of iron and crowns

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR,

  "IT WASN'T ME," Lady Katharine insisted, her expression set in a deep frown. She was trying to be calm, Io could see it painfully clear. It wasn't working. She was freaking out, nervous, a wreck. If you sliced Lady Katharine open in that moment you'd probably find her organs in a jumble and all tangled up.

  "My lady..." Io let out a sigh. She'd changed before coming in, just in case. Now she wore the black robes of the Intelligence Department, and Rhys was besides her. Judge and executioner. They were missing their jury, who were probably trying to calm the guests outside somewhere. Asteria and the others would come in eventually. Not yet.

  "It was not me. I am being framed–"

  "We overheard you discussing your plans," Rhys cut in, stony faced. "The horse riding. We'd had people there for hours. Found the nail you placed there."

  "What nail?" Lady Katharine asked, shaking her head.  "You said it was poison. It wasn't me."

  "The poison wasn't you," Io agreed with a nod. "The nail, though." She dug into her pocket and took it out. "But you didn't put it there. Someone else did. You never left the range. But clearly your accomplice had. Who are they?"

  Lady Katharine shook her head and hissed, "You said you knew it wasn't me. You're lying. Is that what hospitality the Saians show their guests? I realise I am not well liked, but this is—"

  "You tried to kill our princess. Twice." Io's eyes narrowed into slits. "I think your right to be a guest got revoked the moment you put that nianide in Irina's drink."

  Lady Katharine shook her head again. She was trembling now. "It wasn't me. It wasn't bloody me, by the gods—it wasn't me. You have the wrong person."

  Rhys said, with a soft sigh, "I wish it worked that way. But it doesn't. If it's not you, you'd cooperate. Could you promise to do that, my lady?"

  "Who even are you people?"

  Rhys wasn't wearing her mask. If she was, she'd be instantly recognisable. "I'm an agent," Io deadpanned. "And this, is the Briar of the Iron Wolves. You've met before."

  Lady Katharine stilled. Everyone had heard of the Iron Wolves before, and everyone knew of the Briar, the only female Wolf. But then she started to argue even more strongly than before. "It wasn't me. You have the wrong person. You said–"

   "You were right." Io's smile was all teeth and no cheer. "We lied.  We overheard you, my lady. More specifically, I did. Either way, you're not walking out of here without the proper consequences. You don't need to be all that worried, we'll make sure your reward is swift." Though reward was another lie. Io wasn't quite sure why she said it.

  "I have no idea what you're talking about."

  "Lying, unfortunately, does not help your case."

  Lady Katharine sucked in a breath, which meant she was thinking, which meant she had less chances of making mistakes. "You have no evidence it is me. This is extremely offensive and I'm certain Prince Stephen will not stand—"

  "Prince Stephen agrees," Io lied. "He agrees that since there is evidence for you we ought to question you as we would anyone else. I'd suggest you cooperate, Lady Katharine, we'll get this over with this quicker."

  "There is nothing to get over with. I am being falsely accused with a crime I didn't do, and you are both clearly coming into this biased. Where is justice? Is this Saian hospitality? Is this how you treat your guests? With false accusations and a complete and utter lack of respect?"