A Court This Cruel & Lovely (Kingdom of Lies, #1) (102)

Gods, the things he had seen at just six winters old.

“We were almost at the city walls when Father went down. I don’t know what happened. Someone said the fae were shooting arrows. We were separated, and one of our neighbors grabbed me. She raised me with some of the other orphan children, until I was old enough to fall in with the rebellion. Two years ago, our headquarters were raided. Everyone who was arrested was burned months later. Everyone but me. I don’t understand why.”

“Telean works for the queen. She was spared because the queen had heard of her skill with fabric. When she learned you’d been arrested, she begged the queen to allow you to live. That’s why you’re still here.”

“Telean.” Demos went quiet.

We both sat in silence for a while.

Eventually, I sighed. “I better get back.”

Demos looked at me some more. “I just… I can’t believe it. Be patient with me…please.”

“I will. And I’ll ask the same of you.”

My mind whirled as I made my way out of the dungeon. I needed to talk to Tibris. And then, unfortunately, I would need to find Lorian.

Thankfully, Lorian’s hunting trip with the king had taken him away from both the castle and Telean. But I’d recognized that cold expression he’d worn when he’d learned of the threat to me, and I needed to make sure he didn’t get any ideas about killing her. My stomach tightened at the thought of seeing the bane of my existence. After the way we’d lashed out at each other last night, I’d prefer to avoid him until I absolutely had to deal with him.

Tibris met me on my way to my room. He raised his eyebrow at whatever he saw on my face.

“You look…strange.”

I linked my arm through his. “Strange?”

“Your eyes are all swollen, but you also look happy. What’s going on, Pris?”

Yanking on the thread of time, I pulled Tibris into my room.

“You may want to sit down,” I told him, pacing to the window.

“You’re making me nervous.”

“It’s nothing bad. It’s good. At least, I hope you think so…”

“Pris.”

“My other brother. My birth brother. He’s alive.”

I turned back just in time to catch Tibris’s mouth fall open. “How do you know this?”

I told him about Telean. And when I got to the part about Demos, Tibris launched to his feet.

“He’s your brother? Are you sure?”

I let out a strained laugh. “Yes. I’m positive. Are you…are you okay?”

Tibris sighed, stalked over to me, and wrapped me in a hug. “Of course I’m okay. I’d rather your brother was alive than dead, even if it means I’ll have to deal with Demos for the rest of my life.”

I squeezed him back. “Thank you. I know this has been…difficult.”

“Stop worrying about me.”

“That would be impossible.”

“I have to get back to work.” He stepped back. “I guess I need to talk to your other brother at some point. And that’s a sentence I’d never imagined I’d say.” He grinned, and if there was a hint of strain in it, I ignored it since he clearly wanted me to.

Tibris strolled out, and I sat on the edge of my bed for a long moment. Finally, I couldn’t put it off any longer, and I took the servants’ halls toward Lorian’s room, nodding to the maids—most of whom ignored me. Auria grinned at me, a load of laundry in her arms. “Tea tonight?”

I nodded. “After the dancing.” Just the thought of pretending everything was normal made me exhausted. All I wanted to do was curl up in bed with the blankets over my head.

She smiled and strolled away.

Just a few moments later, I realized I’d gotten myself lost in the servants’ hall.

Usually when I snuck into Lorian’s rooms, I wandered through the main hall, stopped time for a few moments, and let myself in.

Grinding my teeth, I leaned close to the door on the left. I was relatively sure the prince was in one of these rooms—some of the most ostentatious in the castle.

I glanced over my shoulder, but no one else was walking down the hall. Someone was talking. No, ranting. Pressing my eye to the tiny hole, I went still.

Patriarch Farrow was pacing, spittle flying from his face as he ranted.

I caught the words “corrupt” and “burn.” So, it was his usual topic of choice. But it was Madinia I paid the most attention to. She sat on a sofa facing me.

Her face was as white as death.

“Father…what if the corrupt could be…reintegrated into society? We could give them a chance to give back their magic and appease the gods.”

I sucked in a breath, almost choking on it. Now that hadn’t been something I’d expected to hear from her.

Someone was coming. I stalked across the hall and held my hand to the closest door, as if about to knock.

The maid ignored me and continued walking. I shifted on my feet until she was out of sight.

Launching myself back across the hall, I pressed myself to the door once more.

Farrow was losing control.

“How could you say such a thing? Did you forget those demons killed your mother?” He threw his cup of wine across the room, and Madinia flinched.