The Red Wyvern - Katharine Kerr [68]
The silence grew. Lilli felt that she could hear her own breathing, ragged in her chest. At last Degwa looked up.
“I’d have peace between us,” Degwa said.
“And so would I.”
When Lilli held out her hand, Degwa took it in a limp clasp, briefly but long enough. Bellyra and Elyssa exchanged an approving nod.
“What I want to know,” the princess said, “is why Oggyn took it upon himself to tell you this.”
Degwa frowned, thinking it through.
“I don’t know,” she said at last. “But he thought she’d be better off locked up somewhere, so the king could bargain with her as a hostage.”
For a moment Lilli nearly did faint. She steadied herself, then slipped off her chair to kneel in front of the princess.
“Please don’t send me back.” She had to force out each word from a trembling throat. “They’d kill me if you did.”
“Of course I won’t, and I shan’t let Maryn do any such thing, either.” Bellyra reached out one hand. “Do get up. I hate it when people kneel to me. Come sit down again. Decci, can’t you see? Oggyn’s got one of his beastly schemes in mind, and he was using you to get at me.”
Degwa blushed scarlet; she tried to speak, then turned and ran out of the room. Lilli rose and flopped into a welcome chair.
“My humble thanks, Your Highness,” Lilli said.
Bellyra dismissed the thanks with a careless wave.
“When it comes to the Wolf clan, Decci never thinks,” Elyssa muttered. “And that man plays her like a harp, I swear it.”
“He’s the bald one with the beard?” Lilli said.
“He is. It always looks to me like his hair slipped off his head and got caught under his chin.”
The princess laughed, then smothered a sudden yawn.
“I’ve really got to lie down and nap,” Bellyra announced. “I’m ever so tired. My ladies, please do as you wish.”
Both Elyssa and Lilli stood and curtsied, then stayed standing while the princess and her servants left the hall.
“I have to go speak to the chief cook,” Elyssa said. “If Nevyn’s coming up to talk with you, you can just wait here for him.”
“My thanks.” Lilli curtsied to her as well. “I shall.”
Nevyn arrived not long after, all good humor, but his smile struck her as dangerous. She considered feigning a headache to get out of this little conversation, but sooner or later, she knew, she would have to face him.
“And a good afternoon to you, Lilli,” Nevyn said.
“And the same to you, my lord. It’s very kind of you to spare time for such as me.”
“Indeed?” He raised one bushy eyebrow. “I was thinking you’d be dreading talking with me.”
Lilli forced a smile.
“Let’s sit down. In the window seat, perhaps? After you, my lady.”
They walked together across the wide room. As Lilli passed it, sunlight fell across the silver casket on its little table nearby. It was a lovely thing, about a foot high, and its two sides rose in curves, so that the lid arched up to fit over them and sweep down again to close in front. All over this curve of silver, roses bloomed—engraved, of course, but so cunningly drawn that they seemed almost real. Only half-thinking, Lilli reached out and ran her fingers over the pattern.
“Oh!” She pulled her hand back fast and rubbed her fingers. They felt as cold as if she’d clutched an icicle.
“What is it, Lilli?” Nevyn said. “What’s so wrong?”
“Naught.” Yet she could not stop the chill that ran down her back and made her tremble. “I, uh, it must be the drafts.”
“Nonsense! What did you feel when you touched the casket?”
Nevyn was watching her with such honest concern that Lilli could no longer think of him as a possible enemy.
“Somewhat evil,” she said. “I don’t know how to describe it, my lord, but somewhat evil and foul dwells inside that thing. The princess should throw it into the sea and be rid of it. You must feel it, too. How can you let her keep it in here?”
“The princess knows about the evil. She’s chosen to guard it rather than let it fall into the hands of those who might use it to harm the prince.”
With a long sigh Lilli sat down on the cushioned window seat.