The King frowned at him, then looked at Juri. “You're certain this woman isn't lying? Perhaps she did it and is using him as a scapegoat.”
“And what? She planted the evidence in his home too?” Juri shot back.
“I wouldn't put it past an assassin,” I said.
Juri rolled his eyes. “I'm not a fool. I investigated her as well. Elisa just started working in the kitchen a month ago, straight out of Rercime. The girl is timid and has no reason to hurt you. A month is hardly long enough to work up a hatred.”
Cyn made a pensive sound. “No, she seems an unlikely suspect, but then, so does this man.”
“Can I speak with you in the other room?” I asked the King.
Removing his attention away from the cowering Chelli, the King looked at me and nodded. As he headed to the empty room at the end of the aisle, Lord Juri followed.
“Give us a moment, Juri,” the King said.
Juri scowled at me as I passed him by. I didn't give a fuck. The King was right to keep him out of our conversation. Juri sounded as if he'd already decided the Chelli was guilty.
When the King stopped in the guardroom, I motioned him further away, out into the corridor. After we left the room, I shut the door for good measure.
Only then did I say, “He's innocent.”
“It does seem odd. Chelli are never violent. They are the most gentle of all the races on Serai.”
“It's not just that. What kind of defense is that? He forgot? No, it's so terrible that it must be true.”
“And what about the evidence?”
“Perhaps he did it, just not of his own free will.”
“You think someone is holding his loved ones hostage?”
“No. He wouldn't have used the amnesia defense for that. He would have been prepared, especially after our little show in the kitchen yesterday.”
The King's eyes narrowed. “There are potions that can cloud the mind.”
“And there are spells to control people. I think this is far more complicated than it appears.”
“Someone used him, wielded him like a weapon.”
“I think so. But it's been too long for us to track any magical residue.”
“Yes, it's faded by now. But how do we prove his innocence?”
“Shouldn't it be the other way around, Your Majesty? Shouldn't we have to prove his guilt?”
“Yes, but the evidence does that. We need something to counter it.”
I bit my lip and glanced at the dungeon door. “We wait.”
“Wait?”
“Yes. Keep him in custody for now. I'll look into this further.” I huffed a sigh. “Fuck, I don't like the idea of leaving you here. I think the assassin, the true assassin, will try again. If nothing else, that will exonerate the Chelli. But that means you're still in danger.”
“You are not leaving me,” the King said. “I will accompany you on your investigation.”
“You can't. I'll have to leave the castle, and that's too dangerous for you.”
“It seems to me that it's more dangerous in the castle than outside it. Besides, it's very difficult to kill a Dragon. I'll be able to handle any attack outside the castle, especially with my knights accompanying me.”
