I nodded, conceding the point. “I am, indeed, immune. However, Isa can truth-read me if you seek reassurance.”
Her Highness looked over to where Isa stood. “Miss Cardh, may I borrow you for a moment?”
Isa straightened and hurried over, her attention firmly fixed on the princess. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“With a simple yes or no, please answer this question. Can you truth-read Duke Felix right now?”
She almost looked at me, but stopped herself. “Yes.”
Princess Charmina turned back to me. “Your Grace, if you’d had no reason to suspect that your node was unlocked and had only the task of transforming yourself back into human form as motivation, would you have signed that contract with Edwin Cardh?”
“No.”
I watched Isa, willing her to look at me. She didn’t. But her eyes widened, a reaction that the princess did not overlook.
“Miss Cardh?”
“He spoke the truth.”
“It surprised you.”
Isa leveled a steady gaze on Her Highness. “It did not surprise me that his words were technically true. It was the degree to whichthey were true. There was no hint of subterfuge or misdirection. Based on what I sensed, I feel confident in saying that His Grace is not only giving an answer with the clarity of hindsight. At no point in time would he ever have signed that contract, if it was only his own form at risk.”
“That is reassuring to hear. Thank you, Miss Cardh.”
Isa recognized the dismissal and walked away, still not meeting my eyes, though my gaze didn’t waver.
“You have provided me with reassurance on this one point, Your Grace, but you must admit that it is a shaky foundation. The Truthhold node is powerful beyond comprehension. To know that such a subversion of the law is possible, that the node will bind people to do that which a human would deem illegal, is worrying. I plan to bring this issue to the attention of my parents. I don’t know what they will say, but I think, at the very least, someone should inspect contracts for hidden surprises before they are witnessed and passed through the node.”
“I recently had a similar thought, Your Highness. I serve as a mediator between parties during negotiations, but I have always left the wording of the final contract up to those involved. It occurred to me that having someone go over the contracts on my behalf might be wise. Instead of letting my neutral status keep me from helping either side, I should instead actively protect all parties from malicious contractual language.”
“I think it might be better if this person is hired by the crown, rather than answering to you.”
“May I recommend someone for the position? I don’t think you’ll have any reason to doubt her abilities or integrity.”
Princess Charmina looked at Isa. “I had been thinking of enticing Miss Cardh back to Haiwella. I know she would like the chance to get away from the prejudices entrenched in Leort.” She glanced at me and smiled. “But perhaps not so far away.”
Forty-Two
Isabel
???
I laid thetwo letters side by side on the table, absently smoothing out the creases. At first glance, the contents were similar. Both offered me a chance at a job after a meeting. But one was an invitation, the job an unknown. The other was a summons, the job one I had fought for and lost.
An uncertain future.
An unsatisfactory past.
I folded the letters back up. I’d meet with Chief Nassan because I was curious about what he would say. But even if he offered me my post with the constables again—with or without probationary in front of my title—I wouldn’t accept. What I didn’t know was whether I’d take Princess Charmina up on her offer.
She had questioned me the entire ride back to Leort. I had shared stories—and frustrations—from my time with the constables earlier as I guided her around town, but she had started asking about what I had done for Felix. She wanted to know how comfortable I was with contracts and how intimately I knew the laws of the kingdom. Then she had offered me a letter that would grant me an audience with her in Haiwella if I sought a career in the capital.
She had implied that she wouldn’t be surprised if I never made it to the city, though. She had hinted that I’d get an offer closer tohome that would appeal more. Was the letter from Chief Nassan what she meant? Had I spent the last four days hoping for something that would never happen?
If only I was a mind-reader instead of a truth-reader. Then I’d know what Felix had been thinking. Had our kiss meant anything to him, or had the giddiness of relief swept him away? I simply didn’t know, and I found it easier to interpret his expressions and body language as a cat than as a man.
He’d tried to catch my eye during the princess’s visit, but speaking with him then wasn’t a possibility. Felix might have allayed the worst of her misgivings about how he had used the node against me, but Frederic had returned from questioning Marc and Cecily more suspicious than ever. He didn’t believe that my time at Rose Castle had been pleasant.
