Page 76 of Joined By Magic

I frowned, thrown off. What could it matter? “He wanted you to leave him alone. To stop attacking him and putting the palace in danger.” I paused, thinking. “And he was interested in your magical tech. He hoped to gain access to some of it.”

Talia came closer, studying me with the same intensity as Adante. Warm blue eyes in a stunning face. She was tall, only a few inches shorter than the prince. Had she really been part of the Palace Collection? I couldn’t imagine her in that role. In that moment, she looked more like a queen. When she spoke, her voice was soft, almost friendly. “You love him, don’t you?”

I blinked at the question. Anger rose, hot and unbidden. “Yes! What’s it to you?”

Talia didn’t react, just tilted her head to the side. As if I hadn’t spoken, she continued. “Did he come to Atar to take the throne?”

I swallowed. Talia’s eyes narrowed as if she scented blood. What the hell was this? A tiny, bright sliver of hope found its way into my heart. If they were asking questions about Leo, it might mean he was still alive. I had to convince them he’d been telling the truth.

“No. I was there when his dad told him about his conception. It broke him. He wanted nothing to do with Atar.” I locked on to Adante and put confidence into every word. “He didn’t want to spend longer with the king than he had to. He wanted to get back to Dexia as soon as he could.”

Adante sighed, and exasperation crept into his voice. “What about his conception?”

I faltered, uncertain. Would speaking ill of the king anger Adante? Probably not. He’d tried to kill him, after all. “The king beat and raped Leo’s mother. He hates the king. If you hadn’t kept trying to murder him, he’d never have come here at all.”

I couldn’t stop my voice from rising on the last words. Adante’s frown deepened. If the news of his father’s behavior was a shock, he didn’t show it. He studied me for a moment longer, then shot an unreadable glance at Talia. Without another word, the two of them swept toward the door.

“Wait, what are you going to do to him? What about my friends?”

Talia spared me a single quick glance over her shoulder as Adante opened the door. Our eyes met, and I thought I saw a flash of sympathy. Then she snapped her head forward and followed the prince out, slamming the door behind her.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Talia

“Shewastellingthetruth,” I said, as soon as the door closed. Livet’s emotions had been written all over her face. “At least, as far as she knows. I’m sure he doesn’t tell her everything, but she believes what she said.”

The prince nodded. “I agree. But we don’t know whether he tells her any sort of truth. He might like to play the hero for her and plot behind her back.”

I considered the idea. It had merit. I could imagine the prince’s brother wanting to keep his pretty little wife sheltered from reality. “Shall we talk to him, then?”

“Yes.”

The guard pulled the door open, admitting us into Leopold’s cell. Despite his lack of magic, the prince had taken no chances with him, and he sat in the corner, hands secured behind his back and feet fastened together. He jerked his head up at our entrance, black eyes flashing.

“What did you do to Liv? Where is she? What about my father?”

The prince snorted. “Touching. Would you believe her first question was about you?”

I cringed at his taunting tone. Palpable animosity filled the room, a thick haze. Understandable. The prince had spent months fueled by hatred for his brother, and the feeling had to be mutual.

Leopold’s eyes grew wild. “You were with her? If you touched her, you fucking asshole, I’ll—”

“She’s fine. Weeping in her wedding dress like a fragile little princess. I have no interest in her, but I wanted some information, and she was very obliging. I’ll ask you what I asked her. When you came to Atar for the first time, what were your intentions?”

Leopold seemed thrown by the question. His face was pale, and blue circles lay under his eyes. Red welts ringed his wrists where he’d struggled against his bonds, and sweat plastered his hair to his head. Fighting even though he couldn’t escape. I could respect that.

Silence stretched. The prince sighed. “Answer me, Leopold. Right now your adoptive father is with the physicians, recovering well. Livet and the rest of your party are unharmed. I’m dealing with you fairly. Cooperate.”

Leopold eyed the prince. “I came to convince you to stop trying to murder me, as I told you at the time, right before you poisoned my wife.”

The venom in his words made me flinch. The prince opened his mouth, then closed it. A sharp retort bitten back?

“And when did you discover you were a prince of Atar?”

Leopold’s face tightened with exasperation. “What’s the point of this?”

The prince stepped closer, body rigid. “Just answer the damn question.”

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