“I thought I was being smart. Careful. It all seemed perfect in my head, you see.” Lerek rubbed a hand down his face. “All I needed was something plausible, something my father would agree to, in order for me to leave the palace. When word came to us of the new northern king, I thought it a blessing from the Fates.”
Sonah twisted her fingers in her lap. “I don’t understand.”
Lerek smiled sadly. “I planned on switching places with Isher, Sonah. So I could leave and be with Terena Luca. I love her. I’ve always loved her. But my father had other plans for me and I had to do something.”
Sonah’s head snapped up. She gaped at the prince. “What?”
“I’d been planning for months. I told Isher about it the last time he was at the White Palace and after much arm-twisting, he agreed to help. I bided my time. And just when I’d given up hope of figuring out how to get away, my father hands me a reason. The new northern king.
“I had the steward, Solarus, speak with my father about sending me north to meet with the northern king. I knew if it came from his steward, my father would be more open to the idea than if I’d gone to him directly.
“When he sent for me to tell me of his plan to send me north, I could barely contain my excitement. But he wanted me to leave the very next day. I had no time to let Isher know, so I sent a note telling him to meet me in Laurica. I tried stalling, but allit bought me was a few hours. The morning of our departure, I received a note from him saying he was already on his way to Metilai.”
Lerek must’ve taken Sonah’s dumbfounded expression as amazement, or awe at his ingenuity. He smiled at her as if she was not completely horrified by his stupidity.
“You…” Sonah covered her mouth. She couldn’t finish the sentence. She wasn’t entirely certain she wouldn’t leap off the bed and strangle him. Because of him, Isher was murdered. Because of him, she and Terena had been accused and dumped in the dungeons.
Terena was tortured because of his ridiculous plan.
Sonah shook with the force of her rage.
Lerek’s smiled faded as he watched her.
“Sonah, I did not know?—”
“That your actions would cause Isher’s murder? That I would be accused of conspiring with traitors? Or that Terena?—”
“The only one who knew of my plan was Duke Aurora!” Lerek hissed, shooting up from the chair. “I thought he’d betrayed me, but King Altos insisted that was not the case. Someone else within the palace must’ve known of my plan. And even the duke’s and Sparta’s involvement. Someone with access.
“Originally, Isher and I were to switch places the morning of our departure. He would act as me, traveling with the convoy, while I stayed behind as him. I planned on leaving for Aurora the following evening and sending for Terena when I arrived. I even had a priest waiting in Avonon to marry us!”
Sonah jerked upright, shushing Lerek as she motioned wildly with her hands. Turning away, Sonah looked toward the door to the sitting room, waiting for Jenos to storm in at any moment.
When that did not happen, she folded her arms at her chest and turned back to the prince. In a loud whisper, she asked,“How are you here, then? If Duke Aurora betrayed you, why was Daris Antonius involved? Why bring you here?”
Lerek sighed and his shoulders slumped. “King Altos insists the duke did not. Betray me, that is. Aurora had gone to them with my plan. He wanted the firstborns out of the palace and saw this as his chance. I cannot blame, him, of course. He is—was—a good friend and I tried to protect his sister, Analise, as best I could. But he wanted her home, away from my father.
“You, more than anyone, know best the life of a palace taster. My father may have thought it would keep the provinces in line, having their firstborns at the palace, but they were—are—angry. I guess none of them were ever truly a friend to me. It killed Duke Aurora thinking about his sister in danger every day. I’m sure you felt the same. And I am sorry it never crossed my mind to think you might be unhappy there.”
Sonah ducked her head. She’d hated being the Royal Taster. But she hated the isolation even more. For whatever reason, she never fit in. Perhaps it’s because she wasn’t really a firstborn.
“So the duke went to King Altos with a bargain,” Lerek continued. “According to the king, in exchange for help getting the firstborns out of the White Palace, Aurora gave him something the king’s been searching for for years. The duke used my plan as the distraction he needed for Daris and his men to smuggle the firstborns out. They were going to drug Isher with a sedative that would put him in such a deep sleep, he’d appear dead. And since my original plan was to switch places with Isher, the Liodari planned to smuggle me away, along with the firstborns, during the funeral for Isher. King Altos assured me there was no plan to kill Isher, only to give the appearance of his death. And while I was taken away with the firstborns, Isher would miraculously rise from the dead. As me.”
He dragged a hand through his hair, displacing his carefully coiffed locks.
Sonah watched the guilt and remorse chase each other across his face.
“Why was Daris even there? Why didn’t Duke Aurora send his own people?” Sonah shook her head. She lifted her hands to her temples. “I don’t understand any of this.”
Lerek dropped his head back, closing his eyes with a deep sigh.
“I only know what King Altos shared with me. That Aurora went to him to ask for his help. So the king sent his Liodari. They had someone on the inside to put the sedative in Isher’s drink and put my clothes on him.”
“But you invited me! To your rooms! I had a missive right after dinner, requiring my presence because you were having drinks with your brother.”
He looked up at her, one hand outstretched as he beseeched her. “That was not me, Sonah! I swear on my life. I did not write that missive.”
Sonah shook her head, tears threatening once more and she shut her eyes tight. When she could speak without fear of her voice breaking, she asked, “Then why is Isher dead? How did the plan go awry?”
