‘You are being intentionally mysterious.’One corner of his lips lifted as if he liked the idea that I was being coy.
I shook my head and tried to smile shyly as I imagined an innocent lady would.
‘You remind me of someone,’ he said with a furrowed brow.
‘Who?’I asked, feigning interest.
‘I don’t know.Did your parents come to court often?’
‘Rarely.They weren’t very social people.’I needed to get his attention off me before I said something that would catch me in a lie.
‘Where is Queen Yaris tonight?’Maybe he would reveal something that could help the rescue efforts.
‘Have you not heard?’he asked.
I shook my head innocently.
‘The corruption of the soul that has befallen so many women has afflicted our queen.’He spoke as if it were an illness.‘She was one of the first souls corrupted, but I could not bring myself to do more than restrict her Curse so she could not harm herself or others.’
How gracious of him.I tried not to roll my eyes.So this was the lie he and the Order had fabricated.Had Queen Yaris gotten in the way of their plans to wipe out the Cursed?
King Hared seemed to enjoy talking, so I prodded for more with wide eyes.‘Queen Yaris is Cursed?’
‘Yes.The Order has told me my soul and my kingdom are at risk every day I allow her to live.’He made it sound like he had no choice, but I couldn’t shake the thought he was only trying to appear innocent so he’d be free to do exactly as he pleased.
I nodded sadly, hoping he would keep talking.His eyes dropped to my mouth, and disgust turned my stomach.
‘Do you know what a soul is?’he asked.
I widened my eyes as if I wanted nothing more than to have my king enlighten me.Where was this conversation going?
‘It is the essence we are born with.Each soul is pure and light unless we choose the darkness.Women are weaker souls, so they succumb to the darkness more easily than men.As men, our souls are also at risk if we let the darkness grow strong in those around us.’
I bristled inwardly at the notion women were weaker.But was he talking about the same Darkness from which I drew my power?
‘What happens to the soul if it isn’t light anymore?’
‘Then that soul isn’t reborn.’
‘Reborn?’I asked, genuinely confused this time.
‘Only souls filled with light will be reborn over and over, living forever in the light.’
I remembered the women hanging from the gallows at the entrance of his city, their loved ones crying at their swinging feet.What happened to them was true darkness.
King Hared watched my face closely as I tried to hide my anger.
‘Why is there more darkness in people’s souls now?’
‘Youareclever.’He brushed a strand of hair away from my face, and I had to resist the urge to turn his hand to ash.
‘Because the darkest of them all is coming.The Order of Men has been watching for signs.After years of drought in the south, the days are getting shorter, and the nights are getting longer.When she comes, there will be no light, no day.She will come and take my throne, and it will be the end of Pedion.’
He had either truly been indoctrinated or was insane.
Thankfully, he misread my expression.‘Don’t be afraid, Lady Caris.I will never let the Cursed One take what is mine.’
The music ended, and the couples who had danced in the reel were dispersing.
