I wrenched open the door and we hurried inside.
Savory swooped into the greenhouse behind us and perched on an overturned pot, glaring the lord’s way.
His usually perfect hair stood out in every direction, and dark circles hung beneath his eyes. But his appearance didn’t matter if he was actively sabotaging the court.
He whispered something, his hands swaying over the plants, casting magic.
Rage flooded through me. These flowers represented hope for my people. The thought of a person I’d known for years, someone I’d considered harmless, deliberately harming the plants, made my blood boil.
“Lord Turren,” I snarled. “Step away from the plants.”
He gasped, spinning around with his hands lifting. Magic still glowed around his fingers, casting shadows across his face. “Your Majesty! I wasn’t—I didn’t?—”
“Now.” Authority rang out in my voice, the command of a king who’d caught someone threatening his people.
Turren backed away from the flowers, his hands shaking. “Please, I can explain.”
“I’m sure you can.” I stepped farther into the greenhouse, Sasha at my side. “But we’re doing this in my office. Move.”
“But I?—”
“Now, Lord Turren.”
He looked between us, confusion and fear crossing his face. Finally, he nodded and preceded us out of the greenhouse.
Savory followed, flying over to ride on Sasha’s shoulder.
The walk to my office felt surreal. How many times had I shared meals with this man? How many court functions had we attended together, making small talk about fashionand appearances and all the other things that seemed to define Turren’s existence?
It had all been a performance. While I was trying to find new ways to describe hairstyles and fashions to make him feel at ease, he’d been studying the court’s weaknesses while pretending to care only about his reflection.
Sasha’s hand brushed mine as we climbed the stairs. She was thinking strategically. I could tell from the way her eyes tracked the lord’s movements.
We reached my office, and I gestured him toward a chair while positioning myself behind my desk. The physical authority of the space helped steady me. Sasha came over to stand beside me, studying Lord Turren’s face.
Savory left Sasha’s shoulder and landed on my desk, her black eyes fixed on the lord with an intensity that made him flinch.
“Your Majesties,” he said, his voice coming out thin and reedy. “I truly don’t understand what’s happening. Have I done something to offend you?”
I studied him across the desk. His rumpled appearance suggested guilt.
“We know about the underground chamber,” I said, keeping my voice level. “The dampening crystals. The systematic corruption of our court’s emotional magic.” I leaned forward. “How long have you been working to destroy us?”
Lord Turren’s face went slack with shock. “What chamber? What crystals?” His gaze darted between Sasha and me. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“The Severance Arts,” Sasha said, her tone sharp. “Emotional purification rituals designed to cut courts off from their magical foundations. Someone has been implementing them here for a very long time.”
“And you think…” The lord’s voice broke. “You think I would do that? This is my home.”
“We caught you inside the greenhouse,” I said. “You were casting magic on the replacement plants. We saw you.”
“The moonbell orchids.” He slumped in his chair, his face slacking with misery. “I just wanted a few preserved moonbell blossoms.”
Sasha tilted her head. “Why?”
“Because I’m fading.” The words burst out of him, and he gestured to his body. “Look at me. Really look. My hair has lost its former luster. My skin is as dull as old bread. The natural glow I’ve spent years cultivating is disappearing.”
I blinked, caught off guard by this when I’d been expecting a whimpered confession.
