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Yet he couldn’t show mercy for those who were truly guilty, not and maintain order. “Duke Hesslefyn and Lord Eorge Poberie are to be arrested immediately, and Baron Ogwen and his family are to be confined in the most stringent Guest Tower. Any member of these Houses currently present are to be held in the lesser Guest Towers, and all others will be under immediate house arrest wherever they may be.”

Toren waited patiently for the gasps, cries, and exclamations to die down before he continued. “All of them will be questioned beneath a High Mage’s most stringent truth spell. As I will not paint an entire family guilty for the actions of a few, the innocent will be granted their freedom and allowed to resume their places in society. Those truly responsible will be brought before the court for final judgment within the week. I suspect more than one execution will follow.”

This time?

Silence.

Only for a moment, of course. Duke Hesslefyn leaped to his feet, half-spinning before the tip of a sword pressed against his neck. “I object to this unreasonable decree, Your Majesty,” the duke shouted, the effect somewhat lessened since he couldn’t turn his head to meet Toren’s eyes.

“Unreasonable?” Toren asked smoothly. “Both of the men who attempted to force their way into the throne room claim to be hired by you to kill me. Would a reasonable person let you go in light of such an accusation?”

“Why would a duke of the realm do such a thing?” Hesslefyn’s eyes flicked toward the duchess. “Mywifemight have been upset about paltry concerns like weddings, butIwould never care enough about that for treason. And to pay a servant or a low-class mage like Rencis is beneath my station as—”

“I never said the mage’s name,” Toren interrupted.

Duke Hesslefyn sputtered, his face leaching of all color. But before he could gather himself enough for another useless lie, a new voice cut over the whispers. “He paid me the money owed Col!” Miss Ogwen cried. “But I was only handling matters for Kleren while she was away. I didn’t know what it was for until I saw the attack. Your Majesties, I beg your mercy, especially for my father. You needn’t lock him up, because he knows nothing of this. Even I thought this was a matter between lovers. Col might have seen Kleren leaving the sitting room with the duke that day, and—”

“Lovers?” Lady Lene shrieked. “You mean I committed treason for a man who isn’t evenfaithful?”

Good gods above. Toren’s fingers itched from the urge to pinch his nose. Or rub his temples. Instead, he had to ignore the carefully averted gazes of more than one guilty looking lady and focus on maintaining order.

“Thank you for your confession, Lady Lene.” Toren’s smile held nothing resembling humor. “And Miss Ogwen. Unfortunately for House Ogwen, mercy only goes so far in the face of such heavy crimes. Your family must all be subjected to the truth spell. However, if your father is as innocent as you say, he will be free to resume his current place. Your case is more complicated, but it will be heard fairly.”

At the prompting of the guards, the members of all three houses stood. A white-lipped Countess Poberie watched in silence as her son was bound in chains, and she offered no protest or defense as she was directed to join the others heading to the Guest Towers. Toren found her reaction curious, since she’d presumably hired the eldest Ogwen daughter as a governess. Was Eorge responsible for the plot, or was the Earl involved, too?

Soon enough, they would find out.

Chapter70

Ceremonies

Two weeks. Two weeks of truth spells and trials and turmoil. If Mehl could have pummeled someone, he would have, but that kind of conduct would be unbecoming of a king. Or so Toren had reminded him just before they’d entered the throne room for this final bit of ceremony. Still, the desire to punch something—or someone—remained. The surge of pain from Toren with each charge intoned by Feref caused Mehl’s nails to dig ever harder into his palms.

He was beginning to regret not recommending execution for the lot of them.

Aside from Kleren Ogwen, the only nobles to have dealings with King Ryenil were the duke and his heir, Welen. It seemed that the king had promised Lord Hesslefyn gold, land, and a title in Centoi—in addition to his current holdings—for helping the exiled prince Ber claim the throne. Although Hesslefyn had paid Lord Eorge Poberie to carry out many of his underhanded dealings, the young lord hadn’t known the reasons behind his actions. Eorge had been motivated mostly by greed.

The duchess and her eldest daughter had participated out of spite—and with different goals. They’d hoped to get rid of Ria and convince Toren to marry the daughter. Only if that hadn’t worked would they have welcomed Ber, though their hopes of joining the royal family must have been temporarily dashed by the announcement of his marriage to Tes. Mehl didn’t want to think about their happiness at the princess’s supposed death.

The actions of all four merged neatly enough to create a connection between them and Vesset—who actuallydidn’twork with Duke Hesslefyn. Vesset’s collusion with Ryenil went back much further, before the death of High Queen Ileshe. In fact, the duke hadn’t been involved whatsoever in her murder. Lord Hesslefyn hadn’t even known why he’d been ordered to intercede if Vesset was captured, but complying with the Centoi king’s command had inadvertently solidified a link with the healer—in rumors, at least.

And so the whispers circled the court.

House Hesslefyn sought a path to gain the throne, by marriage or force. They plotted for years and were even prepared to invite Prince Ber to return if it increased their power. And they tried to get rid of Ria and any possible heir. Vesset was caught attempting to poison Ria, wasn’t he? The duke sent assassins after Toren, Mehl, and Ria to hide his crimes. Terrible family, resorting to treason. What were they thinking?

No wonder the innocent members of House Hesslefyn had fled the palace as soon as they’d been freed from the Guest Tower.

The only information sealed away—magically, in fact—was King Ryenil’s involvement. That would come out when they were ready to confront the Centoi king. In the meantime, they needed to deliver the formal sentences for those they could. Mehl suppressed a shudder. They’d discussed the benefits and ramifications of each possible punishment for longer than he wanted to remember.

As Feref read the last of the charges, Mehl stole a glance at Toren, who stared impassively at the accused kneeling at the base of the dais. But his husband was in no way inured to the proceedings. With their link, he could feel Toren’s pain like his own heartbeat. His husband might never admit the emotional cost of these plots, but Mehl wouldn’t forget.

“I am deeply grieved by all that has been uncovered in this court,” Toren announced. “By the very oaths you took in service to your titles, you should all be executed for plotting treason against your rightful king.” Inevitably, murmurs sped through the room at that. “However, I cannot countenance so much death.”

Mehl wanted nothing more than to take his husband’s hand, but he couldn’t.

“Firstly, Baron Ogwen’s youngest daughter, Elrie, may keep her noble status but will remain under house arrest for one year, longer if deemed necessary. Duke and Duchess Hesslefyn, their two children, Lord Eorge Poberie, and Miss Kleren Ogwen are all stripped of any titles or claims to nobility, now and forevermore.”

The former duke dared to scowl up at Toren. “You’re removing my House from its rightful place?”