Page 48 of A Kingdom of Lies

“Do you see the destruction of your kind now?”

I couldn’t form an answer, not as Althea’s silence turned into sobs that shook her entire body. Without Gyah to hold her, she would have fallen to her knees; I was sure of it.

“Is that why you let her go free?” I asked. “To prove a point?”

“No,” Duncan said, slowly lowering his arm. “I didn’t know the limits of this Briar and her powers. For all I knew she could’ve caused a real headache for my men, and I would like to keep as many of them alive as I can. I think the saying is ‘fight fire with fire’? However, if anyone else asks, you can use your excuse if you prefer.”

With that, Duncan moved away from me, leaving me to my own confusion, as he wandered into the room with an iron cuff still held in his hands.

It pained me to watch Gyah quietly console Althea who trembled within her hold. The burned remains of Briar still hissed with smoke like the forgotten cinders in a hearth during a winter’s morning.

“Impressive,” Duncan said, standing before them both. “The Hand truly will be pleased to meet someone with power such as yours. Now, time to put this back on before my men return.”

Gyah glared at him, snarling protectively like a cat over a bowl of fresh cream. Her reaction was wasted, for Duncan didn’t flinch. Instead, he held the collar out with confidence and patience.

Althea looked over her shoulder at him, eyes red-rimmed and cheeks wet. “Do it before I have the chance to change my mind.”

Duncan smiled. “Your cooperation is gallant.”

“Now is our chance to go, Althea,” Gyah said, pleading with wide eyes. “We can leave.”

“Actually,nowis not the time to be brave,” Duncan said slowly, reminding Gyah of who stood before her.

“I don’t have the energy,” Althea murmured, face pale and limbs shaking. She shifted out of Gyah’s hold and extended her neck for Duncan. I imagined her short time without the iron cuff would’ve helped her heal, that had to count for something.

I watched from the shadows of the broken doorway as Duncan clipped the iron cuff back in its place. From within his pocket he withdrew a key. He slipped it into a hole so small that if you didn’t know its location, it would have been impossible to find. Then, with one gentle turn, it was locked.

“Are you okay?” I joined Althea’s side, watching as the iron drained the colour from her skin. Even her eyes dulled as though the flame within was snuffed out, leaving her hollow.

“It had to be done. An Asp never gives up on a target and she would have continued looking for you.”

“Althea, she would not have needed another opportunity. If you had not come for me, she would have completed her task.” It was true. We all knew it. Even Duncan, who took the biggest gamble letting Althea free. A risk worth taking in my eyes, considering I had truly believed he had left me to meet my end. There would be a time for my thanks but now was not it.

“King Doran sent her for me, but she is not the only one on her way,” I told them, trying to stop myself from looking at the smouldering remains.

“Who else?” Gyah asked, voice deep and terrifying.

“Erix.”

The silence between the three of us piqued the interest of our captor.

“And who might be the man that can silence the three of you with only a name?”

Gyah straightened to match Duncan in height. “A berserker, a being capable of destroying this entire place without the requirement of magic and power.”

Duncan’s brow dipped and his jaw clenched as he regarded her. “And this makes you grin from ear-to-ear because?”

Gyah shrugged, focusing her attention on Althea as she wrapped an arm around her for support. “Can you take us back to our room now, Hunter? I think we should sit this visit out.”

Annoyed, Duncan waved his hand towards the corridor in guidance. “After you. Yourroomawaits.”

“How the tides have turned,” Duncan said after I told him the rest of my tragic tale, pressing his fingers to his head as he pinched his eyes closed. “If Erix was the one who killed your father, why would you go through all of this to petition for the king’s death?”

“I don’t expect you to understand.”

“And I don’t.” Duncan studied the view from Finstock, its surroundings cloaked in night and flaming sconces. “So, you loved this… man?”

The question made warmth flood my cheeks. “I cared for him enough to know that his actions were not actually his own.”

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