Blood of the Underworld(27)

“Your peace is a mirage,” Victor said, turning to the door. “It will fade no matter what you do. It is a house built on sand, a painting drawn in dust. Oh, and remember, Alyssa, that all I do, I do with the King’s full authority.”

He opened the door before she could say anything. Waiting there was an old man, a heavy tome in hand. His hair was white, his face scrunched inward from age. Her eyes narrowed.

“What is this?” she asked.

“My most humble apologies,” the old man said, bowing low. “My name is Henris Potts, and I will do my best to work quickly and without trouble to your businesses.”

Alyssa glanced to Zusa, confused. The smoldering anger she saw in her friend’s eyes only confirmed her fear. Victor was playing a game with them, but what?

“Explain yourself,” she told him.

“It is not only the thieves I hunt, but all the guilty,” said Victor. “Henris here must be shown all your records and all your dealings undertaken over the past few years. Not that I expect to find anything, not with such a lawful woman as yourself ruling the Gemcroft fortune. Still, I would hate to appear unfair to Lord Connington by scouring his records but not yours.”

Henris stood there, looking very nervous and uncomfortable. Alyssa felt furious, but she held back the rage. She could not err, not now. Zusa’s warning suddenly made perfect sense. If Terrance had made a single mistake, if he’d avoided tariffs, smuggled in goods, or dealt in the more exotic spices and leaves illegal to Veldaren...

“Zusa, fetch a servant,” she said. “Prepare a room for Henris. I fear this will take many days, and would hate to make an old man uncomfortable.”

“Thank you,” Henris said, looking relieved to hear of her cooperation. As Zusa left, the old man followed. Victor smiled at her, and gave a quick salute.

“Thank you for your time,” he said. “I pray Stephen is just as accommodating as you are. Now if you’ll forgive me, I must be off. I have a wizard to hire.”

Alyssa thought of the young leader of the Connington household and could only imagine how the boy would react. Most likely better than she had.

“You’re making many enemies,” she told him as he exited her mansion. “I will not help you, not in this.”

He turned back to her, hand on the hilt of his sword. No smiles this time, no amusement. He looked tired, weary of the long day ahead.

“I am taking up the war the Trifect lost. I am fighting the enemies you could not defeat. Why do you respond with anger, and resist me? Just because I would hold you to the same standard as they? Or is it because your hands are just as dirty?”

She shut the door, pressed her forehead against it. In her anger, she tried to deny him, to dismiss the easy accusations. It was far harder than it should have been.

A hand touched her shoulder, and she turned, thinking it was Zusa. Instead, her mother stood there, clearly worried. Alyssa closed her eyes and accepted the silent embrace.

“You poor dear,” Melody whispered. “I remember well the difficulties of being one of the Trifect. Please, let me help in any way I can. Your father had me to share his burdens with, but you are so alone...”

“I’ve always been alone,” Alyssa said, gently pushing her away. “I have ever since I took up father’s mantle, and I fear I will be until the day they cast the first handful of dirt upon my grave.”

“If you are alone, then it is by choice. That is the way it always is with our family.”

“That what you told yourself when father turned you over to Leon and his gentle touchers? He was just choosing to be alone?”

It was a cruel barb, and she didn’t know why she had said it. Her mother took a step back and touched her cheek as if she’d been struck across the face.

“Maynard was a cold, cruel man,” she said. “Even on the day of our wedding, he had no warmth in him, not for me. Yes, he chose to be alone. He chose to keep his heart closed, and to love nothing but his trade, his power, and his coin. Is this why you have been so unwelcoming to me? Do you think those years of torture were warranted, were my fault?”

“You insulted his name, slept with another, and because of that I lost a mother!”

“Then blame the man who cast me aside, and took me from you!”

There were tears in both their eyes. Alyssa felt exhausted, frightened. Too much was changing without warning, without any time to adjust. She crossed her arms, tried to think. Meanwhile, Melody leaned back against a wall. Alyssa realized how thin she looked, barely more than bones. At times, it seemed like a miracle she could stand.

“Do you know how I endured?” Melody asked. Her words were whispers of a ghost. “How I managed to sleep at night in that...darkness? I thought of you. I prayed for you, for safety, for protection. Now I am free, and I can touch your face, see you grown...don’t hate me. Don’t do this to me. I can’t stand it. I won’t live through that terrible a cruelty. I’d rather return to the cage.”