“I’m on your side,” Fallon said, handing the device to Captain Staeli. “I’ve always been on your side. I need to explain quickly what is going on. We don’t have much time to save your father and stop Morwenna. I know where he is and how to get there. If we don’t go immediately, he is going to die in a war that is consuming another world. It’s the world Myrddin is from. Trynne, all the stories we heard growing up are true and frighteningly real.”
“How can I trust you?” Trynne demanded. He’d given the captain the Tay al-Ard, but she was still unconvinced. Was he trying to play on her emotions? Was he being driven by Morwenna’s magic even now?
He held up his hand. “I know you don’t trust me. Will you at least listen to me? I wanted Captain Staeli to be here because he won’t let you do anything he feels is foolish.”
“You’re right on that, lad.” The captain nearly growled the words.
“Then we understand each other,” Fallon said. “I drugged Morwenna and then took your father’s ring and the Tay al-Ard from her. I tried to take off that black beetle-like ring she wears, but it won’t come off. It might need to be cut off her finger. When she revives and realizes I’m gone, she’ll come looking for me. She will try to kill me, I’m pretty sure of that. We don’t have a moment to waste, so I need you to trust me. Can we sit? I promise I’m not trying to waylay you.”
Trynne motioned for the couch and the chairs and they all took seats near one another. She watched Fallon closely for any sign of deception, but while he looked haggard and weary, he did not look guilty. There was a determination in his countenance she’d never seen before. A settled aura, one that spoke of his strong will.
He rested his elbows on his knees. “I’ve known for some time now that Morwenna deliberately betrayed the king. I’ve kept that knowledge secret from everyone except my sister. Morwenna has abducted her and hidden her in Marshaw, disguised as herself so that she won’t be believed. I’ve put in motion orders to set her free and bring her to Dundrennan. They say you took Kate, Trynne. Is that true?”
She nodded. “She’s here, but she’s very sick.”
Fallon’s look darkened. “I hope I’m not too late to save her. Let this part of the story be quick. I’ve been training with the Espion for several years. You knew this. But I’ve also trained in secret to be a poisoner. Morwenna has been teaching me.” He tapped his fingers together. “I think I can help Kate. I hope I can help her.”
As if seeing the question in her eyes, he explained, “The main reason I wanted to study those dark arts was because of my interest in the properties of nightshade. Under a certain dosage, it can make the victim reveal what they know without leaving them the memory of unburdening themselves. Too much, and it’s fatal. I’ve used it on Morwenna to learn about the scale of her plot to take over Kingfountain. Actually, her ambition doesn’t end with this land.” He pressed his palms together. “Morwenna is a hetaera.”
Trynne looked at him in confusion. “What is that?”
“They are like poisoners, but they are from another world. They have powerful magic. You have no idea how powerful, Trynne. They have these medallions that can be used to manipulate a person’s emotions. They can cause fear. Jealousy. Just about any emotion you can imagine, but more strongly, more powerfully than what is normal. They can even make a man fall in love.”
He tilted his head to one side. “Or hate. The king doesn’t realize that his sister is pretending to be his wife. Until now, she was maneuvering in the background, but she has begun to execute her plan. She poisoned Kevan Amrein so she could offer me the position she knows I’ve always wanted. But in order to claim the full powers of the hetaera, she needed to betray the one she loves.” His eyes were dark. “Me. She didn’t think I was aware of what she was doing.
She won’t remember telling me because of the nightshade. She gave me this—her medallion. It’s called a kystrel.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew the medallion. It was round with a whorl-shaped pattern on the tarnished silver face. The chain attached to it dangled from his hand.
“I haven’t worn it. I will never wear it. If I did, she would be able to control my actions. All part of the great betrayal, you see. She got it from that other world. She’s gone there many times with your father’s ring. I would not have been able to take the kystrel off on my own. Someone else would have had to break the chain and tug it off me. I’m telling you all of this because the place where we’re going is overrun by the hetaera. Civilization is collapsing, and they are about to annihilate themselves in war and plague.”