“Oh, how sad,” the Queen declared.
“He's young, my dear,” the King said. “I don't believe that's unusual for humans.”
“Actually, Your Majesty, at my age, a lot of humans have homes and families, but I have other dreams.” I returned my bright smile to the Queen. “But back to the discerning art of mystical science. You should see the equipment, Your Majesty. It's truly amazing what can be done with potions. And the scholars are so meticulous with the records of their potions and the ingredients that are put into them.” I turned to spear the Princess with my glare as I asked, “Did you know that the scholars keep track of potions sold around the city, Your Highness?”
Sanasenne shrieked and fell backward in her chair as if I'd physically attacked her.
“Sana!” the Queen exclaimed in shock.
The King and Tae lurched to their feet, but I was there first, gallantly helping the Princess up while I whispered in her ear, “I have proof of your crime.”
“It wasn't me!” Sanasenne screamed and scrabbled backward across the rug away from me, startling everyone.
The servants drew back, while the Queen shrieked and clutched at her chest, and Tae just gaped at the display with round eyes. But the King—oh, he was a clever one, and he must have known his daughter very well.
King Dehras narrowed his eyes at the Princess, then shouted at the servants, “Out! All of you get out!”
The room cleared in seconds. As they left, the King went to his daughter and helped her to her feet. Once she was standing, he demanded, “What have you done, Sana?!”
“I didn't do anything, I swear. It was Thal! I begged him not to use the hulrine potion, but he wouldn't listen to me.”
Holy shit, I didn't even have to mention it.Thank you, Ava!
Tae's eyes went wide and swung toward me. I met his gaze with cool and aloof dignity, taking great pleasure in watching comprehension and then regret fill his expression. After that satisfaction, I dismissed him entirely and turned back to watch the drama unfold.
“Hulrine potion?” The King asked in confusion.
“What is that?” the Queen asked breathlessly, her eyes still wide in shock.
“It's a potion that slowly puts its victim into a stupor—a state from which they cannot be aroused for several hours—and when they awaken, they cannot remember what transpired. It's used mainly for interrogations—we send a supply to our army regularly. I can't for the life of me imagine what Thalsar would want with it.”
Interrogations. That was how General Thalsar knew about it. And how Tae knew about it too.
“I can,” Taeven growled and started out of the room, his face a mask of fury and his shoulders bunched.
“No, Tae!” Sana grabbed for him, but he shook her off callously. “Please, don't hurt him! He didn't mean for—”
“For what, Sana?” Tae swung back to sneer at her. “Thal didn't mean to make me think that my valorian had betrayed me with him?”
The Queen gasped and swayed on her feet.
“And what about you? You think that just because you didn't dose Shane, you're innocent?” Taeven growled. “You could have told me. That morning, you could have told me that I was wrong. That Thal was lying to me when he implied that he'd slept with Shane. That Shane had been drugged, and that was why he couldn't remember anything.”
“I couldn't!” Sana protested. “Thal would have been furious.”
“You could have told me during any of thenumeroustimes you visited me afterward,” Tae snarled. “Or were you too busy trying to seduce me to bother with clearing my valorian's name?”
“How dare you?!” the Queen shouted.
“My love, shut the fuck up,” the King said sharply.
The Queen gasped again.
“He's in the dining hall, Tae,” the King said grimly. “I will attend you.”
The men strode out of the room.
“Thank you for dinner, Your Majesty.” I bowed to the Queen, stuck my tongue out at her daughter, and hurried after my warlord.
