He paused, letting the details sink in a moment before continuing. “She drugged Sir Ethyan with a sleeping draft. Urien tried to intervene, but even he was helpless against the castle guard. Lady Lyana was escorted to the prince regent’s chambers, seen of all, walking of her own accord.”
He worked his jaw as though he tasted something bitter, then cleared his throat, picking at the table’s wood grain to avoid my gaze. “She was abused.”
I jerked my head aside, tears stinging my eyes. My breaths came in quick gasps at the thought of her suffering.
I wasn’t there to stop it.
“Elspeth, there were witnesses.”
“What?!” My voice cracked, shock and outrage flooding me. “Witnesses?!”
“As your Valahant sleeps in your rooms, so does your brother’s.”
No. Gods above, no.
“Beyond Grimm, Adastrus made sure others were involved. It’s true that she appeared to welcome the abuse.”
Anderz vanished from my sight. Tears streamed down my cheeks, a hollow ache spreading through my chest.
I wasn’t here.
I wasenjoyingmyself. Having fun. Laughing.
“Princess, do you understand?” Anderz’s thin face and gray hair blurred through my watery haze. “She did not fight back. Your brother did not rape her.”
I broke. My shoulders collapsed as I wrapped around myself. Sobs wracked my body, and a cold, nauseating wave of horror and guilt engulfed me.
She was here because of me.
She met Grimm because of me.
My brother singled her out because of me.
This was my fault.
“Do you understand?” Anderz’s footsteps shuffled closer.
I gasped through my tears. “Why? Why would she–”
“We had our suspicions, but a witness confirmed it,” he said calmly. “The prince regent promised her that if she lay with him, he would dismiss Grimm as his Valahant.”
“He can’t.”
“As we told her—many times.” A mournful note lingered in his tone. “Urien and I explained repeatedly—once the velebond is complete, they are bound in life and death. Adastrus could no more release Grimm than he could sever his grasp on this world and pass beyond the Veil. Lady Lyana would not listen. She insisted there was a way.”
She would’ve listened to me. I should have warned her, but I feared it would crush her spirit even more.
I never should have left.
“Is she all right?” I asked, wiping my nose with my sleeve.
When he didn’t answer right away, I froze, a sickening dread knotting my stomach.
“Anderz?”
“No.” Regret seeped through his heavy sigh. “I will not lie. She is not well.”
“Are you done?” I steadied myself, forcing myself to straighten as I fought to regain control.
