Delphine leans more heavily on Maris.
The Arx Magnum’s eyes narrow. ‘I’m curious to learn what brings you to these parts. Orthriel mentioned you plan to gather information about the Sickening? A fascinating enterprise.’
I knew we’d face questions. Now to recite the script I committed to memory back in Meissa.
‘It’s a cross-realm study, the first of its kind. We’re charting conditions in Estelia first, and hope to pool our knowledge and resources to slow the advance of the curse.’
The Arx Magnum nods.
I must be getting better at lying. My father would be proud.
‘Wonderful news. Most expedient. Time to let bygones be bygones – we have more important things to worry about than petty squabbles. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all Highlanders when I wish you the very best of luck in your endeavour.’
Blayze’s shoulders, rigid since we entered Galtair, relax by a degree and Maris loosens her grip on her spear.
‘I’ve gathered the supplies requested in the King’s letters of introduction, plus extra furs besides. You’ll have need of them if you intend to journey north, though I urge you to reconsider. It’s impossible to survive for more than a few nights on the peaks. Even for those of us who’ve lived at altitude, the air is too thin now. Too foul. And we wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, would we?’
Again, he flashes that greasy smile. A smile that barely grazes his eyes.
I look at the other members of the Quaternity. They’re nodding along, lapping up his words. All except Astrophel who stands behind the others, his expression pinched. Pensive.
Beside me, my Guardian’s face is a perfect picture of stillness, though their corporeal form is still hazy.‘Not everything’s a conspiracy, Leilani.’
I think back to my encounter with Blayze on the hillside, how I threw that rock at him thinking him the monster from my dreams. Perhaps Orthriel’s right.
But seeds of doubt, once sown, are not easily tilled.
With leadership comes responsibility. With responsibility: consequences.
My choices led us here. It remains to be seen what manner of place I’ve brought us to.
The Arx Magnum stands. ‘I could happily keep you here for hours, learning more about you, and your plans. But all in good time. You’ll be housed at Viklari, my family seat. It isn’t far, and I trust you’ll find it comfortable. Provision shall, of course, be made for your Guardians too. We’ll leave you to rest tonight. But I hope you’ll join me and my ministry for dinner tomorrow evening, share a cup of friendship. We have much to discuss.’
I force my lips into a smile. ‘We’d be delighted.’
The Arx Magnum returns the gesture, only his smile is broader, contains too many teeth.
The image of a frostfang flashes into my mind.
A CHOICE
ASTROPHEL
HYPERIONLIED.HElied to me.
The Arx Magnum is still droning on – something about supplies, but I scarcely register what he’s saying. It’s taking everything I have just to keep myself upright.
It’s as though the floor to this Sister-blooded fortress is collapsing beneath me. Everything I’ve been told, the truths I’ve founded my life on, splintering like the tip of a lance finding its mark. My father died a hero defending our people from the filthy sand-rats. Not… not squashing some Northern rebellion. Not massacring his own people. It can’t be true. It can’t. And yet…
The room is too small. Too small for so many of us. The animal scent emanating from the Arx Magnum’s trophies turns my stomach.
I take in my future bride – really take her in for perhaps the first time. I study the careful jut of her narrow jaw, the soft, clear tone of her voice as she answers the Arx Magnum’s questions about our purpose in coming here. At once commanding and conciliatory. Leilani’s handling this well, playing the Arx Magnum perfectly.
Her father would be proud.
My ribs tighten. This is worse than Hyperion’s obfuscation about the Gaspings, about the blight. Those I could explain away. He was trying to spare us, to keep the burden of truth from our shoulders. But if the King lied about the rebellion, about how my father died… What else has he lied to me about?
The veil of prejudice I’ve constructed around Leilani was carefully and deliberately woven, in large measure, by her own father. I see that now. But what if it’s a web of lies? True, she’s always considered me unworthy, but what member of the coterie doesn’t? Is she really dangerous? A liability? She saved me from that hoarclaw… It suited Hyperion to make me wary of her – to fan the flames of mistrust between us. How else could he hope to convince me to wrest control away from the rightful heir? To become his flunky.
