Rezkin was genuinely surprised. “You say this after what you have just heard?”
Tieran said, “What I heard is that you are a legitimate prince of Ashai with a responsibility to kill the mad king. Ah, sorry, Aunt Lecillia. I know this must be difficult for you.”
Rezkin turned back to Connovan and Lecillia. “Tieran is right. You two are the greatest threat.”
Tieran grew defensive. “What? I said no such thing.”
Rezkin turned to his cousin. “Connovan may be using Lecillia’s familial relation and his long-winded story to get close to me. Lecillia, let us not forget, is also Caydean’s mother. She does not know me, yet she has been present for Caydean’s entire life. She may wish to kill me to prevent me from killing him. This entire scenario is a clever ploy. They entice me with what I desire most—information.”
Lecillia grabbed Connovan’s arm and said, “Why is he saying this?”
Frisha abruptly stood to join Malcius. “Rezkin, that is your mother. Do you not care for her at all?”
Rezkin did not take his eyes off Connovan and Lecillia as he said, “I do not know this woman from any other. There are plenty of stories in the histories of mothers killing their offspring, especially in defense of another who is more favored. This man is an admitted assassin, and she is the mother of a madman who likely killed her husband and younger son. Where was she? She was living in the palace the entire time, dining with their killer. I have no reason to trust either of them.”
Connovan leaned toward Lecillia and said, “I told you what he is. Do not take it personally. He is not capable of feeling. His humanity was driven out of him when he was but a small child.”
Lecillia stood, her chin held high as she held her hands in front of her. Despite the tears in her eyes, she had the bearing of a queen. “It is true. I stayed in the palace but not because I wanted it. I could not leave. Where was I to go? Who would help me? Caydean would have killed anyone I told. He tried to have Marcum killed several times because he thought I had said something. Connovan could not assist because he was bound to Caydean. It was only after he was released from his oath that he was able to help me escape, and the fact that he remained free told us that you were still alive. Neither of us wish you harm. If you cannot believe we care, then think logically. If you die, Connovan must return to Caydean’s service, and he will likely kill me. It is in our own, selfish interests that you live.”
Lecillia lurched back as a phantom wraith suddenly appeared. Rezkin said, “These two are to be a watched carefully. They are possible enemies. They are not to leave the corveua.”
Shielreyah Elry bowed. “Yes, Spirétua Syek-lyé.”
Connovan said, “So you can summon them with your mind. That is fascinating. Can anyone do it?”
Elry turned his vaporous orbs on the man. “It is an honor to serve the Syek-Lyé, and we respect the Spirétua. You are neither.”
Rezkin said, “You two may remain on the island under supervision. They do not need eyes with which to see or ears with which to hear, and your weapons and talents will be useless against them. If you challenge them, they will kill you. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Lecillia said as she blinked tears from her eyes.
Connovan nodded as he studied the phantom.
Rezkin said, “You have been assigned quarters?”
“Yes, in the city,” said Connovan.
“You will be moved to the palace,” Rezkin replied. “Frisha and Yserria will escort the queen mother to appropriate quarters. Wesson and Shezar will escort Connovan.”
“Are you taking me to the dungeon?” said the man. “You know I cannot be captured alive. It is against the Rules.”
“You have not been captured,” said Rezkin. “You are to wash for the midday meal.”
Connovan smiled and picked up his goblet. Sniffing it suspiciously, he met Rezkin’s gaze, then drank to the last drop.
Frisha walked down the corridor beside the queen mother, with Yserria guarding the rear. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Lecillia said, “He is my son, and I love him. I want him to be happy, but why would you consider marrying such a man? He is so cold, so empty.”
Frisha glanced back the way they had come. “He did not seem that way when I met him. He smiled and laughed, and he was the perfect gentleman. I had no idea he was the …” She stopped and placed her hands on her knees as she took several deep breaths. She fanned her face and said, “Oh, I cannot believe I was scolding the Rez for being rude to his mother.”
Yserria looked down at her with a frown. “You have spent months with that man. You have mooned over him and screamed at him and kissed him. He was no less the Rez then than he is now.”
“That makes it even worse,” Frisha said with a groan.
“You had no idea?” said Lecillia.
“No, how could I know? It was not like he went around killing people all the time. I mean, he was great when we were attacked by bandits, but that was different. I have been listening to Tam go on about the Rez all our lives. The Rez is an assassin. The Rez is cunning and cold and merciless.” She pointed back the way they had come. “The Rez is that man back there.”
Lecillia stared down the strange, twisting corridor with its crystals and mystical mosaics. “But you loved him when you did not know?”
“I thought I did,” Frisha said as she straightened. “At least, for a while. Now, I think I was in love with a fantasy.”
Lecillia placed her hand on Frisha’s shoulder. She said, “I have spent much time dealing with the squabbles and backstabbing at court, with kings and generals—with the Rez, and I have some understanding of how these people think. There was no reason for you to be in that room.”
“Because a lady cannot be alone …”
“No, I am fairly certain your Rezkin knew who I was before calling us there. He at least had an idea, and he knew your presence was not necessary. Hers would have been enough,” she said with a nod toward Yserria. “He asked you there because he wanted you to bear witness, to hear it from the source. He wanted you to know who he is. I promise you, the Rez does not part with that information lightly. The people who know him die—usually before they realize what they know. It is part of their rules. Anyone who was in that room is someone he trusts, someone for whom he cares.” She paused and then added, “Or, he is trying to root out a spy.”
Smiling sadly, she said, “I cannot say that I know my son—any of them, truly. I was closest with Thresson. He was a sweet child, sensitive. When he was young, I tried to protect him, but it often made things worse. I hated the idea of being parted from him, but I asked Bordran to send him away where he would not be bullied by his older brother. Bordran said he could not trust the dukes. We might have gone with Wellinven, but my husband said it would show favor. Caydean was our problem, and I am afraid Thresson paid the price.” With a despondent sigh, she said, “Now Caydean is everyone’s problem. Perhaps Rezkin is right to mistrust me.”