Page 122 of A Thieving Curse

“My lords, you know what happened twelve years ago better than I, as I was a child.” Tristan stared out over the lords’ heads, speaking with rehearsed ease. “But I know my father has only ever had Rethalyon’s best interests at heart. He watched with torment as Queen Kendra gave herself to dark magic, King Philip descended into madness, and Prince Alexander lost his soul. He believed it to be for the good of Rethalyon—for peace and comfort—to conceal that the monster prince had escaped.”

Alexander’s ears turned red as a muscle in his temple ticked. Raelyn sat back in the throne, her breath shuddering. Tristan made his lies sound plausible. And Henry’s silence proclaimedI don’t need to defend myself because I am king, and I am innocent.And until Henry or the Court invited her to speak, she could say nothing in Alexander’s defense—or Rethali law declared she would be escorted from the assembly. She suddenly understood why Father had been so uncertain Alex had a chance.

“The last time you saw Alexander Tallon, he was a monster,” Tristan said. “I faced that monster, and it was more terrifying than you can imagine. Massive wings, a serpentine tail, claws like a beast, and the horns of a demon.”

Raelyn caught Alex’s gaze. He focused on her, and she tried to concentrate only on the amber-flecked green of his eyes.Don’t listen to him. You know who you are, and you’re no monster.

“But then the monster transformed into a raging dragon,” Tristan continued, still avoiding eye contact with Alex or the lords. “A fire-breathing dragon hid behind a boy and let him die to break his curse.”

“Liar,” Alex spat. He shifted, his chains clinking and eyes blazing. “Lucas was like a brother to me! He was a young man trying to save his friend. A boy who loved his family.” His voice cracked with emotion. “I would be cursed again if it brought my brother back.”

Raelyn angled her eyes up toward the wooden beams of the ceiling and fought tears. The lords whispered. Clothes rustled and benches creaked.

Tristan cleared his throat and resumed as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “This creature of nightmares held my bride hostage in a cave for weeks and now claims to love her. Preposterous. He’s been a monster longer than he’s been a man. Princess Raelyn deserves a prince, not a beast. Tallon tried to kill me as a dragon and said he should have burned me alive. My lords, you decide if that sounds like a merciful, just king.” Tristan sat down, and for a moment, his posture sagged. Then he straightened, his expression blank.

“I’d like to point out that I didn’t burn you alive,” Alex said sardonically, though his eyes were angry. “Even after your men shot my friend. I’d also like to note I won’t have you executed when I’m crowned king, despite the wounds you carved into my back and the welts on Princess Raelyn’s wrists from you binding her hands.”

Several nobles gasped, and the muttering intensified. Raelyn’s face burned. How did Alex know, since her wrists were covered?He and the others must have welts, too, she realized.

“My people,” Henry interjected, his tone almost patronizing. “You know that I have faithfully served you for twelve years. This boy knows nothing about running a kingdom. All he knows is how to lie.”

“Faithfully?” a man with a long black braid asked. “Do not presume we didn’t hear how you nearly caused a war over a slight from a man who is scarcely more than a boy.” He gestured in Gareth’s direction. “And you did so without consulting the Court of Lords. Nor are we unaware that you considered killing Prince Alexander without convening the Court. You have made your disdain for us clear. Too many times have you tried to exclude us to claimfaithfully.”

Henry laughed derisively. “Your complaint is that I am a man of action? By all means, replace me with a boy tainted with sorcery and raised in a cave.”

“You’re the tainted one.” Alex glowered. “You cursed me!”

“My lords,” Henry said nonchalantly, “how could I do such a thing? Could I, Tristan?”

Tristan shifted in his seat, his face flushed. “Anyone who knows my father knows he wouldn’t hurt his family.” His low voice trembled with rage. “My father, ourking,is a good man. How could he have either the knowledge or the heart to curseanyone? And why would he? It’s a lie!”

Raelyn struggled to hide her disgust.

One of the younger lords, a man with a full, brown beard, stood. “I demand to hear what the princess of Eynlae has to say. Prince Alexander says he is in love with her. Prince Tristan says she was his captive. Prince Alexander claims Prince Tristan bound her—and His Highness did not refute the charge. What is the truth, princess?”

Another lord with a forbidding countenance nodded, his arms crossed over his barrel chest. “I want to see her wrists.”

At last.Raelyn stood slowly, weighing her options—the speech she had prepared with Father, or her own. She was walking a thin line here, and the balancing act made her queasy.

“My lords.” She curtsied, fear coiling around her heart as she pushed back her sleeves and held up her arms. The welts had faded from angry red to pink, and the torn skin had scabbed over, but the wounds were still obvious. The lords muttered to each other as she pulled her sleeves back down. “Prince Tristan and I had a misunderstanding,” she said, her voice tight. “I forgave him.”But I will struggle to forgive him for lying if Alex is killed.

“And Prince Alexander?” the young noble with the beard asked.

“I can tell you that Prince Alexander saved my life on two occasions.” She told her story as concisely as she could, careful to frame accusations against Henry as what Alex had told her. Even though she was furious with him, she tried not to paint Tristan in too negative of a light, either.

“If you’re doubting if Alexander is a good man,” she concluded, “know that he didn’t want to bring me to the palace to marry the son of the man he believes killed his parents. The son of the man who he says cursed him. But when I asked him to, he did it because he didn’t want a war, either.”And he didn’t want to see me unhappy.But she doubted that would convince the Court.

She met Alex’s eyes. “I didn’t tell him until later, but that was the moment I realized… I’d fallen in love with Alexander.”

The lords erupted in loud conversation, and she couldn’t speak for several moments above the commotion. Alex grinned. Her spirits rose, even though she knew nothing was decided yet.

The lords finally quieted. One shouted out, “Then you believe everything Prince Alexander claims?”

Raelyn hesitated and peeked toward Father. His lips pursed in silent warning. But when she looked back at Alex, she knew what she had to do.

“I do because I know what kind of person he is. Alexander’s heart has always been human. He cried when Lucas died. Alexander knelt on the ground and held his dying adopted brother’s hand, even though it left him vulnerable.” Her voice broke, and it took all her resolve to remain standing up straight. “Lucas was a good person. He knew Alexander wasn’t a monster.” She swallowed. “I know a few things for certain about Alexander. He could have burned Rethalyon to the ground, but he didn’t, because he is good. He will make an excellent king. I love him with all my heart. And…”

She reached for her belt, but her hand trembled. This could be a terrible mistake. Tristan and Henry could claim she had fabricated her story, that the stone was just a stone. Father would be furious with her risk.

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