.” “Yes,” the king agreed, “and I have a headache and I want a bath.” Teleus stepped forward. “Perhaps His Majesty would like to visit the Guard’s bath. It

Costis could feel the grin he couldn’t hide spreading across his face. He looked around at everyone smiling and knew why they did: because Eugenides was King of Attolia.

was as naked as anyone else, but no one else used clothes as a disguise, and none of them was as naked, therefore, as the king.

He chose Mede coats with the long bell sleeves because no fighting man who’d

seen the muscles in the king’s wrist would have underestimated him the way the Attolians had. His other wrist with no hand at the end of ...

hesitates to hit me with a wooden stick,” he said. He hadn’t kept in training by doing simple exercises. Moving through the palace as he chose, he must have practiced secretly with the Ambassador from Eddis.

“I would like to think there was more to this morning than getting hit in the neck with a practice sword.” He looked gravely at the king. “It isn’t an easy thing to give your loyalty to someone you don’t know, especially when