Page 57 of Vale of Dreams

“Are you all right, my lord?” I ask.

“I need to speak to the prince,” he croaks.

I blink innocently. “Of course. I have his ear. I could talk to him, set up a meeting for you in a few days.”

He’s shaking, sweating. “Now. Please. As soon as possible.”

Clenching my jaw, I spin, catching the eye of Talan. He waits in the shadows, his gaze on me. He lifts his chin, and light from the stained-glass windows streams red and blue over his sharp jawline.

I walk with Ker-Ys toward Talan, my fingers still delicately touching his wrist. I keep the thread of magic between us alive, though it feels like a white-hot needle in my skull. Talan leans back against the column, raising his goblet to me. A lock of his dark hair falls before his eyes. With a rakish smile, he says, “There you are, my love.”

“My prince,” I say. “The duke wants a word in private.”

Talan sips from his glass, and his rings glitter in the light. “The night is early. Perhaps a bit later.”

I can feel the duke’s hesitation and give him a prod, stoking his fear into complete terror.

“Please, Your Highness,” he stammers. “It’s…quite urgent.”

Talan’s twinkling eyes meet mine, and I see a flicker of…something there. Admiration? No, it must be amusement.

“Fine. Follow me.” The prince sighs. He practically tosses his goblet onto the table, and without another word, he turns to saunter from the hall, all eyes on him.

“Of course, my prince.” Ker-Ys hurries after him, and I follow.

The large doors groan open, and we cross out into the corridor. I stare at Talan’s broad form as he walks before us. His crown is still askew, and he pulls it off to drop it on the head of a knight’s statue that we pass.

From the hall, he pushes through a wooden door to a small library. A fire burns in the fireplace, and I drop into a wooden chair upholstered with deep red velvet, the magical connection with Ker-Ys stretching painfully. Talan opens a liquor cabinet, uncorks a bottle of wine, and pours us three glasses of claret.

With his wine, he perches on the edge of his desk. “What’s all this about, then, that you had to pull me from a party?”

“Your Royal Highness,” the duke blurts, “I must confess. I’ve recently learned of a terrible conspiracy against you and King Auberon. A few of the lower nobles are conspiring, I’m afraid. Riling up the commoners. They complain that the king spends too much on war, too little on them. They complain that the men from their baronies are dying in the war. These conspirators are turning the common people against the royal house. There’s talk of getting the army on their side. I can tell you their names.”

“Interesting.” Talan arches an eyebrow. “But I’m ever so curious. How, exactly, did you learn about this conspiracy, Ker-Ys?”

“I…I have my sources. I…”

I send another surge of magic into our connection. He knows I whisper in his mind. Come clean. It’s the only way to escape a traitor’s death.

“I was part of the conspiracy, Your Highness.” The duke starts sobbing, his body trembling. “But I realize now how foolish it was. That’s why I’ve come clean, you see. To demonstrate my loyalty. To show you that I atone. I will do anything now to prove myself. I am not a traitor.”

“Your loyalty. Of course, I demand nothing less.” Ice slides through his tone. “And your coconspirators? You’ll give me the names of those you’ve been working with?”

“I can give you the names of the nobles, of course, my prince. As for the commoners…I’ve never really met any of them. I think I saw…I don’t remember…a shady man…”

Talan’s expression looks almost bored now. “I don’t give a fuck about the peasants. Nia, will you give us some moments alone?”

“Of course.”

At last, I can release the threads of magic between Ker-Ys and me. It takes all of my self-control not to stumble on my way out of the room. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I grunt with pain, grabbing my head in both hands. Spots dance in front of my eyes, and nausea turns my stomach. I lean against the wall, trembling with the effort not to puke in one of these stone alcoves. My legs are shaking, and I want to drop into a bed and never move again.

I hunch against the wall and sip the wine. I’m not sure how much time passes before Talan opens the door again. With the hammering, jaw-clenching headache, it seems like hours, but maybe it’s only a few minutes.

Talan closes the door behind him, and he peers down at me, eyes twinkling with curiosity. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Using my powers is painful now, ever since you brutally severed my connection to Cadoc. Now, when I use them, I feel like someone is trying to hack their way out of my head.”

“Ever since we first met?” He hooks his finger under my chin, lifting my face to his. He’s examining my face.

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