“True, you deal with aristos across the Vallas Realm, all who plot, plan, and manoeuvre for more wealth, land or marriage proposals, how do you tell the lies from the truth?”
“My gut mostly. And their eyes. Some will look at you too directly, almost never wavering in their eye contact, daring you to disbelieve them. Whilst the gazes of others flit around the room, never resting, ensuring they are not missing out on a better prospect… or victim.”
“Hmmm.” Perri held aloft the prized scissors, cutting the dangling thread before looking up at Brandth finally, her scarf presenting nothing but an opaque dove grey mask. “It must frustrate you then, not to see my eyes.” She gestured for Brandth to shrug off the material.
Sinking back against another cushion he watched as she resumed her seat across from him, head bent now, all her focus on the blue fabric in her lap.
“I don’t need to see your eyes to know when you’re lying, Perri. Thankfully, you have another tell.”
“Oh?” He had her full attention, her head raised, looking his way.
“You don’t seriously expect me to share that information with you, do you?”
“You have nothing.” She scoffed after a moment.
“Really. Then how about we play a little game? I’ll ask you three questions. At the end of which I’ll advise whether you speak true or false.”
“That sounds too childish by half.”
“Sacred?”
“Of course not.”
Brandth hid a smile at her huffy waspish response. His trap had just snicked closed. “Excellent. Let us begin. First question. Up to this point in your life, what achievement are you most proud of?”
The silence stretched so long Brandth began to doubt Perri was going to participate until finally she issued an exasperated huff, setting aside the fabric she had been working on.
“My medical qualifications.”
“Have you ever left Gloomenthrall for a significant amount of time prior to this point? Say longer than a month?”
“Yes, I have.”
“And lastly, I ask if whatever calls you to the Golden Palace is more important to you than your ego, your pride… or your life?”
“You have a distinct penchant for drama, this trip is nothing but a lark.”
“Let’s see. False. True… False.” He stared at the dove grey blank canvas before him, no expression to help him tell if his guesses were correct. Yet, there was a tightness across Perri’s shoulders and the slightest of flinches when he dropped his opinion on her final statement – false. He had assumed as much, but it was nice to have it confirmed. This trip meant more to Perri than her own life.
“What a ridiculous game.” Perri picked up her current project, bending her head, giving it her full attention, even though the setting sun and that almost opaque barrier she wore would have meant she could barely see what she was doing. Oh, yes, he’d rattled Perri to her very core. Her breathing a little off, too fast.
He was almost sorry for upsetting her. But Brandth despised falseness and secrets. His entire career had been spent ferreting them out and dragging them into the light. Fingers itching to reach over and rip that scarf away from Perri, look into her eyes, gaze upon her visage and… help her.
Damn it, all his instincts were insisting Perri was drowning before his very eyes. Whatever was pulling her to the Palace was clearly dangerous, and more important than her own life. She would take absurd risks he sensed, to achieve her secret objective. In fact, she was just the kind of self-sacrificing martyr that he usually stayed clear of… except it was Perri this time. Waspish. Tart. Kind. Funny. Full-bosomed. Dedicated. Smart. Innately gentle. Perri.
“You know, in my experience, secrets have a way of unravelling at the most inopportune times. They are unwieldy and have a life of their own, dragging you down deeper and deeper.”
“Feel free to unburden yourself, Lord Brandth, I, personally, have no secrets. I am nothing but a simple healer on her way to Pallene to act as chaperone for my sister, Alia.”
“Please, even if you won’t admit the truth out loud, just between the two us, do me the courtesy of not continuing to throw smoke my way. I may not know exactly what you hope to achieve by this visit… but I want you to know that if you ever need my help, you only have to ask.”
“Psshh. You really did miss your calling for the stage. I have told you tirelessly that-”
“Don’t, just don’t. If you can’t speak the truth, at least do not perpetuate the lies. They make my ears all but bleed. I fear you’re about to play a game with players who do nothing but lie, cheat, and pit others against each other for mild amusement. And that is just the bridal candidates and their entourages. Remember, everyone else at the Palace has survived and flourished there and they are generally not welcoming of newcomers. Especially those who they consider unique or different. They cling to the status quo like shipwreck survivors, because in the familiar they know where they stand and how much power they wield.”
“It sounds a terribly fraught place to make one’s home. Is that why you choose to travel most of the year?”
“My home is not at the Palace. I have a lovely villa located an hour’s ride north of Pallene on my family’s estate. But fear not, I shan’t be abandoning you once we reach our destination. This year I intend to remain at Court for all the end of season festivities and bridal candidate parties. You shall not shake me off any time soon.”
