Page 95 of Fate of the Sun King

He poured himself a good measure of whisky and then walked over and sunk down in the seat across from her. Crossing one leg over the other, he took a sip. He was all casual grace and easy elegance with that coppery hair and bronzed skin, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Like he hadn’t made her sit here for half the day waiting for him.

“Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked. “I didn’t catch your name?”

“It’s Mathilde,” she said, using the fake name she’d adopted years ago. It had been the name of a childhood friend who’d succumbed to the Withering when they’d been girls.

“Mathilde,” Atlas said. “What can I do for you? I can’t say that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting one of Zerra’s emissaries before. Imagine my surprise when I was told you had come to speak with me.”

Cloris sat forward, twisting her hands in her lap. She needed to approach this carefully.

“I have come to you on a matter of some importance.” He waited, studying her with those piercing aqua eyes as he sipped his drink. “There is a girl who lives inside Nostraza. One who may be of some interest to you.”

His eyebrow raised at that. “Why should I care about a girl inside Nostraza?”

“She is no ordinary girl, you see. She is… the granddaughter of Queen Serce.”

Atlas paused with his glass nearly at his lips, narrowing his gaze. “You interrupt my day to bring me lies? Is this behavior becoming of Zerra’s disciples?”

She had expected this. It had been the same with Rion. Though just like with the Aurora King, she could tell she had piqued his interest.

“It’s not a lie,” she said. “I would never come to you without being absolutely sure it is the truth.”

“How do you come by this information?”

A fair question, and one she’d have to answer truthfully, at least in part.

“I knew Cloris Payne,” she said. “She was my sister. I knew she’d gotten involved with the future Heart Queen, and I cautioned her against it. But she was resolute. I was worried she was getting in over her head, so I traveled to Heart to check in on her. But I was too late. I was nearby when it all happened, and I saw them leave the castle before the breaking.”

“Who did you see leaving?” Atlas asked, sitting forward and uncrossing his legs, his attention entirely focused on her now.

“The child.”

Atlas blinked, several things shifting in his expression.

“The child perished with Serce and Wolf.”

“She did not,” Cloris replied. “Serce delivered her just before the end. King Wolf’s soldiers secreted the baby from the castle and back to The Woodlands. It was their child. I followed them to the Fort, where the baby was passed to Prince Cedar for protection and his guardianship. She was sent into the forest to live out her days undercover, never to reveal who she was.”

Atlas furrowed his brows, clasping the glass in his hand.

“This doesn’t seem possible. How do I know you’re not lying about all of this?”

“I am not lying. What reason would I have to make this up?”

Atlas smirked. “What reason indeed? Why are you coming to me with this information?”

This was where she knew he’d balk. “Because I need you to get Serce’s granddaughter out of Nostraza.”

Atlas snorted a laugh. “And how do you propose I do that? Walk up to Rion and ask for him to release the supposed heir of Heart into my care? Do you have any idea what would happen if this girl were to be discovered?”

Cloris nodded. “Of course I know. That’s why I’m here.” She said it softly and witnessed the deviation in the king’s expression. It was at that moment that she knew he believed her.

“But no, you cannot go to the Aurora King and ask for her. He will not let her go.”

“Does he know who she is?”

Another fair question. “Yes.”

“Then why is she locked up? Why hasn’t he brought her out? Made use of her in some way? Or better yet, killed her?”