Escape to the Sea (Tangled Hearts #1)

Chapter 26 Fallout

Ephraim

The Jade Room is one of my least favorite parlors in Vetro Di Mare. I think it’s because the walls remind me of pea soup. It also happens to be where my uncle typically requests my presence. I’ve always bristled at that, I think. For him to decide where in my estate he’d like to meet me.

Still, I wait out in the hall for him as he finishes his briefing with the crownsguard. Dominic has an extensive file that he’s put together with statements from myself, my two carriage men, and, unbelievably, from Tommy.

Knowing what I do about the scoundrel, I can only imagine what wild nonsense he must have come up with. The thought of it makes me warm in a way I can only describe as wicked.

The door opens and my uncle beckons me inside. He looks tired, his brown eyes sunken, his usual crisp appearance more haggard than usual. It makes me feel a little better, knowing he's been worried.

“Ephraim, I hear you are well? Is that so? Shall I call for the cleric?”

“I’m as well as I can be, Uncle, but thank you for asking. It has been quite a tenday.”

At that, he gives a small nod before leading the way into the parlor, towards the large table that dominates the room.

The servants come after us in a few moments, starting to wheel in tea, biscuits, and some savory scones. Tristan starts to move towards the head of the table, but some perverse, petty part of me skips in front of him and puts myself there instead.

Perhaps Atrea has rubbed off on me more than I thought.

Tristan pauses, but only for a moment before, sitting down to my right. “When we heard that your carriage had been ambushed, it sent the whole court into shock.”

“The whole court? It doesn’t seem like the whole of court was too bothered. Well, hopefully it doesn’t destabilize the empire,” I chuckle.

Tristan looks up at me from his place and pulls his teacup towards him, not saying a word. The servant starts to pour mine, but I stop her. “It’s okay, I can handle it,” I say, and dismiss her. The rest of the servants follow, leaving my uncle and I alone.

He stirs a lump of sugar into his tea slowly. “According to the crownsguard, you went on quite the little adventure through the woods.”

Something in me ticks. “Yes, watching my footmen be struck with crossbow bolts and my life being threatened on multiple occasions was quite the ‘little adventure’.”

My uncle seems unfazed as he continues, “I am curious, Ephraim, because there are places where your story and what the footmen say don’t add up. And based on what the prisoner told us, if there is anything of merit in that whole rag, it seems as if this was not a… fast trip. You were actually in the woods for longer than it would have taken to crawl home. What happened?”

“Honestly, Uncle, it was such a blur that it’s hard for me to remember.”

He gives me a kindly smile, and a shake of his head. “That may work on the guards. But it won’t work on me. Your mind hasn’t failed you a day in your life, Ephraim, and I doubt it will during this experience either. Now, if we want this prisoner to hang properly, you will need to be more forthcoming with your recollection.”

The mention of hanging sends my blood boiling. “He will not be hanged. Tommy saved me from a group of mercenaries who knocked over my carriage. Do I admit that he should have set me back on my way to the city? Probably. But to be quite honest, Uncle, I think he was truly trying to lead me that way and got horribly lost. He has a terrible sense of direction, the likes of which I’ve never seen.”

Tristan takes a long sip from his tea, with dry disdain. “I’m so glad you are so kind to this criminal who kidnapped you. He’s from Yaventown, is he not? How do you know he wasn’t in on it? That his haplessness wasn’t an act?”

“Ask him about bugs. I don’t think he would spend any more time in the woods than he absolutely had to. No, I don’t think, in the end, that he was working for any of them. It seemed like he had some debt to settle.” I pause, trying to go back through the jumble of memories. “He didn’t like them and they didn’t like him.”

Tristan stares at me for a moment and then waves his hand dismissively. “They’re thugs and cutthroats from the Trunk—this is how they are with each other. You will correct your report to the truth and submit it to the crownsguard by the end of the evening.”

I frown. “The truth of what, Uncle?”

He gives me a level look. “That this thug kidnapped you and intentionally delivered you into the hands of this so-called Dozen. And that you managed to escape.”

“So lie? Absolutely not. Tommy is a good man, not a thug.” I raise my chin defiantly. “I’ve already given my verbal and written statements. I can only hope that the real masterminds behind this robbery are apprehended quickly, and the brigands brought to justice.”

Tristan’s sits back casually. “Yes, those brigands, including ‘Tommy.’ I was thinking about what possible reasons they might have for taking special and particular interest in your carriage. Merchants cross the road to Vinitore all the time, and I don’t think there has been much noise about a rise in crime on that street.”

I sip my tea, thinking. “On the contrary, I’ve heard rumors of the opposite. Perhaps they saw me as a symbol of their misfortune. I know that occasionally the Aurelians’ ideas and opinions are not always,… well… they don’t seem to take the common person in mind. The last Linklater plan to raise taxes on basic goods, for example.”

Tristan waves that off as he reaches for one of the smaller biscuits. “We have no business in the running of Yaventown, no matter how distasteful some of their policies are.”

“But Yaventown is supposed to be the crown of the empire. What the Linklaters do, in our capital, affects all of us,” I protest.

“Ephraim, we cannot interfere with the imperial family. We are on thin ice as it stands. Your father did nothing to—”

“My father did what was right . He always did!” I reply hotly.

Tristan’s gaze hardens, his fist curling on the table. “Everyone in this damned branch is quick to forget that we were barely spared the axe when we were deposed as the imperial branch!”

“That was centuries ago—”

“—and still fresh in their minds, believe me! We have our estates, our power, our positioning because they grant it. Something your father didn’t understand, but I do. I have worked incredibly hard to keep our family’s position, to keep us safe .”

His words rattle in my mind as I sit back in my chair. I know that, of course, he works to keep us all safe. Guilt creeps into my chest. “I understand, Uncle.”

He takes a slow, steadying breath, hand flexing open and closed. “Do you? Because you must, in order to become primary. It is of the utmost importance we smooth this all over. So.” He finishes his tea and sets the cup aside. “Return the necklace to me.”

“No.” The words are out of my mouth before I can think, but I know they’re the right ones. “No,” I repeat, with emphasis. “The necklace is mine by right, and I never gave consent for it to be given away.”

Tristan scoffs, rolling his eyes in exasperation, and I am immediately transported back to the days of my youth, sneaking in and then getting scolded by him and my father. “Ephraim, do you have any idea how many issues I handle for you? There were at least five to ten years where the concept of political networking held absolutely no interest for you. If I had brought this up at any other point, you probably would have waved me off and told me that it was my business as regent. So, I used my best judgment, and I will continue to do so until the Branch decides you are ready to become Primary.”

“Well good! Because I’m of age, so it’s time soon, is it not?”

My uncle sips his tea and sits back with a long sigh. “That is for the branch to decide. And you make yourself a difficult case in the current circumstances. The Faesari are sending letters and correspondence every day, asking for their artifact back.”

He turns to me more fully, his face fighting to keep controlled and patient. “If you wish to finally start assuming more responsibility, the first order of business is to return the necklace to me. Who knows? Perhaps this can be the key to seeing your mother.”

“No, I will not.”

Tristan’s mouth downturns. “Pardon?”

I raise my chin and sit a little straighter. “The necklace, legally, is mine. I know how to use it, and it will be useless to anyone else for quite some time. If she wants to retrieve it, then she can come personally and get it. Otherwise, I will presume her dead and as such it will stay with my own collection of jewels.”

“Oh, Ephraim. This is absurd!” he says, rubbing at his temples.

“Absurd it may be. Perhaps we can revisit it at a later time. Today? The answer is no.”

His face turns into that downward frown of disapproval, his brows coming together. “You will answer for your cloak and dagger nonsense. Even if you do hold onto this necklace for now. It is completely irresponsible for you to steal from your own family.”

I try not to let the complete and total irony of that statement infuriate me, and simply take a scone. “Of course, Uncle. Now… It’s time we switched roles. I’d like to know where the investigation over my kidnapping is at, and Tommy’s current status.”

As I pull out my notebook, Tristan waves his hand dismissively at me. “There will be time for that later.”

“No, I think we’re out of time,” I say. “Someone tried to kill me, and it’s a direct result of how they’re running things in the Crown. I do not intend to let the same thing happen to anyone else. So, I need to start having a better hand in decision making.”

Tristan stares at me for some time, and then sighs. “I think you are still under some duress, to be quite honest, dear nephew. Clearly you need more rest. I shall handle the matter of your kidnapping, as I always do for such matters.”

“I really must protest, Uncle. This had to have gone beyond wanting the necklace—the highway robbers didn’t even know I was an Aurelian noble until they began rummaging through my garments, and—”

Tristan holds up a hand to silence me. “I told you; I’m working on it. Clearly, you’re too close to the situation to have good sense and reason to deal with the matter. The investigation is underway as we speak.” He sips his tea and that, it seems, is that.

“Well… then we must speak of the prisoner, the Karstian. He helped me in the forest. I will not see him hang.”

My uncle may be keeping the investigation close to his chest and won’t agree with me on my mother’s necklace. But I have to win the day to keep Tommy from the hangman’s noose. If I can’t do that, then what sort of liege lord am I?