Page 67 of Esperance

Her smile widened, but she shook her head. “I think you’re rubbing off on me.”

“How so?”

“Before I met you, I was never this confrontational. And I never resorted to threats or any sort of violence.”

His head tilted to the side. “I don’t know if I believe you. You seemed awfully eager to hit me the day we sparred.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. That’s verynotme.”

“So who are you really, Amryn?”

The question seemed to catch her off guard. Her gaze lowered and she set a hand on the railing beside her, her thumb following a groove in the worn stone. “How is one supposed to answer that?”

“However you want to,” he said with a shrug, hoping to convey nonchalance when he badly wanted an answer.

Her gaze dropped to watch her thumb’s tracing. “I’m an orphan from Ferradin. A girl who grew up in a castle even though she never felt like she belonged there. I’ve never had close friends, and I’m not always comfortable around people. But I try to do the right thing.” Her head lifted, and their eyes met. “What about you, Carver? Who are you?”

The railing he leaned against suddenly felt harder. She’d asked a bloody good question. After Harvari, he really wasn’t sure.

He didn’t have to fumble out an answer, though, because the main door to their suite banged open without warning.

Carver snapped to his full height and shifted in front of Amryn. He felt her edge around him to watch several guards and the high cleric stride into the sitting room.

“Search everywhere,” the high cleric ordered.

“What’s going on?” Carver demanded.

The guards ignored him as they scattered throughout the apartment. Some disappeared down the short hall to the bedroom while others remained in the sitting room and began to riffle through the items and furniture.

From the corner of his eye, Carver saw Amryn stiffen.

Carver stalked toward the high cleric. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Zacharias’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have anything you’d like to confess, General?”

“I think my irritation is obvious enough,” Carver said flatly. “But I can declare it, if you’d prefer.”

“Don’t try to be clever.” The high cleric glanced to Amryn, who had trailed Carver into the room. “Lady Vincetti, have you seen any of the general’s weapons?”

“Weapons?” Carver echoed before Amryn could speak. “You think I smuggled weapons here?”

“Yes. Weapons you used to kill Cora.”

The accusation made his gut drop and his head spin.

A crash came from the bedroom and Amryn jerked beside him.

For some reason, her apprehension grounded him. He squared his shoulders as he faced the high cleric. “I had nothing to do with Cora’s death. And you have no right to come in and question me. The emperor put Trevill in charge of the investigation.”

“Trevill is on his way,” Zacharias said, looking far too pleased with himself. “He asked me to gather some guards, and meet him here for your interrogation.”

“What proof do you have?” he demanded.

Before Zacharias could answer, Chancellor Trevill prowled through the open door of the suite. Anger pinched his face as he approached. “Zacharias, you overstep. I will lead this investigation.”

The high cleric waved this away. “I was merely getting started. You asked for my help.”

“I asked you to gather guards—not start the search without me.” Trevill turned his attention to Carver. “If you could please follow me to my office, I have some questions to ask you.”

---