Persuasion of Deceit by Antonia Kane

Author:Antonia Kane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SR Press

Raven didn’t see the King for the rest of the day. He wasn’t in his room when she had brought lunch or dinner, which he had requested be delivered instead of coming to the Great Hall.

She had one final chance to run into him when she retrieved the dinner tray at the end of the evening, but he wasn’t there. Relief washed over her like a bucket of water. She had had enough interaction with the King that morning and was not eager for a repeat. She picked up the tray, feeling lighter, and was almost to the door when she heard the laugh, deep and genuine, coming from beyond the closed bedroom door. She took a moment trying to recall if she had ever heard him laugh; she couldn’t remember once. The sound was closely followed by a female giggle that she recognized; her stomach bottomed out. It made her uneasy that Esrae was so comfortable with the King. Or maybe she was a much better actor than anyone had given her credit for. Low muffled voices continued, followed by a louder laugh from Esrae. Raven pulled the door open and moved from the room as quickly as her feet would carry her.

She left the tray in the kitchens and climbed the many stairs to her room. She stifled a yawn as she passed two servants in blue sashes. Her mind was a constant hive of thoughts, and it made her feel even more tired.

She stepped into her dark room, locking the door behind her. Even the moon wasn’t shining, so she crossed the familiar space and lit the candle on the bedside table. The flame flared to life with a hiss before settling into a soft dance. She turned and shrieked, though the sound was quickly silenced by the large hand that went over her mouth.

“Shhh!” Kanan hissed as she stepped back. “You’ll draw the guards.”

“If there are guards up here, they have other things on their minds.” She reached out and slapped his arm. “You scared me to death!”

“I’m sorry.” His sheepish smile quickly turned serious. “I had to see you. After… I thought it was you.”

She took his hand, pulling him over to sit beside her on the bed. She waited for him to continue.

His gaze roamed over her face and he squeezed her hand. “The King sent for us. Specifically for Logan and his new recruits. I heard the messenger tell another servant that they’d caught the person responsible for poisoning the wine,” he paused. “I’ve never been so scared, Raven. I was sure it was you. I wanted to crawl out of my skin and find you. I couldn’t talk to Logan, he was too far ahead. I couldn’t breathe.”

Kanan drew in a ragged breath. “When we got to where they were keeping the prisoner, I thought I was going to pass out. Then we walked into the room and I saw him.” His voice cracked and he dropped his head. “I was so relieved.

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