“I’d wondered how long it would take you to get out of those bindings,” a soft voice mused. “I didn’t think you’d go for the rock, though. My coin was on you attacking first and asking questions later.” Amber-colored eyes met mine over her shoulder, small lines of darkness swirling out from her irises. “I suppose I should count myself lucky for that.”
I blinked, sitting in stunned silence as I stared at the woman in front of me. Memories flashed before my eyes. Arabella had stood in the middle of Illara’s bedroom when I’d gotten there, but there was something different about the situation.Think, think, think. That’s what I tried telling myself anyway, even if I knew it would do no good. Each time I tried, it was as though I ran at a stone wall and smacked into it.
Hard.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Kalen,” Arabella said. I’d risen to my feet, albeit rather unsteadily, and had barely taken a step before her voice called out. She’d turned back around, still flitting about in the kitchen before ladling a hearty stew into a bowl and carrying both of the bowls to a table near the window. “Come eat.”
“W-What happened to me?” I asked, reaching up and touching my temple. I winced, dry flakes of blood drifting to the ground below as I rubbed them away. I didn’t remember getting hit in the head, but it appeared there was much I didn’t understand or remember.
Arabella poured ale into the mug, placing it near the bowl of stew. There was one for each of us, the scent wafting over and leaving me ravenous. I stumbled to the table, gripping the edge before slowly sliding into the chair and staring at her.
The dark circles under her eyes seemed more pronounced, as if her eyes had sunken deeper into their sockets. She had a minor cut along the middle of her lip, the skin hardly scabbed over. The clothes she was wearing were plain, leaching any color from her skin. I searched for any sign of ill-intentions but found none. Instead, I saw a terrified woman who was doing her best to keep her shit together. There was something unsettling about the thought, as if she’d given up hope a long time ago and resigned herself to this fate.
She met my scrutinizing gaze and crossed her arms over her chest. It was a sign I recognized, one based on years of self-conscious behavior. She’d always done that, even when we were married. There were moments she became wary, as if I’d pried too much into what made her tick. I suppose I was right, though I never knew how much until recently. Arabella had always put on a confident front, but sometimes it slipped and instead displayed a lonely, scared woman on the other side. I’d always thought her to be brave, for showing me those bits of herself she didn’t reveal to anyone else. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of that was real.
“You forced my hand,” she said simply, as if that answered everything. Instead, it actually answered nothing and left me with more questions than before. “I wasn’t ready to reveal myself to you—” she shook her head “—but my plans were hindered by an impatient brute who couldn’t just retire to his room for the evening.”
“Reveal yourself to me?” The question seemed odd enough, sticking out to me over the somewhat snide comment she made about my strength.
She ducked her head. The blush creeping across her face told me she had expected me to pick up that piece of information.
When she didn’t answer, I tried another tactic. Even though I knew it’d work, I wasn’t sure how far to push her. “Are you saying this ismyfault?” I asked, stopping myself from laughing at the ridiculous thought. “You were in Illara’s room, doing the gods only know what, and then you knocked me out and brought me here.” I looked around the cabin. “Where ishere, exactly?”
She scooped a spoonful of stew into her mouth, chewing quietly. I didn’t make a move to touch mine, nor did I have plans to until she told me what was going on. Even then, I had my doubts. She could’ve poisoned it for all I knew.
“I didn’t poison it,” Arabella snapped, leaning forward to drag her spoon through my food and taking a big bite. Before I could retort, she grabbed my mug and took a large gulp before setting it back down. “Are you happy now?”
I raised my eyebrow. “I didn’t say anything.”
“No, but you were thinking it. And don’t deny it,” she said sharply, going back to her meal.
We ate in stilted silence, the only sound coming from the occasional slurps of stew and sips of our ale. Both were phenomenal and hearty, warming some part inside of me I hadn’t known had gone cold. She’d always been a terrific cook, making everything from scratch on a whim, and she never followed a recipe. When I would ask her about it, she would shrug and say she measured with her heart.
I’d barely taken the last bite before she cleared my bowl, tossing both of ours into a small basin filled with water before returning to her seat. She clasped her hands, took a deep breath, and met my gaze. “I expect you have questions,” she drawled. “And I will try my best to answer them as best I can.”
“Right,” I said. “So, tell me what you were doing in Illara’s room.”
She winced, eyes scanning me as if she was terrified I would disappear. I knew I wouldn’t like what she had to say, and if Illara was dead—
“IamIllara,” she whispered.
Chapter33
Eva
Ipaced the small space in front of my desk, waiting for the guards to bring in Briar. Hearing her name fall from Renai’s lips, branding her as an unknowing informant at best or a traitor at worst, had made me sick to my stomach. I did not want to believe it, and this was yet another thing I had to balance amongst other pressing matters, but it couldn’t wait.
“... I don’t understand what the meaning of this is!” Briar’s voice echoed throughout the small space as the sentries moved her through the door. She stopped when she saw me, face going ashen. “My girl, what is it? What is wrong?” I held up my hand, stopping her from taking a step closer to me.
“You may go,” I told the sentries. “But please stand guard outside and ensure we are not disturbed.” They dipped low in a bow and closed the door behind them.
Briar’s brow was sweating, her trembling fingers entwined with one another in an attempt to stop the jittery movement. “Eva, please tell me what is going on? You’re scaring me.”
“Did you do it on purpose?” I asked, meeting her gaze and refusing to look away.
“Eva–”
Pain and anger swirled inside of my chest, slowly burning away the last of my patience. “Did you willingly provide Lachlan information from inside the palace? You have your hand in everything that goes on within these walls, and no one would have thought you are the spy amongst our ranks.” I clenched my fist at my side, willing myself to take deep breaths, but my lungs felt as though they were being strangled from inside my chest. “I loved you, Briar, but I swear to the gods if you’ve betrayed this kingdom intentionally, then Iwillkill you.”
