Page 47 of Stars May Fall

I raised my eyebrows in alarm. “You had a child spying on Lord Lyrason?”

She hunched her shoulders. “I have an information network. They simply ask the people who loiter around these places what they have seen or heard.”

I scoffed. “You think the son of a leatherworker would naturally be loitering around in…never mind. I’ll do what I can to find him. Now please, go and help Sophie.”

I would bet anything that Regan Jones was dead or had been turned into a halfsoul if he was a nobody and Lord Lyrason had caught him. The thought only made me more anxious about what was about to happen to Sophie and Callum.

Annabelle turned to go, and I raised my hand. “Let me borrow the earpiece. I’ll give it back after. I need to know what’s going on, in case I need to rescue her…and you, I suppose.”

She hesitated and took it out of her ear before laying it in my palm. She didn’t release it. “If you come in to rescue her, don’t hurt my father.OurFather. And there is no situation where I’d need rescuing.”

Frustration bubbled, but I nodded.

I fitted the earpiece as she left the room. For a moment the sounds were jarring and discordant. Then I made out the king’s voice and managed to orient myself.

“What were you doing at Lord Lyrason’s manor without his knowledge and while you knew he was absent?”

I pressed my hand over my ear, even though it made no difference to the quality. Sophie’s bright voice was clear and animated. Her confidence made me smile, despite the seriousness of the situation.

“Your Majesty, I am so sorry to have caused you trouble. And you too, Lord Lyrason.” There was a pause, and I really hoped she wasn’t bowing to them. “As you know, I was bitten by one of Lord Lyrason’s creatures and very ill not so long ago. We thought I was completely healed, but then found traces of a strange metal in my blood. Naturally, we went straight to Mister Gregane to see if he knew how to remove it. I was startled and unnerved by the discovery, so we went in a hurry. We didn’t think to call ahead and had no idea Lord Lyrason would be so offended by a visit to his house. He’d previously told General Kasten that he would do everything needed for my healing.”

I ran my fingers around the hilt of my sword at the resulting silence. Sophie presented as the most innocent person I had ever met, and she now played that card well.

The king’s voice sounded tired. “Did you find the answer to your problem?”

“Oh, Mister Gregane was very helpful. We don’t know how to remove it yet, but he helped assure us that I’m no longer infectious and told us some of the qualities of the metal, although I didn’t really understand it.”

I groaned. I understood why she was doing this, but I hated it when she hid her brilliant brain.

Lord Lyrason’s voice followed quickly. “I don’t think that this…”

He was broken off by the sound of the door opening. Annabelle sounded surprised. “Oh, I am so sorry. I was under the impression my father was alone.” A pause. “How lovely to see you, Sophie.”

I made out the sound of movement and the sharp whisper of silk skirts brushing against something hard. “Annabelle! I had so hoped to bump into you here. It is good to see you.” From her tone of voice, you would have thought them the closest of friends.

Was this all part of Sophie’s plan to befriend Annabelle and gain her trust? If so, it seemed very bold, especially for Sophie. But so was the fact she’d been found in Lord Lyrason’s house.

The king’s voice became more engaged, with an edge of wariness. “I was not aware you two were closely acquainted.”

Annabelle replied first. “Oh, we have only become friends recently, after the horrific incident where she was bitten. It was lovely she could come to Adenburg with the general. She has been giving me ideas about how to host the Nibawae ambassadors.”

I blew out a breath. Annabelle was brilliant at this, playing along without missing a beat. I was in her debt.

Again, the skirts rustled. “I was just telling the king that even though we thought I was better, I still have traces of a strange metal in my blood. We only found out today. We went straight to Mister Gregane to ask him to remove it, since he was the one treating me, and it has all turned into a terrible misunderstanding. Lord Lyrason thinks we were snooping when we were with Mister Gregane the entire time. There were even guards in the room with us.”

I heard a gasp, and Annabelle’s voice became worried. “Oh, Lyrason, you need to help her. I understand that things between you and General Kasten aren’t good, but this is Sophie. She is a saint. You will give her everything she needs to make a full recovery, won’t you? I’m still upset at how badly she was hurt, though I understand it was an accident.”

Another silence. I could hear my heart thumping. Was Annabelle laying this on a little too thick? Callum was, thankfully, remaining silent.

Lord Lyrason sounded resigned. He knew he had lost. “Of course, sweet Annabelle. It has not been my intention to withhold anything Lady Sophie needs to get better. I just hope she calls ahead next time so I could also be there.”

The king gave a sharp sigh. “Why on earth has this matter been brought to me? I don’t need to be contacted about somebody not calling ahead when they make a visit. There was no break in. Nothing was stolen. Stop wasting my time, Lord Lyrason. Lady Sophie, you and your companions may go. Annabelle, you are dismissed as well. And do remember to knock next time. Your behavior has been increasingly disappointing recently. Lord Lyrason, stay.”

I exhaled as I heard footsteps, and then the door opened and closed. They had done it. I itched to run to Sophie and kiss herforehead and tell her she had been fantastic and ask what on earth they had been up to, but instead I listened on through the earpiece.

The king spoke first, his voice a mixture of fury and distaste. “What was that, Lyrason?”

The footsteps sounded agitated. “They were up to something. You don’t believe Lady Sophie gave you the whole picture, do you? The general put her up to something. I thought if we brought them here, it would give us a good opportunity to investigate them further. You could have ordered their house searched. Or their persons. I would bet anything, they have illegal kryalcomy on them right now. The more we discredit them and keep them on the back foot, the easier it will be to arrest them all and find Kasten’s weapon. He’s too powerful to arrest directly, but arrest his friends, and he will tell you what you want to hear.”

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