Page 62 of Stars May Fall

I swallowed. “What happened to him, Venerick?”

He pulled a sour, uncertain expression. “He went missing outside Lord Lyrason’s house. In all honesty, I suspect Lyrason dispatched of him in some way. I’ve traced quite a few disappearances back to him, especially shortly after his assassination attempt. The man puts down threats very efficiently. And if he thought that boy was spying on him…” He shrugged.

I crossed my arms over my chest, my anger not abating despite my desperate need to control it during this conversation.“If Lyrason is killing people, why has nothing been done about it?”

He watched me for a long moment, taking in my expression. “You don’t have fond feelings for him at all, do you?”

The observation caught me so completely off guard that I sat back in my chair in surprise. Venerick didn’t speak again so I uttered, “No. Everyone knows about his halfsoul experiments. The man is a monster.”

I might have imagined the small smile making Venerick’s lips twitch, but he covered it by raising his teacup. “There is plenty of evidence. I have recorded much of it personally, in case it was needed for future cases. But he is practically untouchable by the law.” He lifted his eyes to mine. “As you have recently seen.”

I couldn’t hide my distaste. “Because he’s rich?”

“No. Because…of your father, Annabelle. He stops any accusations and official investigations in their tracks. He says Lyrason has permission to perform duties that put him outside my jurisdiction.” Venerick was watching me very closely now.

A strange, desperate recklessness spurred me on. “And Duke James keeps his guards away when Lyrason releases halfsouls.”

He winced and stirred his tea. “Unfortunately, I fear that you are right. I wasn’t aware you were following him so closely, especially where many have chosen to turn a blind eye to avoid the king’s displeasure.”

I placed the palms of my hands flat on the table. “It shouldn’t be happening. Lord Lyrason shouldn’t be immune to the law. Father shouldn’t let him do whatever he wishes.”

Venerick nodded, straightening. He almost looked…pleased. He locked his fingers together. “I quite agree that justice should be for everyone. Following a justice system that excludes a wealthy few brings justice for the many into jeopardy. But unfortunately, there’s not always an easy path to ensure the system is fair.”

I focused on his features, observing the passion behind his words, which easily matched my own frustration. He appeared to really care about true justice which was reassuring since I had gone too far to retreat now. “Don’t you wonder why? Don’t you wonder why Father has given Lyrason immunity despite his obvious crimes?”

Venerick leaned forward, his face becoming serious. “People have been killed for asking questions far less direct than that one, my dear.”

I met his eyes. “What hope has a kingdom if everyone is too paralyzed by fear to stand up for what it should be?”

Venerick said nothing for a moment. I half expected him to give me a placating smile that was amused at my naivety and then turn the conversation to more conventional topics. Instead, his expression became more animated. He dropped his voice. “I have an interesting theory, if you wish to hear it. Do you remember when your brother had pneumonia? He was ill for an entire year. And then, his chronic symptoms vanished without any explanation. It was then, that night, that Lyrason became close to the king. He was given land, money, and respect without any obvious reason. I was only ten at the time, but I have always taken an interest when people act in unusual ways. It’s why I went into the justice system. And also, around that time—and even more strange—Eloise Moore appeared at the palace for a night.”

I frowned, listening even closer as his voice fell further for the last sentence. “Who is Eloise Moore?” Noah had mentioned her too, something about owning the kryalcomy workshop before Tyler Gregane.

Venerick looked left and right even though we had been alone the whole time. “It is forbidden to talk about her, and her name has been removed from all records. The queen, your mother, will not stand to acknowledge her existence.”

My mouth dried. “Do you mean she’s Kasten’s mother? My father’s former mistress?”

He nodded.

I shook my head. “It makes no sense for her to have been at the palace. She was banished years before that.”

A small, excited smile twisted his lips, making clear that he was enjoying the mystery. He had a nice smile when it was genuine. “She was. She should have been in Kollenstar. But I saw her in the palace when I was raiding biscuits from the kitchen in the night—wrong of me, I know. I was staying here with my uncle for a week to make ‘intentional friendships’ as he put it, and he never provided me with enough food. At that age I was ravenous all the time. Anyway, the day before, Kasten had been poisoned. He was still very, very sick. At the time, I assumed Eloise Moore had been allowed back from exile to see him before he died, but looking back on that night years later, I realized there was no way she could have arrived that fast after he became ill. Then she vanished again. And Kasten survived.”

I tapped my fingers on the tablecloth, excited to have another source of information. I didn’t remember Kasten being unwell, but we had always been kept apart as children. “Who poisoned him?” I dreaded the answer already.

Venerick shrugged. “It was never proved, and the case was quickly dropped. I’ve read the records of the investigation, and they are brief and inconclusive. I believe Kasten thinks it was the king.” He slowed the last words, again watching my reaction.

How old would Kasten have been? Eleven? Twelve? A month ago, I would have laughed at the suggestion that my father could have done that. Now I really wasn’t sure. My whole world trembled around me full of lies and half-truths.

Kasten had told me our father had tried to kill him many times before. I assumed he was referring to being put in dangerous situations on the battlefield. Poisoning a child was adifferent matter entirely. Surely Father would never do such a thing?

At last, I dragged in a breath. “So you think Lyrason cured Stirling and thus was granted a reward?” This theory was similar to the one I had discussed with Sophie.

Venerick waggled his eyebrows. “What if Kasten wasn’t poisoned? What if Lord Lyrason had a way to suck out his health and give it to Stirling?”

What a horrific thought. But then why was Kasten nothing like a halfsoul? An earlier version of their haemalcomy maybe? And where did Eloise Moore fit into this?

I suddenly realized Venerick and I were both leaning so far over the table, our faces almost touched. What would the maid and the guard think! Thank goodness we were already engaged!

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