Such an unbelievable collection of lies. Such a ridiculous story. Yet that was what made it so believable, too. Not for one moment would anyone suspect that a member of the alliance council would spout such an outlandish tale unless it held truth, for Bazir’s own standing would be forever ruined if the story was exposed as false. And if he had simply called her afflicted, her own manner could persuade Cadus and Gareth to her truth. But now her every denial could be read as confirmation through the veil of his lies.
Yet it must be denied. “If our mother ever intended to kill me, she would have used her teeth to rip out my throat—as she did to our father as he raped her. What story would you give to his scar?”
He would give no story to it, because he was still continuing his own. “It was my father who saved the weakling demon babe,” he said to Maddek, who still calmly ate his fish. Not even tearing it apart, but taking small bites of the delicate flesh. “Fool that he is. But he saw her moonstone eyes, and believed she might be the true heir to the Syssian throne. And he believed that perhaps my mother was mistaken . . . or that the demon still resided in my mother, and through her had meant to strangle the true heir. But my mother was not mistaken, and all that she could do in her weakened, poisoned body was to curb the demon’s schemes. And so she did, until her tragic death.”
Such hatred filled Yvenne then that she shook with it. Yet her brother did not make the claim she expected him to, a truth wrapped in lies and so painful that she could not even speak to Maddek of that day.
“That was when she sent the message to your mother and father,” Bazir continued with a look of guilt. “And there our lies to the alliance council began, because my father thought if we now revealed that my mother had birthed a daughter with moonstone eyes, our people would be so hungry to see Nyset’s heir on the throne that they would not let themselves see her true nature. But your parents saw that nature, Commander. She lured them with a sad tale of abuse and imprisonment, but as soon as my father led them to her, so they might see with their own eyes what she was, they recognized the same demon they’d fought a generation ago. That your father attacked a woman of our household was not a lie; we only hid the truth of who that woman was.”
“Ran Marek attacked no one,” Yvenne said fiercely. “The attack upon him came from our father and his Rugusian guard.”
“You note her missing fingers? They were lost when she caught your father’s blade—and then turned it upon him.”
Now she was Ran Marek’s murderer? “That is not truth.” In fear and agony she turned to Maddek and insisted, “It is not.”
As if unconcerned by both her brother’s claim and Yvenne’s denial, Maddek gave no response, except to signal the attendant to bring another fish.
“All that followed might have been prevented had we simply slain my demon sister then . . . but my father still had hope. And he still believed a true daughter might reside in that twisted body.” Shame clouded her brother’s face. “So he applied to Ran Ashev for help, as she was a warrior-queen in her own right who could stand against a demon as our mother did. Ran Ashev agreed. During the days, she would visit with my sister in the tower, to see if there was anything human in her that might be saved. And there my sister told again her lies of abuse, though she lived in luxury and was given every comfort.”
Now Yvenne could not refute him with the truth of what happened, or she would lose her tongue. To Maddek she hissed, “Let me speak of your mother.”
He denied her with a shake of his head. Because he believed her already? Or because he did not trust that what she said would be truth?
Pain and frustration closed her throat. Seething, she stared at her brother, made him drop his gaze away from hers.
Yet he continued still. “What story did she give of Ran Ashev’s death—that it was an attempted escape? That Yvenne drew the arrow that killed Lazen?” Sadly he shook his head. “In truth, she drove your mother mad with her whispers and lies, turning your warrior mother against my father and brothers. Ran Ashev rampaged through the citadel, and though my father tried to contain her, they were forced to kill her in self-defense. But my father does consider himself responsible for your mother’s death, because he was the one who allowed her such close contact with Yvenne through so many turns of the moon.”
“This is not truth.” She shook with rage. “This is not truth.”
“What would you claim is the truth?” he asked her, a smirk in his eyes though he carefully kept that smug smile from his mouth.
Because he was clever and observant, and had seen that she gave no real response to anything regarding Ran Ashev. He might not know the reason, but he knew she would not speak of that queen.
Never had she been so angry and frustrated and helpless. She had thought herself ready to battle her brother’s lies. Yet Maddek’s vow had shackled her tongue, so she could not use truth to attack or defend. And she knew not what Maddek believed, but she could see that Gareth and Cadus had been well persuaded by him.
Oh, she should not have attempted to defeat her brother here. She should have commanded Maddek to flee with all his warriors to the boat, instead, and taken their chances on the sea.
“And now you are in close contact with her, Commander,” Bazir said. “Do you not ask yourself why her skin is hotter than any other—”
“Because I am Nyset’s heir! Our bloodline runs hot.”
“Or why the weight of her gaze is as terrible as any stone wraith’s—”
Without looking up from his plate, Maddek spoke over him. “Why would your father send a demon to marry the Tolehi king?”
Not a breath of hesitation before Bazir’s answer came. “He did not send her to marry a king. That was only the story she was given. In truth my father was sending her to the Tolehi monks, who are better equipped to contain a demon such as she.”
“You say she needed containment, yet there were no monks in her carriage escort. Only one brother and a handful of soldiers.” He took a small bite of fish. “Either your father sent an unfettered demon on a journey through three realms without warning his allies of what passed through their midst, or Yvenne is as she claims: a daughter sent to marry a weak king and to further your father’s schemes to control yet another realm within the alliance.”
Maddek believed her. Sudden relief burst through her chest, painful and sweet, thickening into a lump in her throat.
“The containment was the story we told her—that she would be married to a king. Her own ambition is what made her compliant.”
Maddek choked. “Compliant?” Now he glanced up, shaking with laughter. “If ever Yvenne was compliant for the duration of a journey, that is when I would think her possessed by a demon.”
Bazir regarded him in sudden dismay. “I feared this. You are completely enslaved.”