“Let me make myself very clear,” he began.“I do not trust you, but Iamwilling to accept your help.If you so much as breathe a word of what I am about to share with you to anyone, I will make sure you receive the same mercy my eldest brother did.”
“Noted.”I didn’t even bat an eye.“Now, what happened?”
He walked me through the details, which matched the rumor’s account nearly word for word.
“The question is”—I lifted my glass to my lips but didn’t drink—“who would want your brother dead?What party would gain something from his death?”
He snorted.“You don’t think I’ve already asked myself those questions?”
“Oh, I know you have,” I said.“But it’s the answers you came up with that I’m interested in.”
The prince was intelligent.It radiated from his eyes and manifested in his carefully worded jabs, but his haughty attitude was nearly more than I could bear.
“No one person would benefit from his death.He didn’t live here in Paravellia, but if word got out one of our own was assassinated, it would weaken our influence and sabotage our trade deals.”
I should have assassinated his brother myself.It would have made my job easier.
I regretted the thought immediately, wishing I could take it back.My issue was with King Zaricor—not his sons.
No matter how spoiled and pompous one in particular might be.
“What kingdom would benefit the most from your fall?”I asked.
The prince ground his teeth together.“Literally any of them.”
I looked out over the city, taking in the vast expanse that spread before us.My finger tapped on the table as I said, more to myself, “But who stands to gain the most?”
Louder, I questioned, “Did your brother have enemies?Anyone who would have liked to see him dead?”
Valeris frowned as if having to explain something that should be obvious.“I haven’t seen my brother in over a decade.I’ve never met his children.My family’s connection to him was purely political.”
Ten years?I didn’t understand the disconnect his family seemed to have with one another, but I could only imagine, considering how horrible of a father they shared.
“So what you’re telling me is that you’re no help at all?”
He cocked his head.“No.I’m questioning how you consider yourself to be of any value at all when you’re even farther removed from this situation than I am.”
The corner of my mouth tilted up.“You have witnessed me destroy your alliance with Lord Eyreling and almost immediately get it back—that’s something.Not to mention I have connections you would never be able to make as a prince of Paravellia.”
His eyes narrowed.I hadn’t convinced him, but as long as I at least kept his interest, it didn’t matter to me.
“Wasanyonein your family close with your brother?”I asked.“Siblings?Parents?Your uncle?”
I slipped the last part in, watching him closely for any reaction.
He mulled over the question before shaking his head.“He and my second oldest brother, Javamir, were somewhat close growing up, but I have no idea how well they kept in touch after their marriages.Uncle Wylan has never mentioned being close with Rivero.”
He knew his uncle as Wylan, not Alekvandor.
“Could your uncle stand to gain something by his murder?”
The question offended him, and I thought I might have been too obvious.
“My uncle is the most loyal man this kingdom has ever seen.He would never act for its destruction, or do anything against me or my siblings.”
I didn’t miss the pinpointed use ofsiblingsinstead offamily.Maybe bad blood ran between the brothers.
“He holds no political gain,” the prince continued.“If every single member of my family was murdered, he would gain nothing, and I do not appreciate you insinuating such diabolical ideas about him.”
