Defending the Duke: Valeriel Investigations, #3

By Elizabeth Corrigan

With Friends Like These

 

Not too long ago, Detective Kadin Stone's life goal was to get married and fulfill the role of every woman she knew. Instead, she ended up befriending the king and a sentient revolver and gaining a blossoming career in the process. Despite her dubious fortune, she does her best to keep her head down and solve the murders that make their way to her desk.

 

Staying invisible proves difficult when the king's cousin Baurus narrowly survives an assassination attempt. Baurus has made no secret of his attraction to Kadin, and he has every intention of using his Imperial power to make her both be his bodyguard and figure out who tried to kill him. The combination of duties means that instead of using her usual methodical investigation tactics, she's trying to protect a duke without the good sense to know he shouldn't be solving his own crime---especially when he's convinced the culprit uses magic.

 

Baurus is determined that this time, he's not letting Kadin out of his life without a fight, and as she uncovers more secrets leading up to the investigation, their fates become more intertwined. But she's still not sure there's a future for a detective and a duke, especially when one of them could get shot at any moment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Corrigan
• Release date: Aug 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201052812

Book preview

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Table Of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Defending the Duke

Copyright © 2022 by Elizabeth Corrigan. All rights reserved.

First Edition: July 2022

Cover and Formatting: Streetlight Graphics

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

For Steve,

Who has put up with more from Ollie than anyone else has

Prologue

"S

o I was thinking I

should call Kadin."

Ralvin DeValeriel, king of Valeriel, gaped at his cousin Baurus across the small, crystal mosaic table in the royal gardens. Ralvin’s open-mouthed expression was at odds with his customary neutral countenance, but Baurus had a way of eliciting emotion from stones. You cannot be serious.

Baurus didn’t appear to notice anything out of the norm with Ralvin’s behavior, but then, Baurus’s general self-absorbedness put many of the other Imperials’ to shame. All Ralvin’s relations—and all the Imperials were relations in one way or another—were privileged and unaware of it, but Baurus never seemed to realize he couldn’t insert himself into the life of a common woman without wreaking havoc on societal order. Though, to be fair, I don’t give a damn about societal order.

Why not?

Baurus’s genuinely puzzled expression made Ralvin want to rub the bridge of his nose, but he resisted the urge. For one thing, he had a reputation to maintain, and for another, he didn’t want to smudge the ceremonial makeup he never appeared without in public—at least not while he was playing the part of King Ralvin.

You did call her, Ralvin said. She didn’t call you back. No means no, Baurus. You need to leave her alone.

Baurus waved a hand to dismiss Ralvin’s concern. That was an entire year ago. Honestly, I’m surprised you even remember. I’m sure she’s had some time to cool off.

Ralvin closed his eyes. He couldn’t explain to Baurus why he still remembered what happened a year ago. After all, King Ralvin DeValeriel was an empty shell of a man. He didn’t read the papers. He barely knew enough about what was going on in the city to cast the deciding vote in the Assembly on the rare occasion he needed to. He certainly didn’t read the Society pages, so he should barely have noticed the scandal that erupted when Duke Baurus kissed a common detective’s aide in a club downtown. Ralvin should only have known about it when Baurus mentioned it in one of their weekly chats in the palace garden.

But what Ralvin DeValeriel didn’t do, Vinnie Royal did, and the only person who knew that Ralvin and Vinnie were the same person was that common detective’s aide, Kadin Stone. Ralvin therefore knew that Kadin’s life had been upended when Baurus decided to get involved in her affairs, and her jerk of a boyfriend had beaten her badly enough to break her arm. Kadin had gotten past all that and become a full detective, and her career was more valuable to her than any man. Nonetheless, Kadin’s occasional, all-too-casual questions about Baurus’s health led Ralvin to think she would pick up the phone if Baurus called, in spite of the social hurricane his presence tended to inspire.

That’s why I don’t want him to call her, Ralvin thought. Because it would be bad for her. Not because it might expose my secrets.

I remember because your mother still brings it up when she’s lamenting the misfortune of having ungrateful offspring, Ralvin said.

Baurus snorted. "Deity, she gets on you about that? She got her model child in Bay. Does she want us to be the same person?"

Ralvin tried to be circumspect as he studied his cousin’s expression for any trace of irony. Beatrin Oriole nee DeValeriel might seem like a model Imperial, but she had been something of a rebel in her youth, and Lady Augustille had never forgiven her. Baurus was correct, though, that he was his mother’s primary concern. She called Ralvin at least once a month, saying things even a dowager duchess shouldn’t say to a king. "You need to marry again and produce an heir, or else Baurus will be king when you die. Think of the nation, Ralvin." Then she’d claim she was only looking out for Ralvin because his mother, Deity rest her soul, wasn’t around to look out for him anymore.

Ralvin bore out these calls in silence, because there was no point in explaining to Lady Augustille that sideways men who weren’t attracted to women had a difficult time producing heirs. He doubted she would approve of his boyfriend, Olivan King, any more than she approved of Baurus’s goings-on. Of course, Olivan was Vinnie’s boyfriend, not Ralvin’s—he didn’t even know his partner didn’t actually exist. Besides, Ralvin suspected Baurus would make a better king anyway. He cared about issues affecting the kingdom and would work with or against Merchants and Imperials alike to bring about necessary change. Ralvin kept that opinion to himself, though, since Lady Augustille found the notion of equality as repugnant as the idea of Baurus being king.

Mm-hm, Ralvin said. I’m sure if you suddenly became a dutiful Imperial son, Lady Augustille would be very upset, if only because her concern that you suddenly developed a brain disease made her realize how much she loved you.

Baurus laughed, a full sound that shook his whole body. Honestly, I don’t think she’d care if I was dying or certifiable, so long as I behaved myself. Baurus glanced at his watch and swore. I lost track of time. I need to get going. Bay’s coming over for tea, and she needs her weekly turn to deliver a lecture on my behavior.

Ralvin allowed himself a small smile as he and his cousin stood. I think you’ve been remarkably well-behaved lately. He cringed. That means your galas next weekend are going to be scandal-filled, aren’t they?

Here’s hoping! Baurus winked, then turned to walk back inside.

Everything happened quickly after that. A shout and a whoosh of motion, then suddenly one of the palace guards yelled, Get down! and appeared in front of Ralvin, blocking his view of whatever had caused the commotion. As the king hit the ground, a thud came from where Baurus had been standing, and a limp hand fell next to Ralvin’s feet.

Desperate to check on his cousin, Ralvin struggled against the guard. Let me go! That’s an order!

The disobedient man dragged Ralvin to his feet and pushed him toward the door. Please, Your Majesty, come inside, quickly. It’s not safe.

I need to check on my cousin! Ralvin tried to turn around, but the guard held him firm until he had passed the threshold of the garden door.

I’m fine, Ralvin, came Baurus’s voice from behind. And for the Deity’s sake, tell this man to unhand me. Unlike you, I am ready and willing to escort myself away from ject shots. To the green sitting room, I presume?

As Baurus indicated, the guards led them to the interior room with no windows and only one door. One guard remained in the room with them, while the others rushed out.

What happened? Ralvin asked.

The guard opened his mouth to answer, but Baurus beat him to the punch. Judging by the dead guard outside, I suspect someone tried to kill me. Or you, I suppose, though if they were aiming for you, they were a remarkably poor shot.

An assassination attempt? In the palace? Ralvin’s brain froze for a second as that sunk in. We’ve got to find who did it, and fast, before they can strike again. Which means… Shit.

Ralvin looked his cousin in the eye. I was wrong before.

Baurus’s eyebrows lowered in confusion. About…?

You should definitely call Kadin.

Chapter 1

K

adin Stone took a deep

breath before walking up the stairs to the palace. She hadn’t entered the royal estate in a year and a half, and she’d spent most of the intervening time hoping she’d never have to go there again. More accurately, she’d spent most of the time hoping her life would stay separate from the Imperials’, and not going to the palace was just a side effect of that. She was a homicide detective—for the past year, a real, on-her-own detective—and the palace was the most well-defended building in Valeriel City. She could not have imagined the bastion of security would have two murders in as many years, and she couldn’t have any other reason to be there.

Keep telling yourself that. She sighed at her own thought. On some level, she had known all along she would come back someday. She was on first-name basis with the king, and though she hadn’t seen his cousin, the duke, in over a year, the idea of him haunted her. Whether he was a malicious ghost, a mischievous poltergeist, or a benevolent spirit, she couldn’t say, but the idea of seeing him again left her with an intense excitement she couldn’t deny.

And someone tried to kill him.

Are we going to stand here all day, or are you planning to go into the palace at some point? came a voice from Kadin’s hip.

Kadin started and immediately strode up the stairs. You promised if I took you out in public you would be quiet, she hissed at the pearl-handled revolver holstered at her waist.

Xanidova sniffed, a remarkable feat, since jects didn’t have noses. Please, there’s no one around to hear me, and you’re standing gaping at a big building like a fool.

"There is a guard right there," Kadin inclined her head toward the man standing a good hundred yards away.

He probably thinks you’re talking to yourself. Xanidova’s voice was blithe. Which is an improvement over standing around like a dummy.

Kadin ignored the ject and smiled at the guard, who opened the wide palace doors for her with a look that almost managed to be respectful and not concerned. As soon as the door closed, she continued in hushed tones. I do not want everyone here thinking I’m insane.

Xanidova chuckled. You mean you don’t want Duke Baurus thinking you’re insane. What you see in that red potentiate, I will never know.

Kadin opened her mouth to protest that if Xanidova was going to hint at her great knowledge of magic aloud in public, she could also give Kadin some information to fight the mages. To the best of Kadin’s knowledge, magical activity had halted in Valeriel City a year ago when Olivan killed Isidri Tell, but she was not daft enough to think the Society of Mages wouldn’t kill again, and she suspected she would be on the front lines of any fight with them, whether she wanted to be or not.

Shouldn’t there be guards here? Xanidova’s voice echoed throughout the cavernous palace entry hall. This place seems inadequately protected. No wonder they have so many murders here.

Kadin glanced over the white and gold tapestries that lined the wall and found herself agreeing, though she would never admit it to Xanidova. The guards are off investigating the murder that already occurred, but one should be along any moment to escort me to… I don’t know. Wherever Baurus wants me, I guess.

Xanidova laughed. I’ll tell you where Baurus wants you.

Kadin glared at the ject. And I will shut you in a drawer for the next ten years.

Whether her words or the approaching guard caused Xanidova to shut her non-existent mouth, Kadin was grateful for the silence. She didn’t recognize the guard, not that she had any reason to expect she would, but she felt a momentary shock at seeing the white and gold uniform she had last seen on Herrick