Stars May Fall (Stars May Burn #2)

24. Annabelle

ANNABELLE

H ad I been mistaken to give Venerick the name of Regan Jones? I guessed I was about to find out.

What if Venerick’s investigations had revealed that he was part of my information network and that I was spying on Lyrason? But surely, even if he found out, he wouldn’t see that as so bad. I suspected many nobles had private sources of information, and half the court had to be interested in what Lyrason was up to.

But what would he think of me if it turned out that I’d gotten the boy killed? For the first time, I realized I cared what Venerick thought about me. I hadn’t given his thoughts and feelings much consideration before. But his opinions were thought through and sensitive. I wanted him to approve of me, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

His friendship with Duke James troubled me. But if Venerick could be persuaded to join the fight against Lyrason’s plans, that same friendship might be the key to stopping Lyrason from using the city guard to take Adenburg. It could be the difference between us winning and losing if Lyrason initiated a coup.

But how could I know I could trust him? If he was on Lord Lyrason and Duke James’s side, I couldn’t give him anything he could use against us.

I smoothed down my lacey sapphire skirts and walked into the orangery with a smooth expression. Venerick was waiting for me, sitting on one of the wrought iron chairs and staring off through the open glass doors to the palace gardens. He was always punctual. He had never once kept me waiting.

He was dressed smartly as always, his hairstyle slightly odd and bouncy and his demeanor distant when he wasn’t engaged in conversation. I struggled to believe such an earnest man could have known about the halfsouls and done nothing about them. But how could he miss Duke James’s deliberate gaps in the city guard when they worked together so closely?

He caught sight of me at once and hurried to stand, bowing far deeper than necessary. At least, he was polite. And sweet.

His eyes took me in as he spread his arms. “My dear, you look simply beautiful.”

His words touched me a little deeper today, whereas before they had merely sounded like the expected pleasantries. He truly did seem to find me attractive, and I was glad. “Thank you, Venerick. I thought I would wear the earrings you gave me, and this dress was the perfect color to show them off.”

He pulled out a chair for me, and I settled into it. Venerick cleared his throat and looked around to make sure we were alone. Hetty was standing far back against the wall, as was my regular guard.

He licked his lips. “I did some investigation into Regan Jones and…it is all very odd. I have to ask, Annabelle, and forgive me for doing so, but what is your connection to him? I don’t want you to be ignorant of potential danger.”

I swallowed, goosebumps prickling on my skin. I sat at a crossroads. How much of the truth did I tell Venerick, and how much did I risk? If I hadn’t been so desperate, so scared for my family, I would have never even given him the name in the first place.

Venerick seemed to see something in my face because he reached over and rested his hand over mine. The simple kindness of his gesture made me strangely emotional. I hated feeling emotional. One slip of my expression, and it could cause irreversible damage.

“I have no direct connection with him. We have a mutual acquaintance who he sometimes gives information to in exchange for a few coins like many people who spend time on the streets. My acquaintance said he disappeared and nobody knows what has happened to him. I asked a few questions, but I’m wary of making things worse.”

Venerick gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid it is more common than many realize. People disappear every day in Adenburg.”

I knew this only too well. All those people downtown who were killed by halfsouls only for it to be met by silence. A twinge of anger at the injustice made me frown and look him in the eyes. “But they shouldn’t.”

Venerick’s face appeared very serious as he nodded in agreement. “No. They shouldn’t.”

I swallowed. “What happened to him, Venerick?”

He pulled a sour, uncertain expression. “He went missing outside Lord Lyrason’s house. In all honesty, I suspect Lyrason dispatched of him in some way. I’ve traced quite a few disappearances back to him, especially shortly after his assassination attempt. The man puts down threats very efficiently. And if he thought that boy was spying on him…” He shrugged.

I crossed my arms over my chest, my anger not abating despite my desperate need to control it during this conversation. “If Lyrason is killing people, why has nothing been done about it?”

He watched me for a long moment, taking in my expression. “You don’t have fond feelings for him at all, do you?”

The observation caught me so completely off guard that I sat back in my chair in surprise. Venerick didn’t speak again so I uttered, “No. Everyone knows about his halfsoul experiments. The man is a monster.”

I might have imagined the small smile making Venerick’s lips twitch, but he covered it by raising his teacup. “There is plenty of evidence. I have recorded much of it personally, in case it was needed for future cases. But he is practically untouchable by the law.” He lifted his eyes to mine. “As you have recently seen.”

I couldn’t hide my distaste. “Because he’s rich?”

“No. Because…of your father, Annabelle. He stops any accusations and official investigations in their tracks. He says Lyrason has permission to perform duties that put him outside my jurisdiction.” Venerick was watching me very closely now.

A strange, desperate recklessness spurred me on. “And Duke James keeps his guards away when Lyrason releases halfsouls.”

He winced and stirred his tea. “Unfortunately, I fear that you are right. I wasn’t aware you were following him so closely, especially where many have chosen to turn a blind eye to avoid the king’s displeasure.”

I placed the palms of my hands flat on the table. “It shouldn’t be happening. Lord Lyrason shouldn’t be immune to the law. Father shouldn’t let him do whatever he wishes.”

Venerick nodded, straightening. He almost looked…pleased. He locked his fingers together. “I quite agree that justice should be for everyone. Following a justice system that excludes a wealthy few brings justice for the many into jeopardy. But unfortunately, there’s not always an easy path to ensure the system is fair.”

I focused on his features, observing the passion behind his words, which easily matched my own frustration. He appeared to really care about true justice which was reassuring since I had gone too far to retreat now. “Don’t you wonder why? Don’t you wonder why Father has given Lyrason immunity despite his obvious crimes?”

Venerick leaned forward, his face becoming serious. “People have been killed for asking questions far less direct than that one, my dear.”

I met his eyes. “What hope has a kingdom if everyone is too paralyzed by fear to stand up for what it should be?”

Venerick said nothing for a moment. I half expected him to give me a placating smile that was amused at my naivety and then turn the conversation to more conventional topics. Instead, his expression became more animated. He dropped his voice. “I have an interesting theory, if you wish to hear it. Do you remember when your brother had pneumonia? He was ill for an entire year. And then, his chronic symptoms vanished without any explanation. It was then, that night, that Lyrason became close to the king. He was given land, money, and respect without any obvious reason. I was only ten at the time, but I have always taken an interest when people act in unusual ways. It’s why I went into the justice system. And also, around that time—and even more strange—Eloise Moore appeared at the palace for a night.”

I frowned, listening even closer as his voice fell further for the last sentence. “Who is Eloise Moore?” Noah had mentioned her too, something about owning the kryalcomy workshop before Tyler Gregane.

Venerick looked left and right even though we had been alone the whole time. “It is forbidden to talk about her, and her name has been removed from all records. The queen, your mother, will not stand to acknowledge her existence.”

My mouth dried. “Do you mean she’s Kasten’s mother? My father’s former mistress?”

He nodded.

I shook my head. “It makes no sense for her to have been at the palace. She was banished years before that.”

A small, excited smile twisted his lips, making clear that he was enjoying the mystery. He had a nice smile when it was genuine. “She was. She should have been in Kollenstar. But I saw her in the palace when I was raiding biscuits from the kitchen in the night—wrong of me, I know. I was staying here with my uncle for a week to make ‘intentional friendships’ as he put it, and he never provided me with enough food. At that age I was ravenous all the time. Anyway, the day before, Kasten had been poisoned. He was still very, very sick. At the time, I assumed Eloise Moore had been allowed back from exile to see him before he died, but looking back on that night years later, I realized there was no way she could have arrived that fast after he became ill. Then she vanished again. And Kasten survived.”

I tapped my fingers on the tablecloth, excited to have another source of information. I didn’t remember Kasten being unwell, but we had always been kept apart as children. “Who poisoned him?” I dreaded the answer already.

Venerick shrugged. “It was never proved, and the case was quickly dropped. I’ve read the records of the investigation, and they are brief and inconclusive. I believe Kasten thinks it was the king.” He slowed the last words, again watching my reaction.

How old would Kasten have been? Eleven? Twelve? A month ago, I would have laughed at the suggestion that my father could have done that. Now I really wasn’t sure. My whole world trembled around me full of lies and half-truths.

Kasten had told me our father had tried to kill him many times before. I assumed he was referring to being put in dangerous situations on the battlefield. Poisoning a child was a different matter entirely. Surely Father would never do such a thing?

At last, I dragged in a breath. “So you think Lyrason cured Stirling and thus was granted a reward?” This theory was similar to the one I had discussed with Sophie.

Venerick waggled his eyebrows. “What if Kasten wasn’t poisoned? What if Lord Lyrason had a way to suck out his health and give it to Stirling?”

What a horrific thought. But then why was Kasten nothing like a halfsoul? An earlier version of their haemalcomy maybe? And where did Eloise Moore fit into this?

I suddenly realized Venerick and I were both leaning so far over the table, our faces almost touched. What would the maid and the guard think! Thank goodness we were already engaged!

I sat back and tried to make my face neutral again as if we were talking about the plants in the orangery or the weather. “Who else knows about this?”

Venerick huffed a half-laugh, slowly shaking his head. “You know, I’ve never told anyone before. But I figured you wouldn’t be the one to get my head chopped off by telling either of your parents.”

I saw the light in his warm brown eyes, excitement at finding somebody else to share his musings with. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so alone in this. Sophie and Kasten had been friendly and supportive, but they didn’t live in the palace. They had their own world with different motivations and priorities. Venerick, well, he was in the same world as me. And when he was engaged and passionate, his entire face changed. He was full of so much life and warmth and didn’t seem dreary or boring like his reputation at all.

I kept my expression and voice casual. “I want to stop Lyrason before he harms anyone else.”

Venerick licked his lips then helped himself to a cream cake and matched my casual tone. “That would be very dangerous work, my dear.”

Would Lyrason harm me? He might not kill me, but I had the feeling he could do far worse.

The last of my restraint shattered. I stared at the flowers painted on the teapot. “I’m really scared, Venerick. I used to think I could handle anything that the world threw at me. But I can’t handle this.”

His hand coming to rest on mine was strangely comforting, and my life instantly felt less fragile. His words were slow and careful. I liked the calm softness of his voice. “Maybe this is something I could help you with? We’re meant to be getting to know each other in the run up to the wedding after all.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that emerged. I didn’t think this was entirely what Father had in mind when he’d said that.

Venerick lifted an eyebrow. “Lyrason has sent a message to the king asking for an audience this afternoon. The king canceled all his plans for it, so it must be important.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I stood up at once. Sophie and Kasten would be in the palace at that time too. We could respond immediately to whatever their next move was.

Venerick remained seated, looking up at me with an appraising gaze. “I believe I am finally learning who my bride-to-be is.” The way he said the words was surprisingly tender and somehow grateful. “I’m glad we can learn to work together.”

My rush of excitement suddenly turned shy. Kingdoms, shyness was not something I felt often. I half smiled. “Likewise, Venerick. I would like to hear your speculations and theories more often.” I gave him a small curtsy before hurrying off to get my listening device and change into something I could easily sit on the floor in.