Page 68 of Obsidian Throne
But of course, it wasn’t true. None of it was.
She was lying to her husband, herking, for us, and I couldn’t for the life of me imagine why.
A life debt, for the time I had saved hers? Or was she as horrified by her husband’s actions as the rest of us were?
“And how long were you there?” he asked.
Inessa didn’t hesitate. “I had only just left when we heard Lady Ava’s cry.”
Her features were so neutral, I would never have guessed it wasn’t the truth if I hadn’t known.
And Iiro...even if he suspected, he could hardly publicly accuse her of lying. He may not love much in this world, but he loved Inessa, and he would never let her be punished for that.
Even if he had been willing to let that happen, one look at her father’s face said he would never stand for it. Besides which, Iiro would look weak for not controlling his own wife.
She had played him even more effectively than he had played us.
A savage part of me appreciated that it was his own underestimation of women that led to his plans being ruined. It was Theo he had bothered to get out of the way, never once suspecting Inessa might be the chink in his armor.
But I wasn’t quite ready to be relieved yet.
Iiro turned his enraged gaze on me. “And what did the two of you discuss?”
If he couldn’t blame Evander, it appeared he would settle for humiliating me. Oh, well. I had embarrassed myself for far less important reasons than this.
“I was inquiring after herbs for my…moontime pains,” I said it quietly, like it bothered me.
“And that conversation took the better part of an hour?” Iiro demanded.
“One thing led to another,” I said vaguely. “If his majesty wishes to be informed of every detail of a conversation about my...delicate female matters, I would be happy to oblige.”
Let’s see him respond to that one.
Sure enough, his features darkened. “I’m certain that won’t be necessary.”
Theo gave me the faintest of smiles, and Inessa’s father cleared his throat before speaking up. “It seems the investigation will need to continue.”
“Indeed.” Iiro’s voice could have cut solid diamond.
“In the meantime,” Evander said in an equally hard tone, “I need to return to Bear with my father’s body to see that the funeral rites are followed. Unless, of course, you have an objection to that.”
I knew from Mila that funeral rites were sacred for dukes, and there was no possible way the king could refuse that request.
“Of course not,” Iiro bit out. “You may leave immediately.”
It was more of an order than a suggestion, but one I was all too happy to follow.
A glance around the room showed that the only person more furious than Iiro was Ava. A flurry of thoughts and questions ran through my mind all at once.
Had she killed the duke herself? It didn’t seem likely, since she was a far cry from a warrior, but she was certainly soulless enough to murder her own husband.
And it wouldn’t have been hard to embed a dagger in his chest if he were sleeping, unsuspecting.
My mind snagged on that for a moment, with one question drawing out all of my other thoughts.
What could have possibly motivated her to kill the man who kept her untouchable? She had more power when he was around. She could manipulate him into carrying out her wishes. She could hide behind him.
A look passed between her and Iiro, and a suspicion formed in the back of my mind. Then Evander’s hand closed around mine, and I realized that was something I could consider later.