Page 78 of Set in Darkness
He glanced over his shoulder, willing the prince to return. He didn’t trust himself with the man. He didn’t trust the man with him.
“I met with your brother the other day.”
“Which one?” Leander asked monotonously.
“Venser. He’s a good lad, always willing to engage in social pursuits. In fact, I had hoped to see him here today.”
“He must be busy training his recruits,” Leander made his brother’s excuses for him. Venser might be willing to come here, but he was far too diligent a Commander to abandon work in favour of frivolities when he was so indispensable.
“Must be,” Haldon agreed. “He mentions you often, says you have become close with the prince. Prince Jarryn, that is. You spend a lot of time together. Tell me… God of Lies… is Prince Jarryn lying?”
“About what?”
“His involvement in his father’s death.”
Leander fought the urge to squirm in his seat, uncomfortable as he was with the nature of this conversation. “As you well know, my lord, I do not hold power over my domain and could no more easily identify a lie than you could. Unfortunately, I can be no help in this matter.”
Wester Haldon opened his mouth to speak.
“However,” Leander continued, “I believe Jarryn’s claim of innocence. In fact, I know it in my heart to be true.” That was about as close to the truth as he could get without revealing his involvement.
Haldon was a shrewd man, however, and he immediately regretted his words. “Oh?” His lips formed a perfect circle as he enunciated the word, another wave of smoke escaping the other lord’s mouth. “Yet war sits on our doorstep, a very real, very palpable threat, all because the king had decided to give Prince Jarryn asylum.”
Turning at last to face Haldon, Leander took in his expression. Haldon was all sharp features and narrowedeyes, as if trying to establish something about Leander’s words. “You disagree?”
“I have counselled the king repeatedly that this is not a war we want. It is not a war worth fighting. It is certainly not a war we can win. Sadly, he disagrees. He has heard Jarryn speak and is accepting of his claim of innocence.”
“Then that should be enough for you.”
“But it isn’t. You are young and woefully unschooled in not only the art of diplomacy, but also in the very nature of war. Tell me… have you ever seen a war? Ever been in battle? Ever held a sword and watched someone lay down their life so that you may live?”
Leander shook his head mutely.
“I didn’t think so. War affects us all. Conscription will see you on the front lines if it comes to it, Lord Leander. Unless we can convince the king otherwise.”
“And how do you proposeweconvince the king otherwise?”
Lord Haldon tapped his betting slips against his lips as he watched the horses race around the track in silence for a few moments. He had enough slips to have placed bets on every race, Leander would wager, but he didn’t seem emotionally invested in the events occurring on the racetrack before them at all. “I think it best if we work to help him see the risks attached to his current path.”
“I’m sure he understands the risks better than most,” Leander responded emotionlessly.
“Do you think? I think he has been manipulated. We need to find out how. And why.”
“He is surrounded by those he trusts most, men who have proven their mettle or their loyalty,” Leander saidslowly, confused at why Haldon had decided to have this conversation with him of all people.
“But that’s just it, Leander. Not all are reliable. That is where you come in.”
There it was. Leander waited, saying nothing as he turned his head to look directly into Haldon’s eyes as he heard Haldon’s request laid on the proverbial table between them.
“The king needs… guidance. He needs help ascertaining the truth that we need him to believe.”
“You want me to… lie to the king?”
“No, of course not. I want you to help him see the very real and undeniable truth that we cannot face Desanne, unprepared as we are.”
There was something… off, about what Haldon had said. The other lord’s mind was ill-protected and Leander, who had never learnt to close his mind off entirely from the feelings of others, felt the multiple threads of emotion drifting in his direction.
That made him pause.
