Page 46 of All the Pain of Promises
“Would that be such a bad thing?” Narissa asked cautiously.
Lady Aria’s amber eyes twinkled with mischief. “Yes. If it is not the one I want.”
Narissa’s back snapped straight at her blatant admission. “Oh. I see. And, um, you would need a potion to…?”
“To discern whether or not Calfair is lying.”
“A truth serum, then.”
“Yes!” Lady Aria’s painted nails clicked against the table in rapid tandem, her excitement building. “That is exactly what Ineed. This is my future, and he’s playing with it like it’s one of his stupid little games. I want to be able to ask him questions and receive honesty in response. I refuse to let my life be dictated by a spoiled male heir who has never once had to be held accountable for his own actions.”
Narissa flinched.
Though they weren’t meant for her directly, Lady Aria’s words stung, cutting open that wound she’d been trying to repair overnight. But all of that would change, eventually. Calfair would be held accountable soon enough. Narissa had no intention of allowing him to get away with the crime he committed against her.
“A truth serum…” Narissa mulled the idea over. Certainly she could put together the necessary ingredients, perhaps even have it ready in a day or so. It would not need long to steep as truth serums were a powerful substance. That being said, she might even have one in her personal collection which would eliminate the need to craft one altogether. “I will see what I can do. It shouldn’t take me long to blend.”
“Wonderful. The price is of no consequence, bill me as you need.” Lady Aria waved one hand through the air like she was pretending to fix her hair, and the bubble of magic fell away. “I’m hosting a ball tomorrow evening and would be honored if you and Lord Solarius would attend.”
Then she winked.
The sign that she wanted the truth serum by tomorrow night.
Very well.
Narissa nodded once even as her gut sank and her heart tumbled into its acidic pit of despair. The tea soured. The cherry tart left her suddenly most unwell.
“I would be delighted.” The lie burned the tip of her tongue.
Attending a ball at House Galefell where she was sure to be in the presence of Lord Calfair sounded like the least delightfulthing ever. And there was absolutely no way Solarius would attend. If anything, Narissa would have to find a way to sneak off to the ball without his notice, deliver the serum to Lady Aria, then return to Windsong before she was missed. No part of her makeshift plan sounded at all like it would work, but she knew firsthand what it was like to have her future planned without her consent, and it was a kind of silent suffering she would not wish upon her worst enemy.
“Lovely.” Lady Aria rose, then dipped into a slight curtsy. “Come along, Hespira. Let us not waste any more of Lady Narissa’s time.”
The lady’s maid stood dutifully without sparing Narissa a single glance, but still, she rolled the name over in her mind.
Hespira.
Narissa swore she knew the face, but the name was completely wrong. Well, if she couldn’t remember, then she supposed it wasn’t terribly important. Maybe it would come to her later, but right now she was quite giddy with the prospect of concocting a truth serum. Gathering up her belongings, she took a final sip of tea, then walked out into the bright, snowy streets of Galefell.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Solarius hadn’t intended to stay out all night, in fact, his aching body started screaming hours ago for him to find his way back to Windsong and into Narissa’s bed, but crushing Calfair’s face with his fist had only temporarily relieved some of his seething rage.
He’d been shocked when Drake chose to remain at the Thundercloud with him and indulge in a few drinks, considering their amity was forced by way of marriage. If it wasn’t for his sister, Creslyn, Solarius would have attempted to take Drake’s life on more than one occasion. Granted, he would have failed miserably with Drake being a god of shadow and prophecy, but he would have put up one hell of a fight.
Despite Drake’s ability to be a smug asshole the majority of the time, he did have his uses. Walking through shadows, for example, was incredibly convenient. Not to mention his ability to venture into the shadow realm and scroll through prophecies the same way one might casually flip through a book. It was how Solarius’s family learned war was coming to Aeramere, through one of Drake’s prophecies. But prophecies were not written in the stars. They could change and be altered, they could transform, if by nothing more than an act of fate.
If Solarius could find a way to prevent his world from descending into chaos and ruin, he would do it.
Even if it meant betraying his own mother.
Drake had learned that Trysta Starstorm was a current guest at House Galefell, a bit of knowledge that was most peculiar, seeing as how his mother and Lord Aeolus Skyhelm were far from friendly. Whenever Queen Elowyn held her High Council, they were at each other’s throats, bickering over which House deserved more protection from the uprisings led in Prince Aspen’s favor. All of which had been oddly silenced since the prince decimated a ghastly number of corrupt magical creatures who attacked during Novalise and Asher’s wedding a few months prior. He’d simply slammed his fist into the ground and vanquished them without a second thought.
All rumors of an uprising were dispelled after that impressive display of power.
Solarius buried his chin into his overcoat as he trudged through the snow-covered streets of Galefell in search of a carriage to return him to Windsong. He kept his head down, focusing solely on his footsteps in the hopes of not drawing any unwanted attention. Drake was already headed north toward the majestic house sitting in the clouds to see about gaining an audience with Lord Skyhelm. An unlikely feat as House Galefell owed House Celestine no favors. Then again, Drake usually got what he wanted, so perhaps it would be a successful trip for him after all.
A soft whinny sounded from the other side of the street and Solarius darted toward the waiting Eponians when something soft plowed right into him.
