AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bennick didn’t argue.
Desfan rubbed a hand over his brow. “In many ways, he shared more than I expected.” Not that he’d been abundantly clear, though. “We won’t resort to torture,” he added, just to make that perfectly clear. The Garvins Treaty, signed by his ancestor long ago, protected prisoners from other kingdoms—especially royal ones. Desfan would not break those oaths, even if Ryden obviously had.
“We have time for further interrogations,” Karim said. “Yahri believes we can keep the trial at bay until Grayson returns.”
IfGrayson returned. Fates, that was a depressing thought. He shoved it away so he could focus on the two men in front of him. “What were your observations during the interrogation?”
Bennick glanced at Karim, but when the Mortisian man gestured for him to speak first, the captain said, “I think it was wise to make him wait down here so long. He revealed more than he probably would have otherwise, though toward the end he reverted to old habits. He seemed genuinely worried about his brother.”
“I thought at first it might only be anger,” Karim said. “Or even just curiosity. But hewasactually concerned. I’m not sure that bodes well for us.”
“How so?” Desfan asked.
“It contradicts what Grayson told us. He painted Liam as an enemy; that he threatened Meerah and coerced Grayson to help him. While Liam didn’t contradict any of this, I expected a different reaction from him. Why was he concerned for the brother he blackmailed—the brother who also betrayed him?” Karim lifted one shoulder. “It’s possible Grayson lied to us.”
That did nothing for Desfan’s knotting gut.
“I think it also unsettled him that Karim and I were silent,” Bennick said. “That was another wise decision on your part.”
“Thank you.”
Bennick tipped his head, but his gaze became more serious. “What was he talking about at the end? About Sahvi, and olcain?”
Desfan expelled a heavy breath and reclined against the table at his back, two hands dropping to grip the long edge on either side of his hips. “It’s an old problem. Well, Ithoughtit was an old problem. Olcain is a dangerous Zennorian drug.”
“I’ve heard of it.”
“Then you probably know it’s highly addictive and very expensive. The streets of Duvan were recently flooded with it. Karim and I tracked down the source to a drug master called Sahvi, but since he’s a Zennorian criminal, I satisfied myself with cleaning the olcain out of my streets and sending Zaire Buhari a letter, warning him about Sahvi’s exports.”
“Do you think Liam is just trying to distract us?” Karim asked.
“I don’t think so,” Desfan said slowly. He glanced at Bennick. “I would value your outside opinion. What do you think of Liam bringing this to my attention?”
“He doesn’t have much to lose at this point,” Bennick said. “He looked and sounded sincere. He wants you to share enemies, but he won’t name them, because he knows you won’t trust him outright.”
Karim grunted. “Unfortunately, I think Liam did give us something worth looking into. If Sahvi is connected with the Zennorians he mentioned earlier—the ones allied with Ryden—then the olcain could have been a preliminary attack meant to destabilize us.”
“I agree,” Desfan said. “I’ll ask Arcas for a report on any olcain activity in the city, and we’ll start asking some questions.”
“It’s possible Imara knows of this Sahvi,” Bennick said. “She might also have some insight into who in Zennor might have aligned themselves with Ryden.”
It was a good idea. Desfan nodded. “I’ll ask her.”
“Thank you for including me,” Bennick added.
“Of course. I prefer a more unified approach when it comes to Liam. He’s a good liar.” Besides, they were all facing the threat of Ryden—and possibly a faction in Zennor as well.
He wasn’t wearing his crown at the moment, but he certainly felt the weight of it.
Chapter 20
Imara
Imara’slegthrobbed,butshe endeavored toignore that as she sipped tea with Clare. She was in bed—of course—and Clare sat in a chair at her bedside.
Imara had never thought twice about something as simple as walking. Now, trapped in bed and facing the prospect that she might not walk ever again . . .
The fear settled on her chest with all the weight of a boulder, and it worsened with every passing day. She was beyond grateful for the distraction Clare had handed her.
