“Truth!” Ursa looked around before going on. “Did you kill the queen?”
“I did not.”
“Truth!” That got a wave of chatter. Merlin’s brow furrowed, her face dark with rage. Ursa waited for the hubbub to die down then asked. “Did anyone in your House kill the queen?”
“No.”
“Truth!” More chatter. Again, Ursa waited then asked, “How did the queen die?”
“After we took her to our home, simply to ask her a few questions, she began to have trouble breathing. She did not seem to be able to get air. She suffocated and after she died a puff of mist came from her mouth. I cannot be certain, but I believe she was under the curse of a mistweaver.”
That got the place into a full-on uproar. Shouts of “liar” and “mistweavers aren’t real” dominated the calls.
Ursa waited. “Lady Legs’ description of the queen’s death is truth. And though it is truth that Legs believes the death was caused by a mistweaver, that is conjecture only.” She turned to me with a vague wave of dismissal. “Unless you have proof a mistweaver exists?”
“I do, or rather, one did, before I killed her.”
Ursa gave a masterfully shocked reaction, then shouted, “This is truth! A mistweaver did exist, and Lady Legs killed her!”
That sent the hall into a shocked silence.
Going on quickly, Ursa asked, “Sometimes, before a person dies, they implicate who they think caused their death. Did the queen give you any name before she died?”
Oh… another masterfully asked question. Ursa knew as well as I did that the queen’s mention of Merlin was vague and unfinished, but by asking only if a name was mentioned it was easy for me to say:
“Yes, she said one name: Merlin.”
Chapter 19
Merlin flewfrom her chair and shouted. “That’s a lie!” Spittle flew from her lips. She was so vehement everyone in the room jerked back with alarm, including me.
Ursa turned slowly. “No, it is truth. The queen spoke your name.” Ursa, living dangerously, approached Lady Merlin. “Tell me, Lady Merlin, were you aware that a mistweaver existed?”
Merlin was barely holding on. “No!”
“That…” Ursa said slowly, with masterfully acted confusion and shock, “is a lie.”
Merlin was glaring daggers at Ursa. Hale stepped in and restrained the small woman before she threw herself bodily at Ursa, which seemed likely to be her next move. “How could you? I trusted you,” Merlin spat.
The rest of the hall, recovered from Merlin’s outburst, was in an uproar once again. And happily, for the first time, it wasn’t my fault.
With momentum moving in my favor, I decided now was the best time to spring my little surprise.
“Lady Ursa!” I called out over the raised voices of concern and confusion in the hall. “Would you mind questioning another I’ve brought along?” I turned and nodded to Ahmaia.
A moment later Lord War was standing in the hall, not far from me and looking very angry.
I couldn’t help a smile as more voices joined the cacophony.
“I believe he knows more about this war then most here have been told,” I shouted over the tumult of voices.
Ursa nodded and approached the seething warlord. Lord War glared at her. The best part of all of this was that he wouldn’t know she could tell truth and lies. He’d not known anything which had happened up until now. Ahmaia had made sure he could hear none of what had gone on.
Ursa asked simply: “Lord War, before the gathered Nobles here, would you tell us how the war began?”
War scoffed and grinned. “Gladly. The war began when Vauphan threatened our northern border. Our spies informed us they intended to invade and capture our Mists!” He’d raised his voice, even though the gathered Nobles had begun to hush to hear him.
“That is a lie,” Ursa said evenly and sounding just a bit curious.
