Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Vad
I squared my shoulders, dreading another confrontation so soon. I needed to focus on my plan to save Briar and not deal with distractions.
But avoiding them would only cause more theatrics.
Taking a deep breath, I turned toward the voices as the black carved door flung open. The nearest guards tightened their grips on their halberds as their attention focused on the door marked with Thalira's name.
Thalira, a tall Aquen Fae, glided out first, her hands clasped before herself. The torchlight caught on her numerous rings and bracelets and contrasted with her dark brown skin. “Your Highness,” she said, respect in her deeper tone despite the sharpness in her dark eyes. “May we have a word?”
Quen, an Ignis Fae, cut in front of her. Despite not being tall enough to reach my or Thalira’s shoulder, she carried far more rage in her manner than her friend. Her deep crimson eyes burned. “It’s very important.” She crossed her arms and tossed back her black hair.
“Please.” Velessa, the soprano speaker, wrung her hands as she peeked around the door frame. Her wavy purple hair cascaded over her shoulders, moving subtly as if her air magic was at work even now. “We don’t mean any offense, Your Highness, but it’s about Briar.”
Yuki followed close behind Velessa. The Terran fae’s green hair was perfectly straight, but her mouth was pinched. “There’s no chance that Briar killed your father.”
Another woman stood in the doorway now. Myantha. Her honey-gold locs hung loose as she watched the others moving toward me. Sadness filled her russet brown eyes, and she worried her lower lip.
“We are so sorry for your loss,” Velessa said as she slipped out. One arm was still in a sling from her injury the other day, bruises standing out starkly against the pale skin along her shoulder and across her hand. “It is a horrible tragedy. But?—”
“There’s not an ice blade’s chance in the inferno that Briar was behind it,” Quen growled. She snapped her arms out in challenge as she stared up at me, and I half expected fire to explode from her palms. She spat, “How could you think that she was?”
“It was a setup.” Thalira kept her tone calm, as if this were all perfectly reasonable. She tapped her fingers in the air to punctuate those words. “Someone obviously wanted everyone to think she was involved, but the guards for this hall were missing that night. Most of them vanished.”
“Do you think Briar killed all of them? Has she been hiding her superb assassin abilities and cold-blooded nature?” Quen scoffed and curled her upper lip.
She wrinkled her nose. “Risking her life for us, but secretly maybe wanting to kill us too, so she can claim power? If you think that, you should go jump in the void.”
The guards focused on me, likely waiting to see how I responded.
The closest one adjusted his grip on his halberd.
I gave a subtle shake of my head. No matter how little I wanted to have this conversation, it was best to get it over with.
I held up my hands to calm Briar’s friends down.
As much as I wished that I could comfort them with promises of her return, it was far too risky.
“Ladies, justice will be done. Briar is being investigated?—”
“Void shit and pyre rot,” Quen spat. “I don’t believe a word coming out of your mouth. She’s being set up. What justice is there? Justice is circumstantial, and you’ll never change my mind.”
“Briar saved our lives.” Yuki stepped closer and looked around at the small group. “She helped so many of us when she could, even when it cost her. A person like that doesn’t turn around and assassinate a king in the middle of his garden.”
My wings flexed, the tips brushing against the wall as I lifted my chin. “I am aware of far more than you think. If you have specific evidence that you wish to offer aside from Briar’s general character, I am willing to hear it?—”
“Will you bring Briar back?” Yuki's eyes widened as if she could peer into my soul and drag a yes from my lips.
I almost promised I would, but that was the worst thing I could do with ears all around. I bit my tongue, fighting the urge to make that vow.
“We are more than willing to testify in her defense.” Thalira stepped around Quen, her flowing layered indigo skirts trailing over the black marble floor. As she drew closer, she reached her hand out and then drew back as if realizing she should not touch me. “Surely that will count for something.”
“Yes, we’ll all vouch for her.” Velessa extended her hand, palm upturned. Her wooden bangle bracelets clattered up her good arm. “Please! You can’t let her suffer. We’ll all take vows that we believe in her innocence.”
Their willingness to risk talking to me like this, let alone risking their lives, had my breath catching. I’d never witnessed such unwavering loyalty after so little time. Briar had made an impact that no one could deny.
I couldn’t bring myself to silence these women. Uncomfortable as the situation was, their heartfelt pleas and even their rage warmed my spirit. Still, their clamoring voices had risen, which was problematic.
I raised one hand, stilling their outpouring of concern. "I understand your loyalty to Briar." I kept my tone low and firm. "It speaks well of her character that she has such devoted friends."
Quen raised her chin and narrowed her crimson eyes. Her red-bronze skin flushed. "We're not just her 'devoted friends.' We're witnesses to her character, and that should count for something in your so-called justice system."
“Punishing the innocent just because it’s easy isn’t justice.” Velessa clutched my arm, and I went rigid.
I stepped away, forcing her to drop her arm. No one should be touching me but Briar, especially not another woman.
Thalira set her hands on her dark sash and shook her head.
Nodding, Myantha moved her lips, but her voice was too soft for me to catch her words.
Yuki spread her arms wide in challenge. “This isn’t even close to an approximation of justice. Anyone with eyes can see that it’s a setup.” Her voice had grown shriller and her enunciation faster.
“Let us speak with whoever’s in charge of the prison where she’s being held.” Thalira clenched her jaw.
Everyone started talking all at once, their voices overlapping, causing my head to pound even harder.
“Ladies, please.” I rubbed my temples. “All you’re accomplishing is dragging out the entire process.”
The guard nearest me tilted his head as the verbal onslaught continued.
Two farther down the hall stepped closer, their grips on the halberds tightening.
I gave another slight shake of my head to indicate everything was still under control.
At least, I hoped it would be soon because my head couldn’t take much more.
A flash of white-blonde hair and silver fabric darted out from around the corner.
“You all dare to speak to our prince and future king in such a manner?” Kaylen’s sonorous voice rang down the hall.
She glared at the five women and strode toward us.
“Briar was exposed for what she was. An opportunistic and murderous wretch. She played almost everyone here. Especially you lot. Not that it was your fault, Your Highness.” Her hooded silver eyes met mine in what I guessed she thought was a seductive expression, and she dipped her head as she curtsied.
“She was quite clever with her lies. I know because I am a woman of discernment and have faced many similar cunning deceivers.”
“How would you like your face to melt?” Quen demanded, starting toward Kaylen with her fists balled. Heat shot out around her as flames licked along her hands and up her wrists.
“You think you can challenge me, ash blood?” Kaylen’s upper lip curled. She spread her arms, and wisps of wind formed over her palms.
Thalira stepped between Quen and Kaylen, laying a gentle hand on Quen's arm. "Not here," she murmured, though her own eyes were cold with fury. “It is a waste of energy.”
Things were getting out of hand, and my patience was thin. “Ladies–”
Yuki clenched her hands into fists. “No. Given how justice is dispensed in this place, it wouldn’t be wise at all.”
My wings snapped out, and my shadows darkened and surged until they rose along both walls. "Enough. All of you,” I barked. "I will not permit insults against this kingdom or its justice. And, Kaylen, I appreciate your concern, but your intervention is hardly necessary."
Kaylen banished the wind from her palms and clasped her hands over her heart.
“Still, it is my honor to offer it. Most here do not seem to understand the gravity of this situation, or the great honor you have bestowed upon us by allowing us to be here. I wish to offer my deepest condolences for your loss. If I may be there for you in this time of trouble and offer you some comfort, it would be my honor.” She cut her eyes to me.
My throat burned, and I fought the urge to retch.
“Your service is noted.” My jaw flexed, and discomfort coiled at the base of my spine and neck. "I have no doubt it would be your pleasure."
A smile curled Kaylen’s lips, and she dropped her gaze demurely, seizing upon the compliment like a starving shadow beast. “You flatter me, Your Highness.”
The other women didn’t respond nearly so well.
Despite witnessing these women’s participation in numerous conflicts and dangerous confrontations, I had never seen such restrained rage and hate as I now did in their faces.
If I turned up dead in the middle of the night, it wouldn’t be from trained assassins but from my beloved’s friends, who believed in vengeance as much as loyalty.
My royal Shadow guard seemed gentle in comparison.
“Now, ladies.” I kept my voice even. “Please hear me.”
“Unless the next words out of your mouth are that Briar is coming back exonerated, I’m uninterested." Quen wrinkled her nose like she’d never been this disgusted before.