Page 32 of A Court So Dark
There was a knock at the door. Cardian looked annoyed but gave Cedric an indication to answer. The neutralizer opened the door cautiously. He peered out and after confirming that whoever was on the other side was an ally, he moved out of the way.
Varamede stepped into the room. Hands restless at his side, he gave me a wary once over. I did the same.
Blinding light flashed before my eyes, conjured by my memories. This male had nearly killed me.
“What is it?” Cardian asked, irritated.
“They escaped.”
“What?! They were outnumbered.”
“Transfer token,” Varamede informed him.
Cardian growled and pounded the armrest.
“Go.” He dismissed Varamede. “I’ll find you soon.”
The thunderlord backed out of the room, never taking his eyes off me, and left.
Cardian seethed for a long moment, then took a deep breath, gathered his wits, and returned his attention to me. “Where were we?”
“I asked you a question,” I said. “It still stands. How can I trust you?” I was grateful for the steadiness in my words. Perhaps, some months ago, and without my darker side at the helm, I would’ve melted from fear, but this cruel, dark court had taught me many lessons, and maybe, just maybe, I was learning to play the game.
“Moreover,” I glanced toward Cedric, “youdon’t trustme. Not exactly the basis for a productive alliance.”
“Trust is earned,” he said.
“So first, why don’t you earn mine? Why don’t you tell me where Kalyll’s cronies went?”
I answered without hesitation because a better situation couldn’t have fallen on my lap. The alliance Cardian was offering me was the best way to find and free Kalyll.
“If they kept to the plan, they went to Nerethien.”
There was a small tremor in his expression, which let me know we were on the right track. Kalyll was in the Unseelie capital.
“We discovered your mole in my chamber. The crystal bird.” I was playing a dangerous game telling him the truth, but it was the best way to earn his trust. “We used it to make you think we were going to Imbermore.”
“Why Nerethien?” he asked.
“Because the Envoy said he was there,” I lied.
“That’s not possible.”
I frowned and did my best to sound skeptical. “You mean the Envoy is wrong?” I huffed. “I always thought she was some sort of charlatan. I guess I was right.”
“Not exactly a charlatan, but…” He rubbed his knuckles.
“But what?”
He waved a hand in the air. Of course, he would not share any details, especially when they highlighted a failure in his schemes. He had probably transferred Kalyll out of Nerethien during the time we were with the Envoy.
“Anything else you can tell me?” Cardian asked.
I shook my head. “No. That’s all they know. Their plan was to find an inn, then go from there. They think he’s being kept somewhere in Highmire.”
This time, even though I watched him closely, I detected nothing in his expression to assert or contradict that this was actually Kalyll’s location.
“I told you what I know,” I said. “How will you earnmytrust now?”
