Page 60 of The Sundered Realms

“Liris is read in and trustworthy,” Vhannor said.

“You seem quite certain,” Hyorem said. “And I can’t help feeling a bit betrayed by that, since every missive from Princess Nysia lately has implicitly accused me of the opposite.”

“How did you think she would take Otaryl backing out of the coalition without explanation?” Vhannor asked.

“We’re not,“ Representative Hyorem said with frustration. “I don’t know how many times I need to commit that to writing for her to believe it. I don’t know where she’s getting the idea that we don’t support it any longer to begin with!”

Vhannor frowned, leaning forward. “I’m glad I came in person, then, because that’s not at all what the messages that reached Princess Nysia say.”

“Then you’re not reading them correctly,” Representative Hyorem said flatly.

Vhannor and Liris exchanged a look. This wasn’t how she’d expected this conversation to go.

“Do you have any of his messages with you?” Liris asked Vhannor.

“That’s going too far,” the representative said. “You may be Lord Vhannor’s demon hunting partner, but that gives you no rights to read my mail.”

Back to ‘lord’. Not good.

“I rather thought you might want to read it and confirm it’s what you actually wrote,“ Liris said.

Hyorem went still.

“I don’t,” Vhannor admitted. “I didn’t expect that to be the point of misunderstanding. I can recall them from memory, however, if you’ll accept my recitation?”

“That is hardly evidence, under the circumstances. But Lord Vhannor, you know me,“ the representative said. “Or I thought you did.”

“So did I,” Vhannor said. “Which means if someone is forging your mail—“

“Here? Impossible. Any message I send goes through a team I personally vetted, after what happened to the mine. I trust them implicitly. If a message is reaching you that claims anything other than Otaryl’s full support for the CTR, the problem is not on our end. Though that does then call the integrity of the future CTR into account, doesn’t it? If it can be compromised so easily in this way.”

“You think it’s more possible in Princess Nysia’s office?” Vhannor shook his head. “If you’re not looking for a reason to not support the coalition, you’re doing a remarkable impression of someone who is.”

Representative Hyorem stood. “Can you blame me? After years of acquaintance, you assume the worst of me—“

“I don’t,” Vhannor said, his jaw clenching. “I’m here to figure out what’s going on.”

”—all the while you share privileged information with a new partner who has the look of Serenthuar about her? Really, Vhannor, if you’re looking for a spy—“

“Yes, I’m sure Liris has been trying to discover my favorite snack to use against me as either poison or bribery,” Vhannor snapped.

Representative Hyorem was taken aback at that but recovered quickly. “You don’t deny she’s a Serenthuar ambassador, then?”

“I do,” Liris said.

“And your word is—“

”—at least as good as yours,“ Liris cut him off. “The people who’ve deceived me the worst in my life are those I knew the longest. Length of acquaintance is no surety.”

“So I see,” Representative Hyorem said softly.

Vhannor rose slowly, and Liris didn’t like the look on his face.

“I’m going to step out now,” Vhannor said, “before I say something I regret. But my regard of you was never in question, Hyorem, until this conversation. Liris, we’re leaving.”

Vhannor didn’t bother with any of the exiting forms, but Liris did so hastily, to Hyorem’s stony lack of reciprocation.

Great, solid showing for her first diplomatic endeavor. That had definitely gone well. By which she meant completely sideways.

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