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“An interesting meal.” I meet her eyes directly. “I don’t recall interrogation being part of the courses before.”
“Times are different at the Coventry, Adelice.”
“They’re different in all of Arras,” I correct her.
“You’ve proven to be quite the catalyst.” She peers at me, waiting for my reaction. I keep my face blank, despite her accusation. She’s not the first to mistakenly blame me for the unrest in Arras.
“I think there’s a lot more going on here than anything I’ve caused,” I say.
“And yet, here you are. In the penthouse of the high tower.
Ring on your finger,” she says.
I twist my engagement ring around, hiding the diamond in my clenched fist. Most days I forget I’m wearing it. Since Cormac comes only once a week, I rarely have to face my impending marriage.
“Why are you here?” I ask. “Or do you just miss torturing me?”
“I have missed your flair for the dramatic.”
“My flair? That’s sort of the pot calling the kettle black,” I say.
“Don’t worry, I’m not looking to be friends with you, Adelice,” Maela says.
“That’s a relief. I’m not taking applications.”
“And yet you let someone like Pryana into your quarters without a second thought.”
“Pryana is a friend.” It’s not exactly the truth, but it’s close.
“You should reconsider who you trust,” Maela warns me.
“That means a lot coming from someone I don’t trust.”
“I have nothing to gain by lying to you.” Maela leans forward as though she’s sharing an intimate bit of knowledge. “Cormac does. Pryana does. Even Erik does.”
“Erik isn’t here to lie to me,” I say, managing to get the words past the lump in my throat.
“Your trust has trapped you,” she says.
“What trapped you, Maela? What made you into such a frightened little bird?” I ask. Doesn’t she know she’s in a cage, not in control? Can’t she see the bars and locks and secrets that keep her here?
Maela flashes me a pert smile, something wild peeking from behind her eyes. But before she can answer me, a tutting noise distracts us both from the fight. Cormac stands in the doorway. I’m not happy he’s caught Maela torturing me. When Cormac has gotten involved in the past, it only led to more trouble from Maela. Now I know why, of course. But knowledge is far from power.
Maela avoided my question before, but the answer is written all over her face when she looks at Cormac. If I thought her capable of it, I might almost believe it was love smoldering in her eyes. Now I know why she never rose further. She built her own prison.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your visit,” he says. “I was told Adelice was alone.”
“Believe me, you aren’t interrupting anything,” I say. “Maela was leaving.”
Maela gives a hollow laugh as she stands. But when she brushes past Cormac, her fingers slide across his shoulder and she whispers something I can’t quite hear.
When she’s gone, I raise an eyebrow.
“You don’t want to know. Maela and I…” He doesn’t finish the thought, but I don’t need him to.
“I don’t care about either of your sordid pasts,” I assure him.
“You should. You are marrying me, after all.”
