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Stars May Fall (Stars May Burn #2) 14. Annabelle 33%
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14. Annabelle

ANNABELLE

F ather normally requested grand lunches in the throne room when he was frustrated or angry. Sometimes I thought it was more about reminding himself of his power than anything else. And the room was indeed grand—three stories tall with stained glass windows that danced thousands of colors across the floor. Today, there was even a quartet playing calming music on the musicians’ balcony.

The massive room made our group of about forty nobles seem small, and the sounds of chairs scraping and cutlery tinkling bounced off the walls with no carpets to muffle the sound. I wished we were dining in one of the normal galleries. This room made it hard for me to think.

I glanced at Kasten, and I could see from his scowl that he disliked this room even more than I did. I suspected he wouldn’t last long before he crept off to sulk somewhere.

Lord Venerick had requested that we sit next to Duke James at the dinner table. I agreed with a smile, even though it made me uncomfortable. I was certain the duke had known about the halfsouls all along, or why would he have kept downtown clear of the city guard on the nights they were released?

What did Venerick know? Had he helped keep the halfsouls hidden? Was he as guilty as Duke James and Father?

I nodded along to Venerick’s comments about the food without really listening before he turned his attention to Duke James. The two discussed a prisoner who was due to be tried next week for theft and murder. The extent of Venerick’s relaxed manner with the head of the city guard only increased my caution.

On the other side of me sat a young noblewoman who I had been slowly befriending to please Father. He had deemed her a good influence and likely to gain strong political connections through marriage, but right now I just wanted a moment to myself.

I concentrated on my cress soup, and my mind strayed back again and again to the conversation I had eavesdropped on between Father and Lord Lyrason. Why did they hate Kasten to the extent they wanted him dead? The man was grumpy and sour, but he’d won many battles. If he’d truly wanted to take the throne for himself, he was more than capable of doing so with the power of the starstone, yet he never had.

Father would tell me to stop worrying about all these things before they overwhelmed me and to concentrate on the work he’d given me. He would say not to take action when I only had half the picture. But my information network wasn’t giving me the other half.

I refused to believe that ignorance was a valid excuse for doing nothing.

I attempted another spoonful of soup, but my stomach roiled in response. The need to shoot something with a crossbow bolt grew. Far down the table, Kasten slunk away, his bowl already empty and a bread roll in one hand. Nobody else seemed to notice. I envied him.

Stirling approached my chair and laid a hand on my shoulder. “Mother asked for us. She’s not feeling well today. She asked if we could come after we’ve eaten as she’s feeling lonely. As if her whole retinue of ladies-in-waiting hasn’t been with her all day. We can go together. Moral support and all that.”

I nodded. “I’m not very hungry anyway.” I patted Venerick’s hand. “Excuse me.”

He stood as I did. “Of course, my dear.” He inclined his head as I left the table then went back to talking to Duke James.

Stirling followed me and sighed. “I meant after dessert, Annabelle, not right this second. But if you’re going now, I’d better go too or I’ll get called lazy.” He grabbed a plate of stuffed olives from a servant’s tray and popped one in his mouth.

I grinned at him. “You are lazy.”

He straightened up at once. “I’ve been working hard all morning in that room preparing for a war , Annabelle. And having to deal with that man...” He waved toward Kasten’s chair before realizing he had already left. Stirling sighed. “Anyway, how could you possibly call me lazy? What have you been doing all morning? Batting your eyelashes at Venerick?”

I snorted. “You’re too easy to tease, Stirling. I’ll only do it more once you’re king, you realize. Didn’t Father always say a king’s most important trait is his humility?”

Stirling scoffed. “I think he’s wrong. I think it’s putting up with annoying people. You’ve already ensured I’m well practiced in that skill.” His expression fell. “Keep away from General Kasten, Annabelle. He’s not a good man. He’s caused our father a headache all morning. He’s always been bad, but I’ve never seen him like this before. He argued against everything . The man is too paranoid to be leading our armies.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. If only he knew how reasonable Kasten’s paranoia was. “I’m quite capable of defeating anyone in that room at conversation, I assure you. And anyway, Venerick was there at my side. Kasten’s always been civil to me.” Mostly.

My mind went back to the words I’d overheard. Lord Lyrason had said he had saved Stirling. I turned back to my brother. “Apart from that time you had pneumonia when you were a child, have you ever been badly ill? Or had any nasty accidents?”

He gave me a strange look. “I’ll never understand how your mind works. I’d like to think you’d remember if I had. It took me ages to recover from my pneumonia, remember? You always teased me when I wasn’t allowed to join in the games you were playing, even though I was older. It drove me mad.” He frowned. “Why ask such a question?”

I shrugged, thinking fast. “It’s just, well, Mother has always been quick to get illnesses and is on the frail side. You were sick as a child.”

Stirling stopped and took my arm, his expression softening. “I’m fine, Annabelle. I’m never ill now. And Mother will be fine too.”

I tried to respond with a smile. Lyrason had claimed to save his life, but how? If Stirling knew this, he was doing a very good job of hiding it. Apart from that single illness when he was a child, Stirling had always been well and wasn’t the sort of person to attempt any risky activities. I couldn’t think about when it might have happened. I was missing so much information.

When we arrived outside of our mother's rooms, Stirling knocked twice and opened the door, waving me through first. I hadn’t visited Mother in the last four days, and I braced myself for a scolding. But she was all smiles.

She held out her hands to me without standing from her couch. “How is my darling daughter? Your father told me you are negotiating with the envoy from Nibawae tomorrow. I’m so proud of you. You must have been busy with preparations. Tell me all about it.”

I smiled in response, but in truth I had been so worried about what Lyrason and Father were up to, I had barely written a few ideas down for the trade route negotiations. And Father had asked that I be seen by his war council every day getting on well with Venerick so our relationship would appear positive and stable.

Mother started coughing, and I immediately went to her side. “How are you feeling?”

She patted her chest. “The physician said I’m getting fluid on my lungs. As you know, my heart isn’t beating as strongly as it could. But I’m starting some new medicine that could help.”

I gripped her hand, feeling guilty that I hadn’t seen her the last few days, even though her heart condition had been a concern for months. “Did you know, I heard that Lady Sophie Batton is very knowledgeable with medications. Maybe we could…”

Mother forced a laugh. “You couldn’t be serious, my dear. The general’s wife? I don’t want him or anyone from his household anywhere near me. He would have me poisoned if he could. If I’d had my way, he would have been banished along with his mother when I arrived here from Cerith. Your poor father lives every day regretting his own kind heart that acknowledged him as his son and let the child stay. That boy has had an unnatural amount of luck in his life.”

I frowned, distracted. “Where was she banished to? Nobody ever talks about her.”

Mother’s face became hard. “Kollenstar? I think? And you're correct, she is not the subject of polite conversation, Annabelle.”

I closed my mouth and decided not to bring it up again. I was never going to change her mind. How did Kasten survive visiting this place? No wonder he spent so much of his time in Kasomere.

“Now, tell me about you and Venerick. I hear the two of you have been spending lots of time together. Have you fallen in love? He has a kind smile. I’ve heard he can be on the boring side, but surely that’s because he’s very clever to do his job.”

I maintained my smile, eager to shut down this direction of conversation. “We’re very happy.”

Mother moved on to Stirling. I had learned at a young age that she only heard what she wanted to hear and it was only ever necessary to answer a small percentage of her questions.

Stirling sat down on her other side as Mother patted his knee. “How is the war council going? Those meetings must be hard for you. Especially with that general there. I don’t know why your father puts up with him, let alone puts him in charge of our armies. He could stab us in the back.”

Stirling gave her his own placating smile. “Don’t worry, Mother. All his orders and plans have to be approved by the king. You know this. He couldn’t turn our armies against us. His regiment is the only one that actually follows him. Well, I suppose he has two regiments to follow him now. But he has a good tactical brain. That’s why he oversees troop maneuverings as a whole.”

Her eyes narrowed at him. “Why are you both taking his side today?”

Stirling took a deep breath but didn’t let his smile fall. “We’re not, Mother. I’m just explaining why you have nothing to worry about.”

She straightened. “Nothing to worry about? I heard he used some horrible, illegal kryalcomy to threaten dear Lyrason.”

I rubbed my forehead. “He said it could only be used once. Even if that’s not true, he hasn’t used it again. If he’d wanted the crown, he could’ve taken it years ago, Mother.”

Stirling nodded quickly. “See? You have nothing to worry about.”

The queen sagged back in her seat, her face twisted in sudden misery. “You both must think me very stupid.”

Stirling and I each took her closest hand in a well-practiced motion. My brother spoke first. “Not at all, Mother. I worry about him sometimes too. But please, the physician said you should focus on resting.”

Mother sat up again. “Where is Clarence? I’ve not seen him all week.”

I shook my head. “He’s barely been at the palace the last fortnight. He spends his time with his friends playing games and hunting.”

Stirling's eyes flicked to mine as he muttered, “And you called me lazy.”

Mother folded her arms. “Well, tell him to come and see me. I can barely keep up with all his activities. He must have time in his busy social life for me.”

I suspected Clarence was actively avoiding her, as he avoided many of his responsibilities, and would continue to do so for as long as possible. Talking to Mother could be draining.

Stirling stood up. “Well, I must get back to the war council, Mother. It is my first one after all.”

I stood too. “And I need to prepare for my negotiations with the envoy.”

Mother didn’t stand but squeezed both our hands, pursing her lips. “My two hardworking, beautiful children. I’m sure you’ll both do an amazing job.”

We both inclined our heads to her before leaving. One good thing about visiting Mother was that she never seemed to care if the visits were short.

I turned to Stirling, fatigue catching up with me. I was glad that my brother was one of the few people I didn’t have to wear a fake smile for. “I’m going to my rooms to prepare for the envoy. I assume you have to go back to that noisy lunch?”

He grimaced. “Yes. Though at least Kasten isn’t there anymore.”

I elbowed him. “Don’t look so gloomy. I know full well that Sir Dejong is there along with several other close friends of yours. Go back to the throne room and relax between meetings.”

He perked up a little, saluted me as if he were a common soldier, and strode back down the hallway. I trudged back to my room, wondering if I could fit in some crossbow practice today. I wanted to release my building frustration, though I should really be focused on the envoys.

As I opened the door to my room, my maid, Hetty, rushed to greet me. “A man is waiting for you, Your Highness. I thought you would want him to remain discreet, so I invited him inside.”

I looked over her shoulder and saw Noah by the fire, wringing his cap in his hands. Hetty took a step back to let me pass.

I closed the door with mounting excitement. Finally, we could be making a move forward.

“Have you found out anything, Noah?”

He bowed. “Forgive me for not coming at my usual time. I wanted to speak to you as quickly as possible.”

His expression was nervous, not excited. My heart sank. “What is it?”

“We were looking into Mister Tyler Gregane as you asked. Apart from his studies at Ilustran University, very little is known about him. He has no recorded place of birth. No family. He inherited his workshop from a Miss Eloise Moore. We started to look into her, thinking she might be his mother, and it’s as if she never existed. The old deeds to the workshop are the only mention of that name with no other record of her anywhere else. We assumed she was also a kryalchemist since she was the previous owner of the workshop, but there’s no mention of her in the university records. We’re wondering if somebody has deliberately wiped out all mention of her.” He looked down, wringing his cap tighter in his hands.

I stepped closed, my trepidation growing. “What happened, Noah?”

“I was the one who visited the university. Most of the people who give me information have no connection to nobility or excuse to be there. I went and said it was palace business. Anyway, an intimidating man stopped me as I was leaving and told me never to look for Eloise Moore again or there would be trouble.”

I frowned. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

He held up his hand. “There’s more.” He hunched his shoulders and looked down again. “The adolescent I asked to watch Lord Lyrason’s house has disappeared.” He met my eyes. “I think we’re in over our heads with this one, Your Highness, messing with things we shouldn’t mess with. What if they’ve killed him? I don’t think we should be asking any more questions about Gregane or Moore.”

I blinked, his words taking a moment to sink in. “Somebody’s disappeared? This boy who was working for you. You can’t find him?”

He nodded. “Nor can his family.”

My mouth dried as my horror grew at what might have happened. “What was he called?”

“Regan Jones. Sixteen years old. His father is a leatherworker near the docks.”

It felt like I was absorbing his name into my very soul.

He shifted. “I should be getting back to work. I think we should lay low for a while, Your Highness. No more questions. The people who give me information are simple but honest folk. They don’t deserve anything bad to happen to them.”

He bowed and left before I could dismiss him. I sat down, shock making my blood go cold. Could I have really just gotten somebody killed by asking them to watch a house?

I had never intended that.

I really thought I could do this. But now I wasn’t sure at all. It felt like the floor was falling out of my world.

And I was very alone.

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