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“Of course. My apologies.” She waves a hand like it doesn’t matter, but the gesture is strained. “You said you had a matter to discuss with me?”
“Yes. I wanted to come here today to give you my condolences. Your niece was—” I nearly choke on the lie until I will myself to focus on how close Zaina came to actually dying, willing it to show on my features. “She was one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and I am sorry for your loss.”
I wasn’t prepared to admit that freely, so I pause and allow her to digest my words. She swallows, and I would almost believe there was real grief there if I didn’t know her to be a monster.
“But, I also came to tell you the truth about her death,” I add.
In a nearly imperceptible movement, Ulla’s head tilts to the side, her eyes narrowing before she smooths her expression. I’m not sure if she’s assessing me for honesty, or if this news is genuinely shocking to her.
“Why would you lie about such a thing?” She makes a show of sinking back into her chair, the barest tremble of fear in her tone. “Was it this beast? Was it you?”
Khijhana growls, and I put a placating hand on her head.
“Of course not,” I reply, not bothering to keep the offense from my voice. “The chalyx was her... pet. And I would never have hurt her.”
“Then how did she die?” Ulla’s affected accent is clipped and laced with something deadly.
“It was a dragon that killed her,” I offer flatly, since she already knows as much from Dvain, but I don’t miss the way her eyes light up when she hears it confirmed. “I was devastated when I woke up in the middle of the night to find her gone. I still cannot make sense of what she was doing riding that far from home, or how she wound up in that cave.”
It isn’t difficult to inject my tone with despair, remembering the way I found her that night.
Ulla blinks slowly, her breaths rising and falling in quick succession. She makes a show of disbelief. “And yet, you let the world believe her death was an accident.”
“My people believe deeply in the lore about the dragon, that it only kills those who are unworthy of life,” I say quietly. “I didn’t want them to remember Zaina that way.”
“I see.” Ulla is lost in her own thoughts for several beats. “Have you heard from our friend Dvain?”
Not since Zaina strangled him to death.
It isn’t good that she’s already noticing his absence, though. Hopefully she’ll assume he’s been diverted.
“Not since I left home, no.”
“I hope tragedy did not befall him as well.”
I wouldn’t call it a tragedy.
I open my mouth to respond when Ulla cuts me off, abruptly getting to her feet.
“Apologies, Your Highness, but I’m afraid I need to rest now after such an emotionally taxing visit.” Her voice is tinged with the slightest bit of nervous energy as she quickly moves her hands behind her back.
Khijhana growls, but Ulla ignores her.
“Of course, Lady Delmara. Thank you for seeing me today.”
“The servants will see you out.” She gives a bare curtsy, then spins to leave. She hasn’t quite shut the door behind her when the coloring in her neck mottles, vacillating from her current light bronze back to the deeper brown she used to have.
The alchemical tonic she used clearly didn’t last as long as she hoped for. I resist the urge to smirk.
Whatever she wants the world to believe, the woman has weaknesses, and I plan to find a way to exploit every single one of them.
