The Forsaken Throne (Kingfountain #6)(26)

Trynne motioned for the couch and the chairs and they all took seats near one another. She watched Fallon closely for any sign of deception, but while he looked haggard and weary, he did not look guilty. There was a determination in his countenance she’d never seen before. A settled aura, one that spoke of his strong will.

He rested his elbows on his knees. “I’ve known for some time now that Morwenna deliberately betrayed the king. I’ve kept that knowledge secret from everyone except my sister. Morwenna has abducted her and hidden her in Marshaw, disguised as herself so that she won’t be believed. I’ve put in motion orders to set her free and bring her to Dundrennan. They say you took Kate, Trynne. Is that true?”

She nodded. “She’s here, but she’s very sick.”

Fallon’s look darkened. “I hope I’m not too late to save her. Let this part of the story be quick. I’ve been training with the Espion for several years. You knew this. But I’ve also trained in secret to be a poisoner. Morwenna has been teaching me.” He tapped his fingers together. “I think I can help Kate. I hope I can help her.”

As if seeing the question in her eyes, he explained, “The main reason I wanted to study those dark arts was because of my interest in the properties of nightshade. Under a certain dosage, it can make the victim reveal what they know without leaving them the memory of unburdening themselves. Too much, and it’s fatal. I’ve used it on Morwenna to learn about the scale of her plot to take over Kingfountain. Actually, her ambition doesn’t end with this land.” He pressed his palms together. “Morwenna is a hetaera.”

Trynne looked at him in confusion. “What is that?”

“They are like poisoners, but they are from another world. They have powerful magic. You have no idea how powerful, Trynne. They have these medallions that can be used to manipulate a person’s emotions. They can cause fear. Jealousy. Just about any emotion you can imagine, but more strongly, more powerfully than what is normal. They can even make a man fall in love.”

He tilted his head to one side. “Or hate. The king doesn’t realize that his sister is pretending to be his wife. Until now, she was maneuvering in the background, but she has begun to execute her plan. She poisoned Kevan Amrein so she could offer me the position she knows I’ve always wanted. But in order to claim the full powers of the hetaera, she needed to betray the one she loves.” His eyes were dark. “Me. She didn’t think I was aware of what she was doing.

She won’t remember telling me because of the nightshade. She gave me this—her medallion. It’s called a kystrel.”

He reached into his pocket and withdrew the medallion. It was round with a whorl-shaped pattern on the tarnished silver face. The chain attached to it dangled from his hand.

“I haven’t worn it. I will never wear it. If I did, she would be able to control my actions. All part of the great betrayal, you see. She got it from that other world. She’s gone there many times with your father’s ring. I would not have been able to take the kystrel off on my own. Someone else would have had to break the chain and tug it off me. I’m telling you all of this because the place where we’re going is overrun by the hetaera. Civilization is collapsing, and they are about to annihilate themselves in war and plague.”

As Fallon spoke, Trynne had felt a few buds of hope bloom inside her, but his last comment caught her completely off guard.

“What do you mean, where we are going?”

He stuffed the medallion back into his pocket. “The passage to this other world is here in Brythonica. In the grove. For some reason, Trynne, you are immune to the hetaera’s magic. You and those who are near you. Your father was also immune, which is why I think he’s still alive. I can’t do this alone, Trynne. I need your help.”

Fallon’s gaze was intense and serious. “I’ve been trying to solve this puzzle for a long time. I had all the clues, and the nightshade finally enticed Morwenna to put the final pieces in place. Morwenna stole your father’s ring. She learned about it from a story in an ancient book called The Hidden Vulgate. It is a book of magic she found in the poisoner school in Pisan. It tells the story of Owain, the man who married the Lady of the Fountain. That story spoke of a pathway to another world—the world the original King Andrew was taken to when he was mortally wounded by his bastard son.” He rubbed his chin. “If we don’t stop Morwenna, that story will repeat itself, Trynne. The king will die. But we can stop her together.

Please.”

Her heart welled with gratitude for him. But she also realized that if she left Brythonica, there would be no one to maintain the wards that protected the duchy from drowning. She had been trusted to safeguard her people. But she had also sworn an oath to herself to save her father. What was the right choice?

Fallon straightened and shrugged his shoulders, looking at Staeli. “Well, Captain? What do you think? Have I made this all up?

You know,” he said with raw emotion in his voice, “that I would give my life for hers. That I would never let anyone hurt her or harm her family. Not knowingly. I’ve kept silent to preserve the secret. Only my sister knew. If she were here, she would vouch for what I’ve done.”

Staeli’s brow was furrowed with suspicion. “And you know what I’d do to you if you ever did harm her.”

“I do, Captain. And I would deserve it.” He turned his attention to her. “I told you before, Trynne, that I might do things that seem suspicious. At least you know why now.” He let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair.