Page 27 of A Promise of Lies (Shadows of the Tenebris Court #3)

26

Bastian

I spent the rest of the day in a daze, short-tempered and glowering whenever anyone pulled me from my thoughts. For a long while, I sat in my office staring off into space rather than at the report in my hand. Still, none of what my athair had said would process.

It didn’t make sense.

It made too much sense.

It was impossible.

And yet it was true.

Instead, I tossed the report away and stalked to the training yard. There was no sign of Faolán, so instead I took on three recruits at once and told them not to hold back while the other fetched my friend.

We fought away the time, until the sun set, chilling the sweat that coated me.

Even Faolán huffed, hands on his hips as he caught his breath. “Cyrus again?”

I grunted in response. It was too much for me to take in, never mind explain to anyone else, and I was too busy trying to avoid the whole damn business.

But now Dusk was ascendant, there was something else I could do. I clapped Faolán on the shoulder and thanked him, went and washed, then reported to my queen.

“I need you to free Kaliban,” I said, as soon as the niceties were over.

Eyebrows raised, she looked at me in the mirror as a servant finished pinning her curls back. “I heard you visited him.” She dismissed the servant and waited for him to leave the room before turning to me. “While it’s understandable you would want to check on him after he was arrested, it isn’t wise to be seen growing close to someone facing such a serious accusation. Doing so would be a danger to you and to Dusk.”

For a moment, I could barely breathe past his words bubbling to the surface. You don’t understand the lengths she will go to .

But Braea looked as she always did. Patient in a way that was only possible after living so long. Firm but caring. She treated me with tough love sometimes, but it was still love. She’d helped me in so many ways, lifting me from nothing, a stable boy, to her guard and now to one of the highest positions in the realm.

And I’d done so much for her. Whatever was necessary to achieve what we’d always worked for—the safety and security of Elfhame.

It was only thanks to her that I was respected. It was only because of what she’d given me that I’d ever been able to help Kat. And now I needed to help Athair .

She was my queen. Whatever he said, I couldn’t see her any differently.

His view was clouded by his own biases. That didn’t mean she was what he thought.

And Sura? She wanted the throne. Maybe she told herself it was because she wanted me safe, but there was no geas on fae that said we couldn’t lie to ourselves. She would twist the truth whatever way helped her achieve her ambitions.

“Bastian?” Lines crept between Braea’s eyebrows. “Are you all right?”

I’d been staring, trying to see what my athair had insisted was there.

But he was wrong.

I shook off his warnings. “It’s been a long day. Dealing with Kaliban has this effect on me. But… for all he gave me as a child, I still need him freed.”

She looked at me a long while, concern still etched on her smooth features. Eventually, she sighed. “You know I would look weak if I tried to help someone who once worked against me. Even if that was a thousand years ago—you know our memories stretch back further.”

I gritted my teeth, desperate to say that he hadn’t plotted against her. But, of course, it wasn’t true. My very existence was only thanks to such a plot.

Her brow lowered, the lines deeper and fiercer now. “If I immediately free the person Cyrus blames for assassinating his father, how will that go for Dusk, do you think?”

The way she snapped the question was a punch in my gut. Mostly because she was right. Springing to his aid would seem like confirmation that Dusk was behind the assassination and protecting its chief operative. People would say I’d asked him to do it.

Then Cyrus would have the perfect excuse to strike back, and that would only escalate.

Braea sucked in her lips, inclining her head. “I understand you’re upset.” Her tone soothed me, familiar and gentle. “Whatever his crimes, he once meant a great deal to you. I know how difficult it is to let go of someone like that.”

A deep, deep breath heaved through her, reminding me: hadn’t she been forced to let go of someone she’d cared for when Sura had tried to overthrow her?

She understood me. She’d been there after I’d killed Sylen and Kaliban had turned his back on me. Even though I now knew why, at the time I had been devastated. She had been there, helping me. Directing me. Comforting me with a hand on the shoulder and encouragement to take some time for myself.

How could that same woman be responsible for my mother’s death? The woman I’d trusted for so long. Who I’d fought for. Killed for. Dedicated half of my life to. If she was what my athair said, what did that mean for all those things I’d done? All that time?

She squeezed my shoulder now. “Cyrus is under pressure to show some results, since he’s been unable to find this Krae person after pinning all the blame on them. Let him have this victory—for a while at least. There aren’t any scheduled executions and he hasn’t even had a trial yet. We have time to investigate. If Kaliban wasn’t involved, I’ll see him freed.”

I found myself nodding, leaning in to her familiar comfort. She was right. Cyrus wanted to show he’d solved the crime quickly and was a great leader and now we could all go along our merry ways with him on the throne.

“See? You understand.” She gave me a little shake. “You remember what I said after you prevented Sura’s coup? I made you my Shadow to aid me in upholding the true and lawful rulership and assure the stability of Dusk Court and all of Elfhame. You didn’t doubt me then. What’s changed?”

Wincing, I had to drop her gaze. I’d let other voices creep into my mind—ones that had their own agendas.

Whatever her mistakes, she kept our central mission at the forefront of her mind. Prevent a catastrophe like the wars of succession from ever happening again. When it came to ruling Elfhame, nothing else mattered.

It was selfish of me to push her to help my athair when it would ripple out to the courts, with the potential to cause a tidal wave.

I’d been weak, letting Bastian Marwood’s feelings cloud the work the Bastard of Tenebris had to do. “Forgive me. I… seeing Kaliban.”

She nodded in understanding. “Then you trust me still?”

It took only as long as I needed to draw breath to answer. “I do. We will resolve this, but in the right way.”