Page 136 of Shadows and Roses

Another captain agreed. "You don't know him like we do. He's not what these letters make him out to be."

Castien tried again, "Maybe that's why I can see this and none of you can."

Pelios narrowed his eyes. "Or your Queen is just looking for a reason to kill him."

"Anais doesn't know. I haven’t made them aware—her or the other Escorts. But I remember Damon's talks and I didn't want to believe this either. He insisted I read this." Castien tossed the book on top of the letters. "It also talks about the evils of claws. You all know how friendly he is with the nobles. I thought that was an act, but maybe this is what he wants instead. Maybe the Damon we know is the act."

Did he believe what he was saying? Perhaps he wanted them to convince him otherwise. They weren’t doing a very good job. He didn’t want his friend to be a traitor, a child murderer, but it made sense. Why else would Damon agree to work with a Queen? He despised the nobles, and now he walked with them and laughed with them. That was the real lie.

"Damon should be here." Jerrl stood and moved toward the door. The others looked at each other with uncertain and angry frowns.

Castien picked up a box he’d slid beneath the table earlier. "Wait. There’s something else. Damon took up gardening after Kevam's death. I found this in his garden, with those letters. It's locked."

Jerrl turned. "You’re spying on him?" Then he went silent and stared at the box.

One of the others leaned in. "What’s in it?"

Castien hid his wince. He was spying,but he hadn’t gone to Octavius. He hadn’t betrayed his friend that much, yet. "I'm not sure, but it was carefully hidden."

Pelios shook his head. "This is ridiculous—"

"Give it to me," said Jerrl. With thinned lips, he reached into his shirt and pulled out a small key.

Pelios frowned. "Jerrl?"

Castien set the box down.

The key fit.

The room went silent with shocked horror.

The box was full of claws, unmistakably women's claws, possibly dozens.

And on top, one small set still wet with blood.

Several people went pale. Jerrl stumbled back into a wall.

Pelios stared at him. "Is this yours, Jerrl?"

"No! Damon— He gave me this key. Said he'd buried something by Kev's grave that he wanted me to have if he died."

They looked at each other.

"Maybe— maybe Damon was just keeping evidence—" Jerrl stammered.

One of the captains, a young man, mumbled, "Th-the women rebels. Some of them voluntarily removed their claws?"

Pelios responded woodenly, "Those claws are buried. We don’t demand to keep them like some sort of grotesque trophy."

"There's something else in there," Castien said. He reached in, hesitated, then tipped the contents onto the table.

A necklace with a half-moon charm fell out from the bottom of the box.

Jerrl closed his eyes.

For those who didn't know, Castien murmured, "That belonged to Damon's mother."

He didn’t want to believe this. An empty ache pulsed in his heart. Perhaps if Kevam had not been murdered by a lord.Damn you, Damon.

---