Page 431 of Warlords, Witches & Wolves

Chapter 37

Rossa issued orders like an army commander, and Boris could not do anything but obey. Within moments, she had Igor tied to a post in the barn, with a magical shield crackling around the walls so that no one would hear or see what went on inside. She cast a spell on Igor, too, telling him if he lied, his tongue would catch fire, so he had better tell her the truth.

Even Boris gaped a little at that. Surely the girl who condemned him for killing the boy would not torture him so.

Would she?

Then she enthroned herself on a sack of grain and began to question the squire.

Why was he hunting this bear?

What was the bear's real name?

Why did he betray the man he'd served?

Why did he poison him?

Igor's answers could have come from Boris's own lips, for the story matched his own. More than once, he found Rossa nodding, and relief began to trickle through his veins. If she believed him, maybe she'd forgive him. Maybe…

"I didn't poison him!" Igor shouted, straining at his bonds.

Rossa rose. "You gave him the drugged drink at the feast."

"Yes, but only because I was ordered to serve him that ale. I tried to warn him, tell him not to drink so much!"

She glanced at Boris, who nodded. The boy spoke the truth. If only he'd been more forthcoming at that long-ago feast, told him about the sleeping potion in his ale…

"Why didn't you tell him what was in it?" she asked.

"I couldn't!"

"Why?"

But he clamped his mouth closed and shook his head. He would not – or could not – say.

"Did you know what the potion you gave him later would do?"

"No! Only that it was supposed to help him!"

Boris nodded again. So the boy had said, but he had not believed him then. Now…well, Igor's mouth was not ablaze, so he was telling the truth about his words then, but that didn't make those words true. He wished with all his might that he could be a man again, so that he could question the boy himself.

"Did you know the ale was drugged?" she asked.

The boy nodded.

"Why didn't you tell him? Your prince, the man you served, who you owed your loyalty to…why?"

"I couldn't!

"Why not?"

"Because the witch told me if I ever breathed a word about the potion she put in the ale, it would be the last breath I ever took!" Igor exploded.

Then he began to wheeze, trying to suck in air that would not come. His face turned red, then blue, before he hung limp from the ropes that held him.

Rossa's mouth dropped open, and she darted forward to place her fingers on the boy's neck. "He's dead!"

Boris shook his head, but Rossa did not seem to notice, for she was too busy cursing.

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