“Stop talking in riddles.”
“Why?” I tried to remember that this man’s opinion mattered to Isa. I recalled Berklay’s advice to be sincere. But what did it matter? Frederic had already made up his mind. “Even if I speak clearly, you’ll assume I’m lying.”
Sofia stepped forward, not quite coming between us, but drawing the constable’s attention. “Frederic, what is going on? Didn’t Isa explain everything to you?”
The constable jabbed a finger in my direction. “He did something. Magicked her or something. She hasn’t been acting herself ever since she went to Truthhold. She can only say what he wants her to.”
Sofia rested a hand on his arm. “If you don’t believe Isa, and don’t trust the duke, perhaps I can help.” She looked over at me. “With your permission, Your Grace, I can truth-tell you. That way, Frederic will know you aren’t lying when you answer his questions.”
We were beyond the range of my node-tie, so in theory Sofia should be able to truth-tell me. But only if her power was greater than my own. I still had no sense of how much magic I had apart from the node, and couldn’t guess at the likelihood in either direction. Still, I nodded. I’d tell the constable the truth whether I had to or not.
He scowled, but told Sofia to go ahead.
I watched the power stream out of her. It settled around me in a hazy mist, not quite touching me. Was that normal? Or was it a sign that her spell was too weak?
Frederic began asking the familiar questions, his manner growing more and more agitated as my answers didn’t change from before.
The back door opened, and Isa stepped into the room. She frowned at the tableau in front of her, but didn’t interrupt. Frederic spared her a single glance, then looked back at me. “What do you want with Isa now?”
Berklay’s words came back to me. Be sincere. “I love her.”
The blue mist faded, and Sofia beamed at me and Isa. The constable spluttered some more. Isa walked around him, punching his arm as she went by, and wrapped her arms around me. Then she looked back at her mentor. “Are you satisfied yet, Frederic?”
He couldn’t seem to process the way we stood. It took him several heartbeats to answer. “You didn’t mention anything like...” He gestured between us, but couldn’t seem to say the words. “You claimed it was just work.”
“It was. Nothing happened then. And I didn’t mention my feelings because you had decided Felix had manipulated and bewitched me. If I had told you I was in love with him, you would have reacted even worse.”
“I . . . I . . .”
She took pity on him, facing him, though she twined her fingers in mine at the same time. “I know you were worried about me, but I need you to trust me. Or at the very least, trust Sofia. She was truth-telling Felix while you questioned him, wasn’t she? Are you going to claim she is bewitched, too?”
“Of course not,” Frederic blustered. “And I trust you . . . but the duke . . .”
“Is not the villain, Frederic. If you trust me, then can’t you be happy for me?”
His expression softened. “I’ll try.” Then he looked at me and became grim once more. His finger pointed at my chest. “If you do anything to hurt her—”
Isa slapped Frederic’s finger down. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, though not so quietly that the others wouldn’t hear. “Let him have his say. You deserve to have someone threaten me on your behalf.”
She laughed, and the last bit of fight drained out of the constable. “Does this mean you won’t be taking your job back, Isa?”
“I never was. I told you I was ready for a position where my talents were respected. As it happens, I’ve found a new job that I think will suit me much better.”
It took a bit more reassurance, but soon Isa sent the constable on his way. Then she turned to her twin, her hands on her hips. “You were truth-telling Felix?”
Sofia grinned, the expression as impish as anything Isa could manage. “I was supposed to be, but only to reassure Frederic.”
“Supposed to be? So, it didn’t work?” I asked. “Wait, you knew it wasn’t working? Why didn’t you tell him?”
“He was being foolish. I knew you weren’t about to lie.”
I bowed. “Thank you, Miss Cardh.”
“Sofia,” she insisted. “I do believe you ought to call me Sofia under the circumstances.”
“I’m honored. Please, call me Felix.”
