Chapter 28 #2
Turning at last to face Haldon, Leander took in his expression. Haldon was all sharp features and narrowed eyes, as if trying to establish something about Leander’s words. “You disagree?”
“I have counselled the king repeatedly that this is not a war we want. It is not a war worth fighting. It is certainly not a war we can win. Sadly, he disagrees. He has heard Jarryn speak and is accepting of his claim of innocence.”
“Then that should be enough for you.”
“But it isn’t. You are young and woefully unschooled in not only the art of diplomacy, but also in the very nature of war. Tell me… have you ever seen a war? Ever been in battle? Ever held a sword and watched someone lay down their life so that you may live?”
Leander shook his head mutely.
“I didn’t think so. War affects us all. Conscription will see you on the front lines if it comes to it, Lord Leander. Unless we can convince the king otherwise.”
“And how do you propose we convince the king otherwise?”
Lord Haldon tapped his betting slips against his lips as he watched the horses race around the track in silence for a few moments.
He had enough slips to have placed bets on every race, Leander would wager, but he didn’t seem emotionally invested in the events occurring on the racetrack before them at all.
“I think it best if we work to help him see the risks attached to his current path.”
“I’m sure he understands the risks better than most,” Leander responded emotionlessly.
“Do you think? I think he has been manipulated. We need to find out how. And why.”
“He is surrounded by those he trusts most, men who have proven their mettle or their loyalty,” Leander said slowly, confused at why Haldon had decided to have this conversation with him of all people.
“But that’s just it, Leander. Not all are reliable. That is where you come in.”
There it was. Leander waited, saying nothing as he turned his head to look directly into Haldon’s eyes as he heard Haldon’s request laid on the proverbial table between them.
“The king needs… guidance. He needs help ascertaining the truth that we need him to believe.”
“You want me to… lie to the king?”
“No, of course not. I want you to help him see the very real and undeniable truth that we cannot face Desanne, unprepared as we are.”
There was something… off, about what Haldon had said. The other lord’s mind was ill-protected and Leander, who had never learnt to close his mind off entirely from the feelings of others, felt the multiple threads of emotion drifting in his direction.
That made him pause.
Being who he was, Leander had two advantages when it came to stuff like this.
He was an Aesthesic. But, more importantly, he was the God of Lies.
Now, with his divinity stripped, he could not know for certain if someone was lying, but he had good insight into what led a man to lie, and what it looked like.
This man, he innately knew, was lying.
On some level.
He reached out to lightly probe at Haldon’s mind and was not surprised to find that the lord had been trained to protect it: there were the barriers.
Yet, he was relatively unhindered in his attempt to enter Haldon’s thoughts, slipping through the cracks of a poorly conceived mental defence around his mind…
and he touched lightly at the surface thoughts.
He didn’t like what he saw and decided to dig a little deeper.
In his rush to learn the truth, Leander had completely forgotten about Taskevi’s warning against meddling in the affairs of mortals, especially this war.
He was too incensed at the idea that Haldon thought he would betray Jarryn to Nevari.
He was overly concerned about what Haldon thought was a reasonable request to ask of a near stranger, demigod or no.
The problem was that Leander was not a demigod anymore. He was mortal and was invested in this war on a personal level now.
He remembered what his brothers had said at dinner a few weeks ago. This was the man who had been the most vocal about Jarryn’s presence in the city. And Leander was sure, suddenly, that there was more to it.
He tried to tread lightly as he probed lightly initially, though he knew he wouldn’t find anything on the surface. He had to go deeper.
The thing with arcana was that it had a mind of his own.
Only the truly gifted could really control it, and Leander wasn’t one of those people, not yet at least. Venser had taught him what he could, but it was not enough for the na?ve, youthful demigod to use Aesthesia without being detected sometimes by others, even those who did not have the gift.
He watched in his mind’s eye as Haldon first recognised there was a presence that wasn’t his own within his mind, and Leander was too slow to withdraw the tendrils of his conscience.
Haldon laughed, a breathless sound that hinted at more than just annoyance. He pushed himself to stand, leaning forward and towering over Leander as he did so.
“Oops,” Haldon hummed the syllable with elongated emphasis.
Leander remained seated, brown eyes following the myriad of expressions passing over Haldon’s face as he breathed heavily.
The purr of his voice was thick with threat. “Looks like it’s more than just a horse race you’ve lost at today, you foolish little boy.”
“What’s going on? Wester? Leo?” Lucien had returned from placing his bet and was glancing between the two of them, immediately recognising the threat the larger man was exuding when facing off Leander.
“This little disgrace…” Haldon trailed off, lips curling upwards in distaste.
“Leander?” Lucien’s voice caused Leander to drag his gaze away from the imposing man above him to meet Lucien’s concerned expression. He said nothing.
“Someone had better explain or?—”
“He used Aesthesia,” Haldon boomed, his voice carrying so that more than just the courtiers in the vicinity heard. “On me. Trying to sneak in and find out what I know about the defence of this kingdom.”
Lucien’s gaze flashed back to Leander. “Is this true?” he whispered.
Leander said nothing, did nothing .
“The God of Lies will not give you a straight answer, he knows nothing but betrayal in his heart, Your Highness.”
“Enough, Lord Haldon,” Lucien silenced Haldon, his gaze never leaving Leander’s face. “Leander, espionage against members of King Caisa’s government, against this kingdom’s interests and assets is a capital crime. I need to know the truth. Did you use Aesthesia on Lord Wester Haldon?”
Leander stood up, straightened out his silver and blue brocade waistcoat and pushed past Haldon to stand before Prince Lucien.
“He’s not wrong. You would be wrong to trust the God of Lies, Your Highness,” he muttered, refusing to look Lucien in the eye, “but I would be derelict in my duty to you if I didn’t inform you that those whom you think are closest to you are not your friends.
You are surrounded by some very well paid liars.
I don’t know who, but they are not all on your side.
You should be wary of who you trust, Lucien. ”
He glanced briefly back at Haldon before turning and walking away from the group. Courtiers shifted to the side, having watched the entire debacle unfold with rapt, unashamed attention.
He needed to find Verin. Or… better yet, Venser. They needed to know what Leander had just uncovered in Wester Haldon’s mind. Haldon was right: Vyrica had no hope of winning this war, not unless they knew the truth.