Page 43 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Early the next morning, I call a meeting with Leesa, Bastian, Agnar, Alannah, and Eldor. They begin filing into our sitting room, each of them appearing comfortable in the space. These are the people I trust implicitly.

My real council.

I glance sidelong at Sterling and find him already watching me, his thoughts clearly running parallel to mine.

Eldor is already perched in a plush armchair, his slightly crooked nose buried in one of his many books. He glances up as we enter, peering through the curtain of wild hair that’s fallen around his face. “Lark, I came as soon as I received your summons. What’s happened?”

I pace the length of the room, hands clenching and unclenching at my sides. “We arrested Celeste early yesterday morning. On suspicion of espionage.”

Eldor’s eyebrows shoot up. Agnar mutters a curse under his breath.

But before they can ask for details, I drop the second bombshell. “And according to a council member I trust, eyril is being bought and sold on the black market.”

Stunned silence greets this revelation.

Late last night, Dalya and Rafe located a man by the name of Simon Hale who’d been running a black market eyril ring. When Sterling and I questioned him, he’d confessed to selling the illegal substance to a blond woman whose name he didn’t know.

Later, we’d sent Captain Fitz and a few guards to confiscate Simon Hale’s eyril stores and take him into custody for more questioning.

Leesa steps forward, hands spread in confusion. “Is Celeste involved with the black market eyril? And do you know if she’s working alone?”

“She’s involved, but we don’t know who she’s working with.

The man who sold her the eyril swore he knew nothing about her plans, only that he was desperate for money to feed his family.

” Something in the man’s pleading tone and earnest face suggested he was telling the truth.

“We found nothing in her rooms when we searched them, only a small vial of eyril that a maid discovered while cleaning. That’s what prompted the arrest and our search for the seller. ”

My mind whirls with suspicion and paranoia. Who else has betrayed us? Who, outside this room, can I trust?

The sharp knock at the door makes me flinch.

Agnar cracks it open, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Yes?”

“The foreigners, Helene and Elijah, as Her Majesty requested.” An unseen guard opens the door more to reveal the two people standing behind him. Both sport expressions of curiosity and skepticism.

I wave them in. They step inside, tension rolling off them in waves despite their obvious efforts to appear calm. Helene’s usually shiny black hair is mussed, as if she’s been running anxious fingers through it.

Elijah’s complexion looks a shade paler than usual. His broad shoulders droop, and a small part of me delights in seeing the man who tormented me at Flighthaven nervous.

Helene inclines her head as she enters. “What can we do to help?”

I stop pacing and face them squarely as I recount catching Celeste mixing eyril with some other substance in the apothecary.

“I’m only going to ask this once.” I study Helene for a beat. Then Elijah. “Have either of you taken part in Celeste’s traitorous activities in any way?”

Their calm facades shatter. Elijah’s eyes widen in shock, and Helene visibly winces.

“What? No, that’s not…we didn’t…” Elijah gapes like a fish out of water. “Why would we align with her?”

Helene scowls and props her hands on her hips. “We had nothing to do with this! You and I may not have been close at the academy, and I know we had our differences,” she gestures among the three of us, “but I thought we came to an understanding.”

I continue to study their faces, scouring for any hint of deception. They seem genuinely blindsided by the news.

My gut insists they’re being truthful. A lot has happened since our shared time at Flighthaven, and maybe the adversity they encountered changed them for the better. Maybe it convinced them to quit acting like utter fuck heads and expand their thinking.

A sliver of doubt still niggles at the back of my mind.

Have I grown too soft? Too trusting?

Recent events have proven that even those I considered loyal may harbor hidden agendas. I can’t afford to take anything at face value.

Not anymore.

Weary resignation sits heavy in my chest as I motion for Helene and Elijah to sit down. This interrogation is far from over.

I sit across from the pair, my gaze unflinching as I await further explanation.

The silence stretches taut, broken only by the crackle of logs in the hearth.

“Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know about Celeste’s activities.

Including anything about her time at Flighthaven and any interactions she had with King Xenon. ”

Elijah clears his throat. “We truly don’t know anything about Celeste’s activities, either at Flighthaven or here in Tirene. As our instructor, she didn’t really associate with us. You were there long enough to understand that dynamic.”

Helene nods. “It’s the truth. Our interactions with her since arriving in Tirene have been minimal at best. Just casual pleasantries, really.”

I lean forward, hands clasped. “Why were you two with Celeste when she brought Prince Knox here? I thought we dropped you off at your families’ estates.”

They exchange an uneasy glance.

“Well,” Helene chews her lower lip, “our families were safe, so we decided to go back to Flighthaven and see what else we could learn about the drachen and the corrupted and Xenon’s plans.

Celeste came to us and said she was doing the same thing.

Attempting to get closer to King Xenon and gaining his trust. We never thought?—”

“We never thought she was working for him.” Elijah glimpses at Helene before continuing. “When she helped us escape Flighthaven and brought us here with Instructor Thorne…sorry, Prince Knox, we genuinely thought she was a good person.”

Helene shrugs. “She risked everything to keep us safe. That earned our trust. We never would’ve gotten through the patrols without her. She knew their schedule and paths, which allowed us to sneak right past them.”

The room falls quiet as I absorb this information, mind whirling. Beside me, Sterling shifts and crosses his arms. I can practically smell the tension radiating off him.

“Or…” Bastian’s voice cuts through the stillness. We all swing around to face him. He cocks an eyebrow. “Bringing Knox back was simply the best way to convince us…convince Lark…of Celeste’s supposed sincerity.”

I meet Sterling’s gaze and see my own dawning realization reflected there. “Or she wanted him indebted to her. For his freedom. Knowing he’d likely take the throne…”

Sterling’s jaw clenches. “Or you indebted to her. Returning me while you were emotionally vulnerable during the ceremony would secure her position either way.”

Helene and Elijah appear stricken.

“That woman played us all.” Alannah’s wrinkled face hardens in disgust. She’s been so quiet, I’d almost forgotten about her presence. “To ingratiate herself and further Xenon’s agenda. We welcomed a viper into our midst.”

“It would seem so.” Eldor fingers his dagger, head bowed as if he’s addressing the sharp point of the weapon instead of us. “Doing a favor for someone at the first meeting is one of the easiest ways to get people to trust you. They’ll feel obliged to help you out later.”

Sterling eases back in his seat, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Well, don’t I feel special. Used as a mere pawn in Celeste’s scheme.”

Agnar’s brow furrows as he leans forward, elbows braced on his knees. “What I still don’t understand is why Xenon allowed Celeste to return Knox at all. Surely, he knew the risk, with Knox and Lark’s ability to merge powers…”

“Ah, but that’s just it.” Eldor sheathes the dagger and straightens.

“At the time, Xenon likely had no inkling that powers even could be merged. None of us did.” He gestures to the ancient tomes scattered across the table.

“It was lost knowledge, buried deep in the annals of history. Until Lark and Knox rediscovered it, quite by accident.”

More puzzle pieces start clicking into place. “I only managed it because of Mar’s guidance in the dream realm. Connecting with Knox on that ethereal plane.”

Sterling’s calloused fingers twine with mine in silent comfort, an anchor in the storm. Grateful for his presence, I squeeze his hand.

As we continue to dissect Celeste’s motives, an insidious pattern emerges. Vicar Moise and Lord Serle gave her every claim their unwavering support. And they influenced the rest of the council by steering them like puppets on invisible strings.

Revulsion churns in my gut. How deep does this treachery run?

Are Moise and Serle merely misguided, or are they willing collaborators in Xenon’s plot?

“We have much to do and little time to waste. Grandfather, Bastian, I need you to comb through those books. Any scrap of knowledge about merged powers or Xenon’s weaknesses, I want to know. ”

The scholars nod, already hunching over the dusty pages with renewed fervor.

I turn to Agnar, a grim smile touching my lips. “Gather the palace guard. Bolster our defenses and prepare for any eventuality. If Xenon intends to strike, we’ll be ready.”

Agnar rises, fist thumping against his chest in salute. “We’ve already gotten your orders about the walls and keeping ammunition for magic users in the yard.” His eyes gleam with anticipation, like he’s spoiling for a fight.

I almost pity any enemy foolish enough to test his mettle.

As the others disperse to their assigned tasks, Sterling tugs me closer. His breath whispers against my ear, hot and sensual despite the dire situation.

“And what about us, my queen?” His low, rumbling voice is full of promise and danger. “What’s our next move?”

“We’re going to have a little chat with Celeste. And this time, she’ll reveal the full extent of her treason. Whether she wants to or not.”

Time to confront the snake in her nest.