Page 43 of The Sundered Realms

Then she glanced past Shry, who lounged in a chair with her feet on the table, to the other occupant in the room, whose back was to them as she poured a glass of water. Her skin was even darker brown than Liris’, her black hair coiled in a cluster of buns, and absolutely radiant in iridescent green and orange—not exactly formalwear, but princess-casual.

Princess Nysia of Woreika: another name Liris knew by reputation. The youngest in her realm’s history to win the election to succeed as monarch after she developed the now-standard demon containment spell—the same one Vhannor had used to trap each demon in its own bubble in Etorsiye.

Vhannor, tightly controlled again, sat down without ceremony—Liris couldn’t possibly do the same, so she’d have to lurk for a few moments. He sent an irritated glance Shry’s way but didn’t say anything, so it presumably wasn’t about her manners.

Oh, of course: Shry had reported meeting Liris to Lady Inealuwor before she’d arranged for Liris to stay in Shry’s house. Shry might not spend much time with people, but given what they must think of her, she must be used to managing them.

“Now I see what took you so long,” Princess Nysia spoke for the first time. She’d turned and confirmed she was stunningly beautiful before Liris dropped into a respectful bow. “Taking in another stray, Vhannor?”

Liris tensed—and rose right out of her bow.

Acknowledging her existence but not deigning to address her? No, Liris would not grant her respect for that.

The princess’ eyebrows arched at this.

Shry snapped, “Got a problem with that?”

“No, Shryandimez,” Princess Nysia said. Liris thought that was a beautiful name, but judging by Shry’s expression the princess’ use of it was a weapon. “But for someone who likes people to think he’s tough, he does have a pattern.”

Vhannor murmured coolly, “Do you want to talk about putting on a tough act? Because I remember during school when you—“

“As you can see, I have reason to fully support leaving everyone you know behind,” Princess Nysia cut him off dryly, glancing back at Liris.

If that joke was supposed to cut the tension, it failed spectacularly, given what Liris had left Serenthuar to. She might not have any personal bonds there, but that didn’t mean the people there deserved to serve demons. Shry didn’t look amused either.

Silence reigned for a moment.

So. Liris had known Princess Nysia was driven; now she knew her to be a talented strategist who could easily pick out weaknesses, but not one who knew how to work with people. Liris should probably sympathize, but she didn’t.

“My name is Liris, Princess Nysia,” Liris said evenly. “Did you attend the University of Embhullor with Vhannor, then?”

The question itself was a demonstration: a rebuke of the princess’ rudeness while intimating Liris’ own relationship with Vhannor, and an example of how to actually establish rapport while fishing for information—which Liris might be clumsy at, given her lack of practice, but the princess had no excuse for.

Princess Nysia’s eyes narrowed. “Hardly. Vhann’s a few years older than me.”

A message of her own: like Vhannor’s sister, Nysia called him by a short name.

Vhannor stepped in before Liris could take this any further. “Let me save us a few minutes. Nysia and Jadrhun didn’t overlap at school even though they’re about the same age, because Jadrhun started university young and then dropped out early.”

Princess Nysia’s eyes sharpened again. “But I know him by reputation—you two were legendarily at the top of your class in absolutely everything.”

“You weren’t?” Shry asked.

Vhannor answered, “Nysia was too busy with internships for that. She got record scores in the courses she was interested in and did only as well as she needed to in the rest.”

The princess shrugged. “Essentially accurate. Why are we talking about Jadrhun?”

“Because the demon portal in Etorsiye was his work,” Vhannor said grimly, answering Liris’ real question of how honest they could be with the princess, but not why Princess Nysia had privileged access to Special Operations.

“Really.“ Princess Nysia frowned. “Did Jadrhun have an interest in politics?”

“He very much did not, and he also didn’t approve of demons.”

“Another sudden oddness.” The princes swirled the water in her glass thoughtfully. “I wonder if it could be related.”

Vhannor’s ice eyes glinted. “Related to what?”

Princess Nysia looked up at Liris, sighed, and sat down.

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