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This was a request for a code word It was an old tradition ast the royal family to have a code word in the event that an impostor ever tried to enter the castle, or if we had to enter the castle while in disguise The guards at the gates of the castle were the only other ones who knew the code word even existed If Conner had known the code, he would have asked if the queen planned to wear green at the dinner tonight, because it was the only color he had brought to match her dress At least, that had been the code four years ago

All Conner could do was shake his head

"I’ht"

"But I’ents"

"Then what I lare at me "The boy with you may not"

"He is Prince Jaron"

"They all are"

Conner yelled at Cregan to turn our carriage around "Fools!" Conner hissed, swatting at the carriage door with his hat "Are we defeated so easily?"

I leaned back in my seat "There’s a secret way into the castle"

Conner stopped his swatting "What? How do you know?"

"I’ve used it"

"You’ve been inside the castle? Why didn’t you tell me?"

"You never asked There’s a river that flows beneath the kitchen As food is prepared, the garbage is dumped into the water and the river carries it away The river is gated, but there is a key so that the gate can occasionally be cleared of larger obstructions"

"And you have a key?"

I pulled a pin froen hadn’t felt ht before "I can pick the lock"

Conner senuity In fact, I’d suspected all along it ht come to this Thus, the pin

Conner’s face fell as he further considered o that route, unfit to enter the throne roouard just now said you could enter through the gate I can enter through the kitchen"

Conner shook his head "Absolutely not We ether"

Which, unfortunately, I also suspected he would say So I shrugged it off and said, "We’ll be fine on this route There’s a dirt path to the side of the river, wide enough that we can easily walk there single file It will lead us to a door into the kitchen It’s never guarded, but we’ll need help to restrain the kitchen servants while you and I continue on into the castle"

"Mott, Tobias, and Roden" Conner’s eyes narrowed "Did you know this would happen? Is that why --"

"I brought them so you wouldn’t kill the with us Order him to stay back"