Page 50 of A Shattered Kingdom of Steel

“I trust you have more to tell us?” Viridian asks when I don’t respond.

“Yes.” I swallow, nodding. “We—I—have good reason to believe your father’s murderer is the one to blame for all of this. The claims against your rule, the tensions between the Courts, shifting alliances, all of it. Someone is dangling information in front of the right people and encouraging them to act on it.”

I know what I’m saying sounds ridiculous. I know it seems far-fetched to think that one person, whoever they are, has so much sway over important political figures as to turn them against each other.

But I can’t ignore the feeling in my gut that’s telling me I’m right.

Ceren’s teaching echoes in my mind.

Trust your instincts, Lymseia. If your intuition is telling you something is true, believe it.

My intuition is also telling me Vorr’s murderer is manipulating the Heads of House. My instincts never led me astray before, and there’s no reason to believe they’re leading me astray now.

“You don’t think Vorr’s murder was because of the human’s riots? You think whoever killed him is trying to divide the kingdom?” Cryssa asks, face drained of color. “Why?”

I sigh, heaviness weighing down my shoulders. “I don’t know yet,” I admit. “But I do know that finding your father’s killer is the key to restoring peace in our realm.”

Cryssa and Viridian go silent, seeming as if they’ve withdrawn deeper into themselves. I hold my breath, waiting for their reactions.

Viridian clears his throat. I brace myself for a fight, for the command I stand down and leave the politics to them.

But he doesn’t.

“I take it you’re set on finding my father’s killer, then,” he says at last.

“Yes.” My voice is firm.

Slowly, he nods his head. “Very well. What do you need from us?”

I exhale in relief. “To keep this secret. Don’t tell anyone we’ve spoken. I had to warn you, but as far as anyone else knows, I haven’t resurfaced yet.”

“No one?” Cryssa echoes, brows raised.

“No one. Not my mother. Not even Myrdin.” I know the Copper Court heir-apparent will be furious with me when he finds out I’ve kept him in the dark all this time, but I’ll make it up to him when this is all over. Until Vorr’s killer, the mastermind behind this kingdom’s ruin, is found, I can’t risk endangering him. Once I get deeper into this mystery, I’ll likely have a target on my back. If I confide in Myrdin, he will, too.

“Very well,” Viridian says, his voice low. “No one will know about this meeting. You have my word.”

“And mine,” Cryssa adds, sharing her mate’s solemn expression.

“Thank you,” I tell them. And I mean it.

“If you’re looking for my father’s killer, then you should know there is one witness. Her name is Arella Kellener,” Viridian says, seamlessly shifting from Viridian my friend, to Viridian the High King. “After Sura questioned her, she decided she no longer wished to serve the crown. As fate would have it, she’s native to the Steel Court.”

My heart lightens when I hear Sura’s name. Sura Vilsdottyr was my highest-ranking lieutenant when I was Captain, but also a trusted friend. As the new Captain of the High King’s Guard, I know Sura would have conducted a thorough interview of Arella Kellener.

“Where in the Steel Court?” I ask. My first step toward finding Vorr’s killer is finding Arella Kellner and speaking with her myself.

“She was born in Esvelon,” Cryssa tells me. “But that’s all we know.”

Asheros motions his head with an expression that says, “I’m on it.”

I nod. “Then I’ll start there.” Hopefully, Arella went back to her place of birth after leaving Keuron. If not, then at the very least we may be able to learn something that will help us find her.

Viridian offers me a weak smile. “Good luck, Lymseia. Be safe.”

“Don’t look so sad,” I say, attempting to lift his spirits. And my own, while I’m at it. “I’ll be back at High Keep to annoy you soon enough.”

As if for their mutual comfort, Viridian pulls Cryssa closer. “I’m counting on it.”

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