To me, it represented the man who sat on its throne, one who I was forced to defend even as his actions became indefensible.
“I am uncertain.”
Unfortunately, Lord Valdric stood as if he were my father’s sentinel beside the throne. His closest advisor, the Gyorian nobleman was never far from his king. I liked him less than Kael, and Kael despised Valdric enough to challenge him openly once, incurring our father’s wrath.
“Uncertain?” Valdric’s beady eyes narrowed. He cared about little except his own ambitions which were unmatched. He’d been given land, status, titles… I didn’t know what more he wanted but was fairly sure there was something. Otherwise, he’d not be here. He agreed so readily with my father that he’d stopped questioning the king’s motives.
“I’ve sent her to the Watcher’s Keep and will question her further there.”
“Why?”
My father’s tone was underlined with the harshness that came from centuries of mistrust of any Aetherian.
“She’s traveled far and is a guest.”
“A guest?” Valdric spat. “You confuse guests and enemies, my prince.”
Despite the nod to my title, his words were anything but deferential.
I don’t have a deferential bone in my body, Terran. As well you know.
There was little time to dwell on those words, or any other, Lyra had spoken. First, I needed to ensure her safety.
Not bothering to conceal my displeasure with him, I turned my attention to Lord Valdric.
Known for his deep connection to the land and his strategic mind, the nobleman was valuable to my father’s rule. He had also harbored a deep mistrust of outsiders for as many years as I’d been alive and strongly believed in Gyoria’s isolationist policies that began even before the Aetherian Gate opened. Or so I was told.
“She is an emissary of a neighboring clan, one whose land will border ours for as long as Gyoria endures. Were we an island, perhaps we could afford the arrogance of turning away a respected noblewoman without food or shelter. But I was not raised to mistake pride for strategy.”
“Two insults in one fine speech,” he shot back. “Well done?—”
“Enough,” my father bellowed. “Learn why she’s here and find out what you can about the Tidebreaker Fleet defending a human holding.”
I’d already planned to do as much. Most importantly, I wished to know if my brother had an inkling his right hand was half-human. The entire incident with Dren did not sit well, especially coming on the heels of so many other strange happenings.
Princess Mevlida among them.
“Aye, my lord.”
My father’s eyes narrowed. “And then bring her to me.”
I’d planned to do that as well, but something about the way he commanded it…
There.
Valdric’s eyes shifted to my father, for the briefest of moments, in a way that did not sit well. There was something more to this exchange.
“In the morn, I will escort her to you myself.”
“Bring her to me tonight.”
Father often kept visitors waiting, a habit born from calculation. I had no notion what he planned to say, or do, to Lyra, but something was most certainly amiss.
“She’s requested an audience,” I said evenly, “but we gain nothing by dragging her in tonight, weary and unguarded. Let her rest, and tomorrow, we present her on our terms with the dignity this court demands.”
It was a weak argument, but until I understood better what piece of the puzzle I was missing, I would not allow my father to put our entire kingdom at risk. Would he actually harm Lyra? Perhaps not. But his actions had grown increasingly unpredictable.
“Very well. Return with our guest,” he said the word with unmasked disgust, “after you break your fast. In the meantime, she remains under watch.”
