So far, everything she found had corroborated what Thorn and Shadow had said.
The only way out was to kill Mildred.
Damn it. There had to be another solution. Something that didn’t involve killing the invoker and offering up their heart in place of the victim.
“Why would anyone cast a blood curse?” she mumbled under her breath.
The shuffling of feet intruded on her thoughts.
She glanced over her shoulder to see Brother Edred approaching. He crossed himself before the altar then rushed over to kneel by her side.
“What are you doing, Lady Ariel? Are you seeking forgiveness for some sin?”
Turning the page in the manuscript she was reading to something innocuous before he saw the subject matter at hand, Ariel glanced at him. “Nay, brother. I have no public confession that needs be made.”
Rather, she was looking for information on Belial.
A frown furrowed his brow as he ran his gaze over her body as if searching for something. “Then what has kept milady here for all these hours?”
She lifted an inquisitive brow, amazed by his confession that he’d been spying on her while she read. She started to take him to task, but all of a sudden an idea formed in her mind.
Aye, even with his sins, Brother Edred could prove a worthy ally.
“You know, good brother, there is a demon in our midst.”
“Ah, child! Finally!” He patted her clenched hands. “At last you’ve seen the truth of your husband’s nature.”
Ariel removed her hands from his grasp. “Not my husband, brother, but another man. One far more evil than you can dream.…”
He scowled. “What makes you think ’tis someone else?”
She leaned in close as if to whisper a terrible secret. “I’ve seen the signs… curdled milk whenever he is nigh. And the smell of sulfur.”
His eyes widened. “You’re certain it’s not from your husband?”
“Aye. Most certain. It only happens whenever Lord Valteri is away. That’s how I know ’tis another.”
Edred produced a small vial from his robes. “Take this, lady. It’s holywater. Should evil approach you, sling this in its direction and it will scatter it away.”
If only it was that simple.
“Thank you, kind brother.”
He blessed her before moving away.
Ariel watched him leave. Oh, to be so stupid.
How he lived with himself, she couldn’t imagine.
With any luck, he’d stop pestering and plotting against Valteri and detect Belial of his own accord.
She didn’t dare make that accusation herself, for fear the friar would accuse her of communing with demons.
Too many times, she’d been charged with escorting the legal victims who’d fallen prey to the more barbaric nature of men like him. Victims who’d been wrongfully accused by ignorance and fear.
Or worse, pure malice and malfeasance.
By those who wanted to use others and get them out of the way. She’d never understand the cruelty of people. Those who believed lies for no reason.
