196 The Accused

RETH

Reth stared at Brant, but the man still watched Lucine, frowning. "What was your understanding of that evening, please, Lucine?"

"I understood that… that he had chosen me. That I would enter the Rite knowing that he was mine. And leave it as Queen."

The crowd murmured, some chittering, others growling. They all knew what a King's vow meant.

"When I woke after the Rite and I was alone, I didn't understand." There was true emotion in her voice for the first time, and though it twanged at Reth's conscience knowing how confusing and frightening that moment must have been for her, he struggled for pity—or even sympathy. She'd so clearly shown herself a liar—why was no one seeing it? How differently she said these things than she had the earlier statements?

Behryn's fingers dug into the muscle at the base of his neck and Reth had to swallow a growl.