Revolution (Cartharia Book 2)

by Spencer Reaves McCoy

  Matilyn sighed, "Miss Swin, I know that it's not easy nor fun to be part of this investigation. If I could leave the matter alone, I would. It is my responsibility though as Princess Catherine's personal guard to leave no stone unturned. She nearly died. Do you realize the affect that could have had?"

  "Of course I do," Ra'sha said, "It would have jeopardized the already rather frail alliance between our two kingdoms. Such a thing could have provoked King Sullivan to begin a war with Terifille's King. He would have wanted justice for his daughter and if we could not provide it, it would have turned bloody."

  Matilyn nodded, "Exactly. We have no idea if the attacker will return to attempt to finish what he started. Even if not, we have a duty to see that this matter is solved with expedience."

  Ra'sha considered her for a moment and then sighed, stepping aside so Matilyn could enter the home. She closed the door behind them.

  "What is that you've discovered?" she demanded, as she led Matilyn further into the estate. Unlike the Belmonte estate in Valishna, this home lacked the cold, stony demeanor. Instead there warm colors, a variety of art ranging from nature to man, and comfortable rugs over the hardwood floors.

  Matilyn hesitated.

  "Please," Ra'sha said.

  "We have discovered that despite your father's previous testimony, he was not home when the attack happened," Matilyn said, "He was in the castle."

  "And where does this information come from?" Ra'sha asked.

  Matilyn said, "A reliable source."

  No matter how hard Ra'sha pushed, Matilyn would not reveal the name. The source had been three different children, all under the age of fifteen. The oldest knew Lord Swin personally and the other two had both provided an accurate description of the man in question. All three had spoken to him on the night Catherine had been attacked.

  "So you're saying my father attacked the princess himself?" Ra'sha asked, eyebrow raised inquisitively.

  "I'm not saying anything," Matilyn said, "I merely came to speak to your father about why he felt it necessary to hide his presence in the castle when we first spoke with him."

  "Likely for this exact reason," Ra'sha said, "No doubt it would have thrown even more suspicion on him and on our family. He always thinks of family first. I believe it quite likely that he only meant to protect me from this exact situation."

  Matilyn said, "It was an unwise decision. If he'd been open and honest with us, it might have called for a deeper investigation into what he was doing, but we would have been discreet. Lying, however, suggests that he was covering something up. I intend to find out what."

  Ra'sha eyed her, "How is that you're investigating this?" she asked, "Neither you nor Commander Frien are law enforcement."

  Matilyn blinked, surprised, "I am," she told her, "I'm a Priest."

  "You're a healer, yes," Ra'sha said, "But that does not make you an investigative enforcer."

  "Where I'm from, they are one in the same," Matilyn said, "Our priests were trained to handle investigations, criminal activity, punishments, and a variety of other tasks. We had no need for a separate system of law enforcement."

  Ra'sha shook her head, "So you act as judge, jury, and executioner. How grand."

  Matilyn could sense the sarcasm in her voice. She did her best to ignore it, "We are not executioners."

  "Do you sentence your people?" Ra'sha asked.

  "After careful consideration."

  "Then you are executioners," Ra'sha said firmly.

  Matilyn decided not to argue with her. It would do little good. "I need to speak with your father."

  "You'll have to wait," Ra'sha told her, "He's out of the city for now, on business."

  "Convenient," Matilyn said.

  "Unless you'd like to leave, I would appreciate if you would keep an open mind about my father. There is no reason to assume guilt," Ra'sha said, "You have one lie, likely told to protect a man's family, and no other evidence."

  Matilyn nodded, "You're right. I apologize. That was uncalled for."

  Ra'sha's face softened a little, "I know you are close to Princess Catherine," she said, "I know it must pain you to see her in so much pain and that you only wish to find the party responsible for her injury, but you are on the wrong road."

  "Perhaps," Matilyn agreed. "Does your father know about manipulation?"

  "What?" Ra'sha said, clearly not expecting the question. "How is that relevant?"

  "I'm not at liberty to discuss that," Matilyn said. Both her and Samuel had decided it would be best to keep the fact that the blade was poisoned a secret. Since Terifille did not practice manipulation, it stood to reason that the person who'd attacked Catherine must know of the customs of Lamonte and Arinford and their ability to heal the wounded.

  Ra'sha shrugged, "He knows about it," she said, "Who doesn't? It's an intriguing subject. I've studied it quite a bit myself."

  "Can you manipulate?" Matilyn asked, "In any way? Can your father?"

  "Not that I'm aware of," Ra'sha said, "My father might have decided to learn on his own and not informed me of it, but I doubt that. We are a very open family. We discuss many things, and our own personal scholarly pursuits are often brought up. As for myself, I've never even tried."

  "What of your mother?" Matilyn asked, "And you have a sister, do you not?"

  "Yes," Ra'sha said, "Though she no longer lives at home. She married three years ago. As far as I know, neither of them have ever attempted to manipulate either. It's not a common practice here in Terifille, as I'm sure you're already aware."

  Matilyn nodded. "I am. Can I get the address for your sister?"

  "Is that truly necessary?" Ra'sha asked. "She is not involved. She has not even come to court the last year. She has dedicated herself to the arts and believes that the politics of the castle dampen her talents."

  "Arts?" Matilyn asked, "Was she the one who designed the gardens in your courtyard?"

  Ra'sha blinked and then laughed, "No," she said, "That was me and my father. It's a hobby of ours. Both of us love gardening. It's something we've shared since I was but a small girl."

  "Well, they're beautiful," Matilyn said. "The gardens, I mean."

  "I know what you meant," Ra'sha said, amused. "I appreciate the compliment."

  Matilyn nodded. "Do you have any idea when your father might return from his current venture?"

  "Tomorrow," Ra'sha said.

  "I imagine if he were trying to run, he would have picked a much longer trip to take," Matilyn murmured.

  Ra'sha folded her arms, "You don't believe he's guilty, do you?"

  Matilyn said nothing.

  Ra'sha tipped her head, "Let's go into the library," she suggested, "Where we might talk more openly."

  "As you wish," Matilyn said, gesturing for her to lead the way. When they reached the library, Matilyn was once again overwhelmed. There were bookcases from floor to ceiling that lined the walls, each full of books. She'd never seen such a collection, not even in Sullivan's home.

  The room was decorated with exceptional taste but with comfortability in mind. There were tables, and chairs, and long divans for reading on.

  Perhaps Ra'sha noticed her demeanor changed, because she gave her a small sideways smile, "You like it?"

  "It's very appealing," Matilyn admitted. "Your family has a love of books."

  "Another thing I have in common with my father," Ra'sha said, "Though this is not a collection of his, but a collection of his forefathers. They've been collecting and maintaining this library for well over seven generations. Some of those books are originals, and quite unique."

  "I'm impressed," Matilyn said.

  "Come, lets sit," Ra'sha said. She led Matilyn to one of the couches where they both sat at either end, turned towards each other.

  Matilyn waited for Ra'sha to speak, but the other woman only looked at her. After a few minutes, she realized she was waiting for the same thing. Matilyn awkwardly cleared her throat. "No," she finally said, "I don't believe the
Swin family had anything to do with the attack on Princess Catherine."

  "You have a suspect in mind," Ra'sha assumed.

  Matilyn nodded.

  "Who?" Ra'sha asked.

  Matilyn knew she shouldn't be confiding in her, even if she did have other theories. At least not till she knew the truth. It was nice to have someone to speak with on the matter though. Other than Samuel. They'd discussed theories at length, often talking into the tiny hours of the morning.

  Even as this thought crossed her mind, she heard herself say, "I think the princess planned it."

  Ra'sha stared at her. "The princess?"

  "Catherine can be quite manipulative," Matilyn said, "I've thought about it. She didn't want to marry, at least not at first. She hated the idea of coming here, and coming to court. She certainly hated the idea of Oliver."

  "Perhaps she merely warmed up to him," Ra'sha said. "Besides, what's to dislike? She is the heir to the throne in Lamonte. That would give her control over two kingdoms. Something you claimed people would do much to acquire."

  Matilyn nodded, "I don't know how this could work in her favor," she admitted, "But there are little things. Not many people know this, but Catherine can manipulate. She would have been able to heal the wound."

  "Then why did she not?" Ra'sha asked, nonplussed. "Surely that would have been a giveaway to those who knew of her abilities."

  Despite her earlier reasoning to keep the matter a secret, Matilyn heard herself say,"If she wanted to delay the marriage, she could not risk the wound being healed. There's a poison that was used on the blade. Only someone from Lamonte or Arinford could have known about it."

  "Perhaps your fellow commander is to blame," Ra'sha said.

  "He's not," Matilyn said firmly. "I trust him implicitly."

  Ra'sha shrugged, "As I trust my father and the rest of my family. Yet, we are still under investigation. No, it's alright. I'll leave that off the table for now. What are the other reasons you believe Princess Catherine might be lying?"

  "She spends a lot of time with the prince," Matilyn said, "I know that must seem natural, with their betrothal, but they're often caught whispering in her room. Prince Oliver has looked ill lately, and seems more nervous than usual."

  "You've gone from accusing the wealthiest family in Terifille to accusing the crown prince," Ra'sha said, "You certainly know how to pick your battles."

  "I'm not accusing him," Matilyn said.

  Ra'sha lifted a brow, "It certainly sounds like you believe he might have some involvement in this attack. Some sort of plan with Princess Catherine."

  "They're up to something," Matilyn said, "I'm sure of it."

  "How sure?" Ra'sha asked.

  Matilyn considered this question. She knew she had no real evidence or reasoning to back up her suspicions about the two teenagers -- as Samuel had pointed out time and again -- but yet... there was something.

  "Oliver was there that night," Matilyn said.

  "What?" Ra'sha's eyes opened wider, surprised, "How do you know?"

  "I saw him," Matilyn said grimly. "I didn't seem him in her chambers, but down the hall, turning a corner."

  Ra'sha put a hand to her mouth and then lowered it, "Why have you not said something before now?"

  "I didn't recognize him at first," Matilyn said, "There was just a figure at the end of the hall. Then I had to deal with Princess Catherine. There was no time to chase him down."

  "If he was only a figure, how do you know it was Prince Oliver?" Ra'sha asked.

  "There was something we kept from the public -- even the King himself. The figure was wearing a red cloak. A few evenings ago, I saw Prince Oliver in the same cloak. I know it." Matilyn sighed, "Yet, I have no wish to accuse the prince of treason unless I have solid evidence. This is a most unusual case."

  "Why have you been questioning my family so intensely then?" Ra'sha said, "If you already have suspicion elsewhere?"

  Matilyn shrugged, "I served as a priest for over a year, and I trained for eight. I've been in my fair share of investigations. It's unwise to abandon all possibilities and follow only one. If that trail ends, you're left with the task of picking up the others when they're cold and details have been lost."

  Ra'sha nodded, "I see. Yet, you've decided to share your suspicions with me today. Why is that?"

  "I don't know," Matilyn admitted. "I wasn't intending to. I suppose I owed you an apology for all of the questioning. And it's not over. I'll still need to speak with your father when he returns."

  "Of course," Ra'sha said bitterly. "Wouldn't want to risk it."

  Matilyn nodded. "Since he's not here, I should be heading back to the castle. There are a number of things I still have to do before I swap shifts to guard the princess."

  "Can I escort you?" Ra'sha asked.

  Matilyn hesitated and then shrugged. "Why not?"

  When Matilyn returned to her chambers that night it was to find Lynelli Sparn waiting for her. The younger woman's blond curls hung in soft ringlets around her shoulders and she wore a tight camisole that not only pushed up but displayed her bosom.

  She was holding a half-empty bottle of wine.

  "Matilyn," she said, batting her eyelashes. They were darkened, accenting her eyes. Matilyn remembered now how she'd fallen into bed with the girl. Those eyes were a deep, vibrant green that one could almost get lost in.

  "What are you doing here, Lynelli?" Matilyn asked.

  "I heard you'd be staying in court a while longer," Lynelli said.

  "I'm heading an investigation about something that occurred here in the castle," Matilyn said. "It's taking a considerate amount of time."

  Lynelli nodded, "I heard all about it. The princess being attacked, the investigation of the Swin family... you must be so exhausted. And stressed."

  Matilyn nodded. "I am," she admitted. She tried to step around Lynelli and into her chambers but Lynelli grabbed her arm.

  "We didn't leave off on a very happy note," Lynelli said.

  Matilyn really didn't want to have this conversation but she couldn't think of a way to avoid it either. Besides, part of her knew she owed it to this woman -- this girl. She'd broken her heart, after all.

  "I know," she said, "I'm really sorry about that, Lynelli. I never meant to hurt you."

  "You did, though," Lynelli said, "See, what we were doing, I thought that was something special."

  "It was," Matilyn said.

  "And then you ended it, just like that," Lynelli said, "You got out of my bed and left and never said a real word to me after. Was it all just pretend? Were you ever really planning for me to leave with you?"

  Matilyn thought back to all the times she'd shared Lynelli's bed, all of the times she'd worked with her on her swordsmanship, and all of the times they'd talked about serving together in the war.

  "I wanted you to," Matilyn said, though she knew it wasn't the same thing.

  Perhaps Lynelli realized it too, because her eyes suddenly filled with tears, "Sure," she said, "You wanted me to go with you. That's why we slept together."

  "Lynelli," Matilyn said softly, "I wasn't trying to use you."

  "I know I was stupid and naive," Lynelli thought, "I know that, but I really did think you cared about me."

  Matilyn sighed, "I did care," she said, "I did. Just not in the way that you wanted. I can't care that way."

  Lynelli glared at her, one tear spilling down her cheek, "Why not?" she demanded, "What's so wrong with me?"

  "It's not you," Matilyn immediately said.

  "Right," Lynelli said, "It's you, right?"

  "Listen, Lynelli, I was in a relationship, a long relationship with a woman that I'm still very much in love with. It didn't end well. I'm still trying to get over that," Matilyn said, but suddenly the excuse didn't sound very reasonable. Penny was the furthest thing from her mind.

  Lynelli shook her head, "Sure you are."

  "I am," Matilyn said. "I'm really sorry about the way things worked out."

>   Lynelli shrugged her shoulders, "Things happen for a reason, right? Perhaps this was our stumbling point. But Mattie, you're staying. We have time to be together still. Then we can ship to war together, just like we planned."

  Perhaps it was the use of her nickname, a nickname she'd left behind almost two years back, but Matilyn was suddenly furious, "No," she said, "We can't. Things aren't going back to how they were, Lynelli. Don't you get that?"

  "I just thought... well... maybe I could come in, just for the night," Lynelli said. She held up the bottle of wine, "I thought we could share this. I've already started, but we can still share what's left."

  "No," Matilyn said again, this time more loudly, "I'm not interested."

  Lynelli's face fell, "Oh."

  Just as suddenly as her fury had come, so did shame. She could have handled the rejection a lot better. "Lynelli."

  "You're a cold woman," Lynelli said.

  "I'm not," Matilyn said, but suddenly she wondered. Was she cold? Hadn't she been using this girl for distraction? Entertainment? She felt sick to her stomach. "I'm not a cold person."

  "Sure you are," Lynelli said, "You're so obsessed with winning Richard Sullivan's war that you forgot how to be a decent person."

  Matilyn felt like she'd been slapped. "That's not true," she whispered.

  "When was the last time you had someone you truly cared about?" Lynelli asked. "When was the last time you confided in someone? You haven't. You can't."

  Matilyn thought of Ra'sha then, and the confessions she'd made earlier. She didn't think it was the right time to bring it up, though, and what did it matter? That wasn't the sort of confidence Lynelli was talking about. Why was she thinking about Ra'sha right now anyway?

  She needed to clear her head. "I need to go to bed," she said thickly.

  "Sure," Lynelli said, "Sure you do. Big day tomorrow, right? More investigations? More guarding of the precious princess? You think you're important, don't you?"

  Matilyn didn't answer that question but it was true. She did think she was important. Hadn't she thought that earlier, standing in the gardens of Ra'sha's home? She was a commander, after all. It wasn't a title she'd won easily. She worked hard for her position.