Page 49 of The Chains You Defy

For a moment, Ann looked contemplative, but then her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “At least you’re honest about your transgressions.”

“Sitting in front of the one responsible for the massacre of Amalach doesn’t make you nervous. Why is that?”

“No. After your initial visit, I studied the Royal Protocol of Diplomatic Aid you referred to. That, and my rather good intuition, tells me you’re not here to hurt me or anyone at court.” Ann actually winked at the fae.

My head was spinning as I followed the conversation—the Queen trusted Dion more than I did, which was surprising. So much was going on in my mind, and being able to remain silent for the time being gave me an opportunity to calm my nerves.

“I’m curious what I’ll find if I pick your brain, Ann. What are your instincts saying concerning me and my motives?”

“There must be a very good reason that the infamous heir to the Eternal Throne came to visit Ivreia in the first place. My husband is worried about what this means for our world, but if you’d wanted to start a war, you would already have done so instead of searching for diplomatic immunity.”

A dark chuckle fell from Dion’s lips. “I won’t lie to you, your world is in danger. But not because of me. Galanta is as well.”

“And that brought you here?”

“In a way, yes.”

“That makes sense. Something has been stirring for quite a while. My husband—sometimes, I don’t recognize him anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Dion’s brow furrowed into a frown, and I had to bury the urge to smooth out his forehead to distract myself from the anxious energy coursing through my veins.

“At irregular intervals, he retreats into his offices for days. Alone. No one, neither the staff nor I, is allowed inside his study during such an episode. And afterward,he doesn’t remember anything and is in denial about these happenstances.”

“What if someone tries to enter the rooms?”

“The doors are locked.”

“And if you use force?”

“So far, I’ve refrained from such drastic measures. I’m worried, but since he always returns unharmed, I’m not comfortable breaking in and violating his privacy.”

“Well, I assure you, the culprit is neither me nor one of my comrades.”

“Of course not. Even if I were wary of you, those incidents began before you arrived in Ivreiana. Long before that. Almost a winter ago.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. Sometimes, he gets those irrational fits of anger. Locks people up in the dungeons for the most trivial offenses. Like his personal waiter, who served him for over twenty winters. His crime? He tripped and almost dropped an empty saucepan on his way to the kitchens. Pritatus never behaves this way toward me, but I wonder if it’s only a question of time until that changes.”

“What do your spies report?”

“That’s the thing. They didn’t find anything suspicious. From the outside, nothing is different.”

“That’s worrisome indeed. I’d like you to monitor the situation closely, especially after our departure.”

“Of course. Are you planning to leave our court soon?”

“Yes. Nayana is recovering nicely, and we have our own mission. But I’d very much prefer to stay in contact, Ann.”

“Yes, me too, Dion.”

The fae prince nodded. “But enough about politics. You requested this meeting because you wanted to acquaint yourself with Nayana, if I remember correctly.”

“You do.” Ann’s eyes searched my gaze, and I barely managed to face her. “Hello Nayana. There’s no need to be nervous.”

“Your Royal Maje—I mean, Ann. Thank you for the invitation. And the tea.” My voice sounded as shaky as a leaf, and even though I couldn’t see him, I was sure Dion’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me. Oh, and by the way, feel free to eat the treats. I requested them for us.” Ann smiled and picked up a cube that looked a lot like chocolate.