Page 23 of Tempests of Truth

“That’s your second mention of this ladyship,” Amara said. “I didn’t realize the island had any royalty or nobility. Is she the descendant of someone of rank in Calista from before the kingdom’s fall?”

“Ah…” The mother looked at the older couple. “I’m not sure. That’s just what we’ve always called her.”

“She wasn’t born into a noble family,” the older woman said heavily. “But she married one ofthem.”

A hush fell over the table. No one needed to ask whotheywere.

A strangled sound made me look at Costas. He had gone from slightly pale to an uncomfortable red, his hands tightly gripping the back of Ida’s chair.

Ida turned to give him a confused look before surveying the others around the table. “Are you talking about Lady Isolde? My host family mentioned her once, but I thought she died?”

“Lady Isolde?” I looked from Ida to Costas, but his attention was on the matriarch.

“She did die,” he said in a rough whisper. “When Ignatius was still a baby.”

“No,” the matriarch said simply. “She didn’t.”

Costas leaned forward, his eyes glued to her. “You’re telling me my mother is still alive?”

This time the woman hesitated. “All I can tell you is that she was alive when we last saw her over a month ago. We expected her to be back before now, though, and we even went out looking when…” She trailed off, clearly uncomfortable at the level of emotion on Costas’s face.

“I don’t understand,” he said, and this time he sounded dangerous. “Someone explain it to me right now.”

Amara and Nik exchanged a look, Nik’s posture shifting slightly in response. He had already positioned himself a step back from the table where he could see everyone and move easily, and he was clearly ready to take action if Costas was about to have a violent breakdown.

“My host family are convinced she’s dead,” Ida said, cutting through the tension in her matter-of-fact way.

I’d wondered about Costas’s mother myself but hadn’t dared ask since I was staying up at the manor instead of in the town. Part of me hadn’t wanted to ask either, afraid the Constantines might have murdered their son’s wife as they had their daughter’s husband.

“Did the family not approve of her?” I asked tentatively.

“They were the ones to choose her since she’s a powerful healer,” the older man said, a note of either bitterness or disgust coloring his words. “But their lies can only take them so far. You can’t make someone do what’s not in them to do.”

Nik shifted in place, and I shot him a look. He refused to meet my eyes, making me frown, but once again, we were in no position for a conversation about us.

“Hush, Pa,” the second younger woman said, glancing at us fearfully. Her eyes lingered on Costas the longest.

“Did she live here with you?” Costas asked. “Until she disappeared a month ago, at least.”

“Oh goodness, no,” the matriarch said. “But she visited regularly. All the forest dwellers gladly house her when she comes past, and she could never bring herself to show favoritism by settling with anyone. Now there’s a truly noble lady, whatever her blood.”

“Ma!” the younger woman hissed, even more urgently.

“There are more of you?” Amara asked before holding up a hand. “Wait, no, don’t answer that yet. I think I should start by letting you know what’s been happening on the island. It sounds like this Lady Isolde was your link to news beyond this clearing, and much has happened in the last month.”

“New arrivals to the island is news indeed,” the younger man said, his gaze roaming over each of us.

“Perhaps more important, however, is that the Constantines turned on each other and are all dead,” Amara said, keeping the news as concise as possible. “With the exception of Costas who has an elements rather than healing ability.”

“Dead?! They’re all dead?” The ringing voice from the doorway cut through the astonished exclamations of the rest of the group.

Everyone turned to see a middle-aged woman outlined in the doorframe. She had a wan, exhausted air, overlaid with an expression of deep shock. While we stared at her, the woman’s eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed.

Everyone at the table leaped to their feet, but Nik reached her first. He arrived just in time to cushion her head from the fall, and by the time I shouldered through the milling people, he had her lying flat on the ground.

I dropped down beside her and grasped one wrist. Someone behind me murmured a protest and someone else shushed them. I kept my eyes on the unconscious woman.

I could find no sign of injury or illness in her body, beyond a few minor scratches and a blister on both heels. I looked up at the others.

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