Page 31

Chapter

Thirty-One

“ N igel Pomeroy was one of the best men I’ve ever known,” Baylor declares from behind a podium made of solid gold. He’s immaculate as ever in his black dolman, not a single blond strand out of place. “And one of the most loyal.”

Hushed cries echo through the room as the crowd pretends to be overcome with grief. Thankfully, the veil Alva placed on my head this morning hides a myriad of sins, such as my dry eyes and expressionless face. There’s no performance today. No need to manufacture sadness for all the courtiers and nobles nodding along with Baylor’s every word. I can simply exist.

The funeral took two days to prepare. It’s costing the treasury a small fortune, but Baylor insisted it be held in the royal temple, a place even the elite are lucky to enter. The main room is a sea of glittering gold. Every inch of it decorated with priceless art. Gilded statues of the Fates stare down at us from the back of the stage, the three sisters depicted as terrifying warriors. The sculptures are frighteningly realistic, giving one the sense that at any moment, they could lift their weapons and attack. Honestly, that doesn’t sound half bad.

My father would have been pleased with the turnout. The temple is packed with dozens of simpering lords and ladies who are eager to mourn with their king. I spot Lady Naomi and Lord Darcus a few rows behind me, dabbing invisible tears with their handkerchiefs. I expect they are trying to distance themselves from Bridgid’s taint after her father’s unfortunate fall from grace. I doubt anyone in this room will truly grieve for Nigel Pomeroy. Most will have forgotten his name by the end of the day.

“When Nigel realized my dear pet was a wraith ,” Baylor gestures toward my spot in the front row. “He sent his only daughter to serve me and the kingdom, despite how devastated he was to be parted from her.”

Oh, so we’re just completely revising history now? Great.

“That was true loyalty to our great isle.” His voice rises as it echoes through the temple. “May we all be more like Nigel Pomeroy.”

I shift in my seat, arching my back. You’d think with the amount of money they’ve invested in this place, they could have at least provided some cushions. But no, the wooden bench is hard and unforgiving, just like my late father. At least Bellamy and I don’t have to share our row with anyone else since the front is reserved for family only.

Ignoring Baylor’s monologue, I observe my brother next to me. Strangely stoic, he hasn’t shed a single tear today. As a child, I was never quite understood their relationship. I knew it was different from the one I had with my father, but Lord Pomeroy wasn’t a warm or loving man. Not even with his true born heir. And yet Bellamy has stayed with him all these years. He appears to have been a dutiful son, and yet he appears completely unaffected by his father’s death.

As if he can sense my stare, Bel subtly turns his head, one brow arched in question.

“Are you alright?” I whisper, not knowing what else to say.

His gaze drops and lines appear around his mouth. “I’m feeling too many things to put into words.”

“That’s okay.” I reach for his hand and take it in mine. “You don’t have to.”

As much as I hated the man, if Bel did care for him, then he deserves to grieve however he wishes. It’s not my place to judge.

“Maybe we could have dinner together?” I ask. “Just the two of us?”

His eyes meet mine again, this time full of regret. “I’m leaving as soon as the funeral’s over.”

For the first time all morning, true sadness pierces my heart. I let go of Bel’s hand, pulling mine back into my lap. “Oh. Of course.”

“I wish I could stay longer,” he says, his voice so soft I can barely hear him over Baylor’s prattling.

I tuck my chin, not wanting him to spot my disappointment through the veil. “I understand.”

“The king ordered me to return home and set father’s affairs in order.”

My head swings back toward him as anger stirs within me. I should have seen it coming. Of course, Baylor would try to isolate me from the one family member I have left. He’s always kept me away from Bellamy. I’m sure he never forgot the way my brother tried to fight for me that night, the way he begged them not to take me. That kind of bond is dangerous to Baylor. He knows it might teach me the difference between genuine love and Baylor’s cheap imitation.

“I can try to talk to him,” I offer, knowing it’s probably useless.

Bel shakes his head.

“No. It won’t do any good. Besides,” he says, his tone conflicted, “there’s a reason I need to be elsewhere right now.”

My eyebrows pinch together. I want to ask what he means, but the crowd erupts in applause as Baylor finishes his speech and steps to the side, signaling the choir to begin their performance. The crowd rises to their feet as the melodic tones swell through the room. Voices join in all around us, creating a symphony of echoes.

Desperation blooms as I sense my time with Bellamy coming to an end. Will we see each other again? That uncertainty fans the flames of my anxiety, pushing me to do something reckless. My gaze flits to the crowd behind us, ensuring no one is close enough to overhear before I grab Bel’s arm, squeezing it hard. His head snaps in my direction, concern clouding his eyes.

“Listen to me carefully,” I whisper, my voice barely audible above the singing. “As soon as you get home, you need to create an exit plan.”

“Ivy—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“Find somewhere safe, a place no one else knows about that you can get to quickly. You’ll need enough funds and supplies to get you through several months, maybe more.”

He grabs my hand in both of his. “Why are you saying this?”

I wish I could tell him the truth, but there’s no time. And even if there was, it would be too risky to bring him into everything. This is my mess to sort, not his.

“There may come a time soon when things…” I trail off, searching for the right word to explain. “Change.”

“Change how?”

“I can’t say. But when it happens, everything is going to move very quickly. If I—” I cut myself off, taking a deep breath before I say something I’ll regret. “I need you to be ready to leave the moment things turn bad.”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me.” I shake my head, letting the lies roll smoothly off my tongue for old time’s sake. “I have a plan in place.”

His eyes narrow, and I’m reminded of how he always used to be able to tell when I wasn’t being truthful.

“How will I find you after?” he asks, not calling me on my dishonesty. The question surprises me, but it shouldn’t.

“Contact Dellaphine Cardot,” I say without hesitation. No matter how strained things are between us, I know I can trust Della with my brother’s life.

His eyebrows nearly reach his hairline. “The club owner?”

I nod, knowing he’s likely dying to ask how I’m acquainted with the infamous woman who was rumored to be the late queen’s lover. “She’ll know where I am. You can trust her.”

He watches me for a few moments, squeezing my hands between his own. “I hate leaving you.”

“I know.” And strangely, I do. I know that if Bel could stay and help me, he would.

The song comes to an end, and we take our seats once more. I expect one of the temples priests to lead us in a closing prayer, but instead, Baylor returns to the podium, causing whispers to circulate through the room.

“Before we conclude the service,” Baylor begins, his jaw hard as his gaze moves over the crowd. “I want to make an announcement.”

A frisson of apprehension has me straightening my spine. The last announcement Baylor made didn’t end well for me.

“What happened to Nigel Pomeroy was an unspeakable tragedy.” Anger contorts his features, sending a spark of fear through me.

My hands lie in my lap, my fingers twisting together. Warnings blare through my mind, urging me to flee. The room is completely silent, everyone sensing the shift in his demeanor. Whatever is about to happen isn’t going to be good.

“It was a crime only the most monstrous and cowardly soul would commit,” he continues. “It’s for this reason that I have placed a bounty on the Angel of Mercy.”

Gasps erupt from the crowd as my stomach drops.

“Anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the capture of this vile individual will be awarded fifty-thousand gold coins. Together, we will catch this villain!” Baylor shouts as the crowd cheers. “Together, we will destroy the Angel of Mercy!”