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“…I always thought he was. I hope I’m right about that.”
“I do, too. I don’t remember much from last night, just the broad details: speaking with the council members, going out onto the balcony with Cathal, dancing with you. I assume Drystan relayed everything I told him to the king and his men. Why has His Majesty sent you?”
“You don’t remember anything else?” she pressed, perching on the edge of the chair beside his cot. “Who served you the poisoned wine?”
“Answer my question, and I’ll tell you.”
Riona fought to keep her rising frustration in check. She couldn’t admit that she wanted to find Cathal’s killer on her own; she was supposed to be devoting her time to entertaining the suitors. If anyone in her family discovered her plan to earn her freedom, the king would assign guards to shadow her every step and make certain she was attending to her court duties. “I should think you’d prefer to aid in the search for your would-be killer, rather than waste time playing petty games, Your Highness,” she said, a slight edge to her voice.
His expression hardened at that. “I wouldpreferfor Drystan to march up to your uncle and demand your hand in marriage, but unfortunately, he is too kindhearted to take what he is owed. He hopes to court you.” Riona scowled, opening her mouth to tell him just what she thought of that, but he pressed on. “I will not go against his wishes outright, but I believe you and I can help each other. I assume you came here because you think to find the Treasurer’s killer yourself. Frankly, I don’t care about your reasons for doing so. Idocare that you’ll likely endanger your life in the process, and my brother can’t marry a corpse. So, I will help you find the killer if you convince your uncle to agree to the alliance between our countries.”
Riona tried not to let her surprise show. She couldn’t tell her family or anyone in the court about her plans, and he was offering her a lifeline. Even in an enemy kingdom, Auberon was powerful. It would be wiser to have him as an ally than an adversary.
“It will take time to convince my uncle,” Riona hedged, hoping that she wouldn’t come to regret this decision. If she could delay upholding her half of the deal long enough for them to find Cathal’s killer, there would be no need for her to marry Drystan. She had no intention of ever binding herself to the Emperor’s court.
“That’s fine. I’ll need time to heal, and I’d rather my brother didn’t know we made this arrangement. Better he believes he convinced King Domhnall through the negotiations than I through my meddling.”
She raised a brow. “You already admitted that you were trying to sway the council last night.”
“Yes, butinfluencingpeople and arranging my brother’s marriage are two entirely different things. His efforts to persuade your uncle to accept the peace treaty will only aid your own.” His gaze dropped to the eudorite pendant hanging at her throat, then flicked back up. “Do we have a deal?”
Riona lifted her chin, ignoring the warning bells clanging in her mind. “We do.”
“Excellent. Then we’ll need somewhere to train. If we’re going to hunt down a murderer, you should be able to defend yourself.” He scanned her from head to toe, looking utterly unimpressed by what he saw. “I’m guessing you haven’t held anything sharper than a butter knife in your life.”
“I’m guessing it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to slip another dose of poison into your next meal.”
He huffed a soft, tired laugh. “Clever. It’s a wonder no one in your court sees it.”
Riona frowned, uncertain whether he was complimenting or mocking her. She stood and smoothed the wrinkles in her gown. “If you’re finished scheming, Your Highness, would you please tell me what you remember about the servant who gave you the poisoned wine?”
“I didn’t get her name, but she was short and fair-skinned, with long, dark brown hair. Pretty. Maybe twenty-five or twenty-six years old,” he said, his brows furrowed as he sifted through his memories of the night before. “She’s the only person I saw handle the goblets.”
“Was she pregnant?”
“Is your uncle in the habit of keeping pregnant servants in his service?”
That’s a no, then.She brushed off his comment and said, “It’s funny how much one can recall after making an underhanded political deal.”
Auberon smiled. “It does wonders for the memory.”
Riona shook her head and left the room, glad to leave that infuriating man behind. The Erdurian guard waiting outside dipped his head in respect as she passed, quickly making her way down the hall and out of the infirmary. As soon as the doors latched shut behind her, Riona leaned against them and clutched her mother’s eudorite pendant, the metal smooth and warm under her fingers. She closed her eyes and let out a soft breath.
Creator, tell me I’ve not just made a terrible mistake.
PartThree
Court of Vipers
ChapterEighteen
The Lady
Four days later, Riona sat stiffly in one of the Church’s pews, listening to the High Priestess’s melodic voice fill the grand prayer room. Cathal’s body lay in its casket near the bowl-shaped altar, his bloody, ruined chest patched together and hidden beneath a sapphire doublet. Riona stared at him, unable to tear her eyes from the royal crest sewn just over Cathal’s heart.
Rumors had already taken root in the court. Some speculated that the Treasurer had been stealing money from the coffers and lavishing it upon his secret lover. Others believed the murder was merely the unfortunate result of a heated argument. A few questioned whether Cathal’s death had been connected to Auberon’s poisoning, even going so far as to allege that Prince Drystan had arranged the Treasurer’s assassination as repayment for the attempt on his brother’s life.Thatrumor was the most absurd; anyone who had seen Drystan after the banquet would have known that the prince had not spared a thought for anything save his brother’s survival.
The High Priestess dipped a slender finger into the vial of holy oil hanging from the cord around her neck, then traced the sign of the Creator over Cathal’s forehead as she led a prayer. Riona’s gaze slid to the council members as the gathered nobles joined in, suspicion swelling within her. In the days since Cathal’s murder, she had researched Osha’s Kiss. The plant from which the poison was extracted was native to Rivosa, but vast quantities were needed to produce a dose suitable to kill a full-grown man. It wasn’t common or affordable—especially for an elf in the cheapest brothel in Innislee. Someone of means had bought it, and then framed Faylen for the murder when the poison failed.
