Page 88 of Knight's End
Blue held up a hand. “Evaness is different. They work things out with magically-binding contracts here.”
That seemed to be an explanation the djinn could understand. It made me sad to know that they didn’t trust honor. But, a secret part of me was glad for the magically binding contracts as well. Because included in the contract was fealty to Evaness … and a consequence not too different from my own engagement contract. If they betrayed the country, they’d die. I supposed, I wasn’t much better than them, since the contracts made me feel more secure as well.
The new hedgewitch, Markle, whom we brought up from Kycee’s province, wasn’t as keen on explosions as Wyle had been. “Too messy,” she’d shaken her head. I’d agreed, so the new language in the contracts stated simply that violators would fall over dead rather than explode.
Ryan unfurled a magical decree and passed it around so that those soldiers who could read could tell the others what it said.
I waited impatiently—my mind listing off the thousand other items that needed doing. I watched as Jorad had the recently unfrozen kitchen staff clear the food from the room.
One of the prisoners asked, “And where is this land?”
Connor responded, “Lady Agatha’s province has a number of homesteads—”
Just then Jorad squealed. The manservant fell to his knees, knocking over a tureen of soup and writhing on the ground.
My eyes widened. I glanced around. Had one of Cheryn’s soldier’s attacked?
But then I saw Declan’s hand extended, saw the fury on my knight’s face.
I hurried across the room as Jorad grabbed a knife. I latched onto the manservant’s wrist; and yanked it away from his throat. Ryan was only a step behind, and he lifted Jorad bodily by his collar, so that the man hung in midair like a baby kitten.
The soldiers of Cheryn watched with wide eyes, waiting to see what we’d do next.
I turned to Declan.
“He tasted of rye bread. Just as my mother did before she tried to take me.” Declan’s face was the darkest I’d ever seen it. Even worse than after he’d met his mother. Because this time, his features were twisted in rage.
I stared at Jorad as Declan’s words sank in.
“Blue, his thoughts?” I asked, in a dull, neutral queen-like tone.
Blue sent me flashing images of Willard, Agatha, a stream of curses that shamed me for giving their lands away. And then, most interestingly, a quick flash of Raj in a soldier’s tent.
Jorad tensed when that image came to his mind. He knew what Quinn could do, and how my knights had switched powers. Immediately, he started to shuffle his thoughts to the prisoners in front of us, to the menu for the evening.
My heart constricted. Jorad and I had always been at loggerheads. But I’d never thought he’d betray the people of Evaness. He was propriety and—I’d thought—rule-following incarnate. Things that didn’t mesh well with my personality. But I’d thought at the heart of it all, we’d both been staunchly loyal to Evaness. I was wrong.
“You went to Raj.” I shook my head as if I was merely disappointed, and not as if I were hurt. Though I was.
Blue projected more thoughts, this time, unrestricted thoughts—glances of me colored by furious words. Even a flash of Willard trying to blame me for his own choices. And I realized that’s where the hatred began. It was rooted in the moment Jorad’s lover had betrayed him, broken his trust and blamed me for it.
It didn’t seem to matter how much right I did. Being accused of one wrongdoing, something I hadn’t even done, was all that mattered. Even the most loyal people could be turned by a lie.
Was it hopeless? Was it always this way for a Queen?
Blue stepped closer to me.No, Bloss. It isn’t. For every one of him, there is someone like me.
It doesn’t feel like it.
My brain ticked away. No wonder Isla had such an easy time planting explosives here. No wonder Raj had easily been able to take Agatha’s province. Jorad, no doubt, knew that province like the back of his hand. And then another more recent memory clicked into perspective. I hadn’t eaten recently. I’d used Donaloo’s tablets since before his death. But the one time I had eaten back at the palace, Jorad had served me. And I’d gotten sick.
“Did you try to poison me?” I tilted my head and studied Jorad.
His face grew red. And then, in a very uncharacteristic move, he spat on my face.
All around us, whispers went up amongst Cheryn’s guards, as I wiped my cheek. They watched every move, wondering what I’d do next.
I kept my eyes on Jorad, but asked Blue,What would the sultan do to punish him?
