Chapter 44
XLIV.
Kerasea
The Praetorian smells like a bonfire as I follow closely on his heels. His anger is obvious from his posture and tensed muscles, but more than that—he won’t even look at me. Instead, he careens straight ahead.
When he came back into the banquet hall, he was dressed in armor.
He stood at attention and reported that Senator Eyo’s body was lost in the blaze.
This news was met with great consternation by the Council.
They were displeased with him keeping the body in the woodshed, but I’m not sure where they wanted the corpse.
It’s not like he could’ve been kept on ice in the banquet room.
We reach the third floor, and the Praetorian continues past his room and mine. His strides are so long and quick that I nearly have to jog to keep up. But he stops in front of Zel’s door and knocks twice.
There is no answer.
“She is probably still down at dinner,” I say.
“Just as well.”
He takes a skeleton key from his pocket, and I stare at the ridges as he puts it into the lock.
I’m not sure why I haven’t thought of the fact that he would have access to every room in this palace—including mine—this whole time.
It’s how he spied on me in the divining room.
Has he been in my bedchamber without my knowledge?
No. He wouldn’t abuse his power. He’s not that type of person.
Just as before, the room is a mess. I don’t go into Zel’s private quarters at the temple, so I’m not sure if she always lives this way. I can’t imagine so, but she is only fourteen—maybe her parents clean up after her.
“Do you want to tell me what you are looking for?” I ask.
“Evidence,” he says.
That’s a no.
The window is open, giving the room a chill. It was also open last night. I would think more of it, but her room doesn’t have a balcony, and we are three stories up.
The Praetorian performs a general sweep of her bedroom and bathroom and then a more focused check of every corner of her chambers.
He’s locked in like a hound on the scent of a fox, but he moves items to the side gently, disturbing little despite the chaos.
I’m still not sure what he’s looking for, but he’s almost done when Zel opens the door.
“Excellency,” she says, bobbing a curtsy. She freezes with her eyes wide on the Praetorian. “Sir. What are you… Why are you… How can I help you both?”
She had no idea we were in here. I must’ve put her mind at ease before dinner when I pretended like everything was fine.
“I have more questions for you,” Torren says to Zel. “Take a seat, please.”
“Yes, sir.” She circles wide around him but trips over a stepstool before righting herself and sitting on the bed. She swallows hard and folds her shaking hands on her lap, cheeks coloring and looking like she’s on the verge of tears.
He hasn’t asked a single question yet.
“Did you bring any blades to the conclave? For the High Priestess or otherwise?” he asks.
She shakes her head. “No, sir.”
I study her, and she’s telling the truth. No one is supposed to bring weapons aside from him, but he saw my golden dagger, of course, at his throat.
Heat rushes through me as I remember him pinning me against the wall. I look away and focus on Zel.
“In that case, please explain this.” He takes out a blade from behind the dresser and holds it with a handkerchief. It’s fairly plain, but around a foot long and razor-sharp.
Zel’s eyes go wide. “I can’t… That’s not mine. I didn’t bring it, sir.”
That is also the truth.
Torren frowns. “It was in your things—hidden in this mess. It is quite similar to the one thrown at me last night.” He shrugs and then continues. “I also want to inquire about your book on poisons.”
“I don’t have a book on poisons,” she says.
I wait for a tell, but she is speaking the truth.
He holds up a leather-bound book titled Toxic Horticulture and Herb Science. Just like with the tea last night, I’ve never known Zel to be interested in science, either. What is that book doing in her bedchamber?
Tears of confusion swim in her eyes as she shakes her head, causing a few drops to splash onto her skirts. I’m positive she’s never seen that book or the dagger before.
“Have you stayed alone in your room this whole time?” I ask.
I can feel Torren’s gaze on me, but I keep my focus on Zel.
“I…I… Yes, yes, I have.” She rubs her thumb and forefinger together at a rapid rate.
I suppress a sigh.
“I will need to question you further,” the Praetorian says.
The words are like a knife to the heart, sending shock waves through my chest. I know that tone. I said I didn’t think he was a monster, but he is going to torture Zel—a girl who is only a child.
She gets so pale and breathes so rapidly that I worry she’ll faint.
“No. You won’t.” I physically step in between her and Torren.
He slowly shakes his head. “High Priestess, you do not have authority here.”
His tone sounds more resigned than anything else, and he is correct. If we were in the temple of truth, I could order him out. But this is Jubilee, not my temple. Still, I hold my ground. I don’t care what the laws are; I won’t stand idly by.
“She is a child and my responsibility,” I say.
“She is an incriminated suspect.”
“Based on a book? A plain blade that wasn’t used in any murder?” I ask. That amount of evidence wouldn’t be enough to justify him disturbing my teatime, but the standard is different for a servant. “If you insist on proceeding, I will go to the Council and request a halt to your investigation.”
He slowly opens the book, then extends it toward me. Inside the pages is a pair of small crushed spectacles. I gasp. Those were Antinous’s.
“You may, but you won’t win,” he says. “Not in my investigation of a servant.”
“How… I don’t understand,” I say. Then I turn my head toward Zel.
“I’ve never seen those before—I swear!” Her eyes are large and panicked as she looks from us to the glasses and back again. “Who do they belong to?”
I stare at her, but she has no idea who wore them. Someone placed all this here—possibly the person she is covering for, the one who might’ve murdered Antinous.
But to admit I know that much would result in an inquisition.
“This is all far too convenient, and you know it,” I say to the Praetorian.
“I can’t assume that, Kerasea,” Torren says.
A tinge of regret in his tone sends spikes of fear into my stomach.
I thought he’d be vicious and victorious, but instead, he’s resigned to do his duty.
And that makes him so much more dangerous.
He is correct—with the poison book and the glasses, the Senate would allow him to interrogate her over my objections.
I’ll have to stand by simply because we aren’t in my temple.
Because I brought her here.
“I understand,” I say.
I step closer to Zel. She looks up at me, hopeful that I can intercede, but I can’t. Not here. I lean down to kiss her forehead, and then I linger with my lips near her ear.
“Run,” I say. “Don’t stop until you get to the divining tower. Shut yourself inside and wait for me.”
I drop my key into her skirts. She hesitates, and for a second it looks like she won’t save herself. But then she takes off out of the room. I remain, staring at the Praetorian, daring him to make a move.
I just broke our alliance, but it wasn’t going to last forever.