Page 38 of Cage of Darkness
He scratched the back of his head. “Iwas informed they interrogated you twice in the dungeon.” Shenodded. “And you refused to answer any questions, which resulted inyou being caned and then having your fingernailsremoved.”
She shuddered from the memory of thecane slicing through the air and striking her back. Of the metalinstrument pulling out her nails one by one. Hatred for Jana, Soma,and Shelene boiled inside of her. “That is correct.”
“Why didn’t you comply? Whyput yourself through that?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” shereplied, using the same words he had.
Kerdan chuckled, leaning back in thechair. “A princess who fights, is loyal, and can undergo torturebut not break. I didn’t think someone like you existed.”
The room became confining. She stood,heading for the door, unable and unwilling to take this man’scompliment. He was cunning, ruthless, and he had a plan forher.
“Please don’t leave. Justlisten to what I have to say. I promise every word I speak in thisroom will be the truth.”
She paused, her shakinghand on the door handle.Run.
“Allyssa, please, I begyou.” His voice turned soft, pleading, revealing a man not mucholder than her. “Let me explain.”
Bloodyhell. She released the handle and sat backdown. “I still don’t trust you.”
“I didn’t ask you to. And,frankly, I would be disappointed if you did.”
“What do you want from me?”she asked.
“When I was a child, theking was kind and a fair ruler. Russek was a peaceful kingdom. ThenJana arrived at our court, and things began to change. My motherbecame ill, my father started to lose his temper, and Russek fellinto financial hardship. When the queen died, the kingbecame…unreasonable. He remarried the day the mourning periodended. That’s when his obsession with conquering Emperion tookroot.”
Kerdan had stated the facts, leavingout his opinions, so she could draw her own conclusions. But it waseasy to figure out what he was inferring—Jana had something to dowith the queen’s death. Looking at the facts, there were too manycoincidences for it to be otherwise. So, if the events he soplainly stated were indeed accurate, then he had a very good reasonto despise the queen. However, what of the king? Did Jana poisonhim as well in order to get what she wanted? Or did something elsechange him?
Folding her hands together on her lap,she tried to process everything. “When did Jana come to yourcourt?” Rema banned Eliza and Jana almost twenty years ago. Insteadof forcing them to another kingdom, she sent them to a smallcottage in northern Emperion under the guard of a dozen soldiers.They managed to disappear several years ago. Her mother should haveexecuted them when she had the chance.
“About four yearsago.”
“And how long after thatdid she marry the king?”
“Less than twoyears.”
“And Soma is skilled in theart of poison. How convenient.”
“That he is.Coincidentally, I ate some food laced with poison not long ago. I,too, almost died. Thankfully, I keep several antidotes on hand andhave been studying the smell and taste of varioustoxins.”
A knock resounded through the room.“Captain,” someone called from the other side of the door.Interesting that the man used Kerdan’s title of captain instead ofprince. “Can I please have a word with you?”
“If you’ll excuse me.”Kerdan stood.
“Are you going to leave mehere, alone, in your room?” she asked.
“You’ll be safe. No one canharm you here.”
“I mean, do you trust meenough to leave me alone in your room with your personalpossessions?”
“I trust no one.” His largebody filled the height and width of the door, making the room feeleven smaller.
“Then why not have me waitout in the hallway?”
“Because I am running outof time and something must be done.” He yanked the door open andexited.
Standing, Allyssa meandered around theroom, observing the minute details, hoping to gain some insightinto Kerdan and his intentions. She hoped he could be a potentialally in destroying Jana. And if they did take her down, maybeRussek would cease to invade Emperion, unless King Drenton had tobe stopped as well. Would Kerdan be willing to challenge him? Whilehe had indicated he hated Jana, his feelings toward his father wereunclear.
Her right hand traced thespines of a stack of books.MilitaryStrategies, Torturing Effectively, A Means to an End, CourtPolitics, and Gruesome Deaths.Severalpapers were piled on top of his desk. She quickly fingered throughthem. Some had sketches of villages and lakes in Russek, otherscontained locations of soldier camps along the border, most werecommunications between Kerdan and his officers.
