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“I assure you, he’s harmless,” the woman said quietly, pulling Desfan’s gaze away from the retreating men. “He usually doesn’t even speak.”
“Who is he?” Desfan asked.
“Vakesh Kazzo. I’m truly sorry he bothered you.”
Desfan ignored that. “He thought I was my father. Did he know the late serjan?”
She blinked. “Well, I . . . I don’t know. I think he may have worked at the palace, before his accident.”
“Accident?” Karim asked.
The woman pursed her lips. “We prefer to keep our patients protected here. I’m sure you understand—”
“I do,” Desfan said. “But this could be important. Can you please tell me everything you know about him?”
“I . . . suppose I can find his records,” she said, reluctance pulling every word. “It may take a while for me to fetch them.”
“We’ll wait,” Desfan assured her.
Chapter 28
Clare
Afinetremorskatedthrough Clare’s body,making her vibrate with a tension she couldn’t force away. Grandeur—the man she suspected had killed her little brothers—was sitting in the chair across from her. His hands were steepled in front of his thinned lips, and his eyes were sharp as he regarded her.
Nothing in the prince looked like the man she’d once called friend, and she had to wonder if that first persona he’d shown her at the castle in Iden had been a lie. Or perhaps his paranoia and anger had twisted him into this harsh-looking man. He certainly seemed harder than he had the last time she’d seen him in Halbrook.
Dervish, the captain of his guard, stood behind him. Their presence made the princess’s sitting room seem much smaller and darker, despite the sun that filtered through the tall windows.
“Leave us,” Grandeur ordered.
Bennick and Venn didn’t move from their places behind her.
“You don’t command us here,” Venn said, his tone inflexible. “You have little power in Mortise. But perhaps you’ve forgotten that.” The barb was not well-masked.
Grandeur’s expression sharpened. “What are you insinuating?”
“You won’t be speaking to Miss Ellington alone,” Bennick cut in, speaking before Venn could. “She is ours to protect, as I’m sure you can understand.”
“She’s in no danger from me.”
“Regardless, we won’t be leaving her.”
Grandeur’s irritation was obvious, but he dropped the matter and focused on Clare. “Where is my sister?”
“She’s not here,” Clare said. She didn’t want to tell Grandeur whereshe’d gone, but she knew she didn’t have a choice. “She went to Zennor.”
His eyes rounded slightly. “Why?”
“She wanted to visit King Zaire. I don’t know all her reasons.” It probably wasn’t a lie; it wasn’t Serene’s way to share everything.
“Why are you here?” Bennick asked the prince.
Grandeur leaned back in his chair. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“No,” Bennick agreed. “But if we know why you’re here, we might be able to offer assistance.” His voice was a little too tight, but Clare thought he was handling this meeting well. Far better than she was, if the roaring in her ears was any indication.
“I have several issues to discuss with Desfan,” Grandeur said.
