Page 127 of Esperance

“Is it?” Zacharias glanced to Trevill. “Rivard confided in me. He sought forgiveness for his past sins, but Carver would not forgive him. That weighed on Rivard. He told me he intended to keep working for his forgiveness—no matter how long it took.”

“I didn’t kill Rivard,” Carver repeated, more stiffly than before.

Zacharias ignored him, his gaze still on Trevill. “Carver saw Cora’s body. He knew about the dagger in her heart, and he saw the message her killer left. He could have replicated those details to disguise Rivard’s murder.”

“Everyone learned about the note,” Argent cut in, irritation thick in his voice. “And how Cora was killed.”

Zacharias opened his mouth, but Trevill spoke first, his eyes on Carver. “I need to know what you and Rivard discussed tonight.”

Carver’s thoughts raced. He seized on the first believable lie he could think of. “He wanted to talk about the past. I didn’t. He soon gave up and walked away.”

“Perhaps you followed him,” Zacharias pressed. “After drinking a little more, perhaps your anger won out.”

“Carver was with me the entire time,” Amryn said. Every eye turned to her, but she didn’t shrink under their scrutiny. “We left the room together—long after Rivard—and we haven’t been apart since.”

Despite everything, Carver’s heart warmed at her defense of him.

Zacharias was decidedlylessmoved. “Perhaps he compelled you to say that. You’re afraid of him, aren’t you?”

“What?” Carver, Amryn, and Argent all said together.

“Of course not,” Amryn said quickly. “And Carver didn’t compel me to say anything. We were together the entire time.”

“I’m afraid you vouching for your husband isn’t exactly compelling,” Zacharias said. “You can’t truly account for his whereabouts at all times when you don’t even sleep with him.”

Amryn’s face flamed.

Fury blasted Carver. “You don’t need to embarrass her.Orinterrogate her.”

“The servants have reported that your sleeping arrangements haven’t changed,” the high cleric said, looking back to Amryn. “If you won’t share a bed with your husband, you clearly don’t feel comfortable with him. So I ask again: is he compelling you to lie for him?”

Amryn’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

Carver growled. “Stop questioning her.”

“Are you afraid she’ll break?” Zacharias challenged.

“Enough.” Trevill stood. “Zacharias, you need to let this prejudice against Carver go. He has an alibi. Forbothmurders.”

“But no one else here has such a strong motive to kill Rivard,” the high cleric argued. “And to be honest, I’m not entirely convinced he didn’t have something to do with Darrin’s death as well.”

“Blazing Saints,” Argent muttered.

Carver might have laughed if the topic wasn’t so serious. “Is this because I accused you of orchestrating that attack? Or is it really just because you’re threatened by me?”

Zacharias’s silver brows slammed down. “I’m not threatened by you.”

“By your own admission, you’ve been against my presence here since the beginning.”

The high cleric’s mouth opened, but Trevill spoke first. “Carver didn’t kill Darrin. Marriset witnessed his murder.”

Argent snorted. “Not to mention the fact that Carver was with me when we found them.”

“He wasn’t always with you,” Zacharias pointed out.

“Why would I kill Darrin?” Carver demanded.

“Perhaps because of your recent attention toward his wife? Before going to Zawri, you were seen with Marriset in the garden.”