Page 82 of A Kingdom Restored

Heath made a noise of jubilation, and Merletta looked at him questioningly.

“He’s using his magic,” Heath murmured. “Powerfully—it’s the most I’ve ever felt from him.” He saw she was still confused, and added, “My father mainly uses his magic to detect deception, but it’s capable of going further. He can actually…break it. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

As if to confirm Heath’s words, the king suddenly gasped. His look of horror changed quickly to anger. “You lied to me,” he said, his eyes a little unfocused as he turned toward the Record Master. “Every word from your mouth is a poisonous lie.” He straightened. “You will never have the chance to deceive me again—or anyone, for that matter. Guards, secure all three of the…” The king trailed off, clearly struggling for the word.

“Merpeople,” Heath supplied helpfully. “But surely you don’t intend to arrest Merletta and Sage?”

“All three of the prisoners will be transported back to Bryford immediately,” the king went on, not looking at Heath. “And I want Lord Percival brought out of the dungeons for further questioning the moment we arrive.” His eyes hardened as they rested again on the Record Master. “The investigation has uncovered new information.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Heath strode toward the audience hall, his steps agitated. Laura hurried by his side, accompanied by her husband Edmund. He hadn’t joined the group traveling to Arinton, but he’d heard about it in excruciating detail by now, if Heath knew Laura.

Heath had also heard enough opinions from his family during the several days since the incident to make him long for the solitude of Vazula.

“I’m just…struggling to get my head around it,” Edmund said, for probably the fifth time. “Are you sure she—”

“Yes, I’m sure, Edmund,” Laura said, exasperated. “I didn’t imagine her sprouting a massive scaly tail. And neither did the other two dozen people who saw it.”

Edmund looked uncertainly at Heath. “And you knew?”

Heath sighed, impatient with these unimportant details. “Of course I knew. I knew her for a year before I even realized she could get legs. She didn’t even know.”

The couple gaped at him, but he ignored them.

“Was it really necessary for the king to throw Merletta and Sage into the dungeons, too?”

Laura rolled her eyes. “They arrived an hour ago, Heath. I don’t think that’s long enough for the dysentery to set in.”

“When you see the state Percival’s in, you might not find that joke so funny,” Edmund said mildly. “I went to see him yesterday.”

Heath and Laura both fell silent, chastened. Heath was ashamed to realize he almost had forgotten his brother being in the dungeons, too. The idea of Merletta down there was just so awful, especially after she helped capture the Record Master who’d plotted so unconscionably against the king and kingdom.

“Try to see it from the king’s perspective, Heath,” Laura said softly. “You can’t expect him to just believe you all at once.”

Heath said nothing, knowing she was right.

When they reached the audience hall, it was to discover a large crowd already gathered. Lachlan stood at the front of the room, next to the raised dais where his father stood. The prince’s arm was in a sling, and although he looked calm, Heath could see at a glance that something was very wrong. There was no physical sign—it must be Heath’s magic at work identifying a problem.

Heath had expected a long and tedious address, so he almost cried with relief at the king’s simple announcement.

“The investigation into the attack that threatened my life and that of my guards has brought to light a conspiracy against the crown, undertaken with the intent of implicating the power-wielders. The true culprit has been apprehended, and is being held in the dungeons. Lord Percival has accordingly been released, with a full pardon for his words against the crown, of which he now repents.”

“That’s a bit rich!” muttered Laura, but Heath hardly heard her. He was too busy soaking in the sight of his brother, who was being led in through an antechamber.

Edmund had been right. In spite of the fact that he’d clearly been given the opportunity to wash and put on fresh clothes, Percival looked awful. He was much skinnier than before his captivity, and his hair was shaggy in a way the proud young man would never have allowed had he been given the choice. None of this was news to Heath, who’d regularly watched Percival with his farsight—barely a day had gone by without him checking in with his brother from afar. But somehow it was much worse seeing it in person. Although, to Heath’s relief, Percival seemed in good spirits in spite of it all.

Percival bowed to the king. “Your words are gracious, Your Majesty,” he said, and to Heath’s amazement he could detect no sarcasm. “I am relieved to be exonerated of a crime I never dreamed of committing. But I acknowledge that I was hasty in the expression of my anger, and in that way, I contributed to the misunderstanding.”

Laura made a small noise of surprise, her mouth hanging open as she stared in amazement at her brother. “Who is that, and where’s Percival?”

Heath couldn’t quite suppress a smile.

“No, seriously,” said Laura, turning to him with wide eyes. “We should have locked him up in the dungeon years ago.”

Heath let out a noise halfway between a laugh and a choke, but the sound died as he realized that the audience was over.

“What about Merletta and Sage?” he demanded, as people began to file out of the audience hall, discussing the development excitedly. A number of young people converged on Percival, but he shook them off, making a beeline for his family.

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