Nightfire | The Whispering Wall #1

Fifty Five: Suspicions

"Search it anyway," the lord said, "there's always a chance..."

He trailed off and scanned the room with a faint frown. Nova realised he was uncertain, and it was understandable but unexpected. The lord was the kind of bullheaded leader who was right even when he was wrong, and uncertainty didn't wear well on him.

Yddris started opening desk drawers. Faellian thrust Nova's chain at her and gestured for her to join in. The Unspoken's aura was also uncharacteristically jittery.

She tried one of the drawers and found it locked. Without a word, Yddris leaned over and produced a thin blade from his sleeve. He twiddled it in the lock for a few seconds until it clicked, and then he drew it open.

"Oh, fuck me," he muttered. He pulled out a dark glass bottle, pulled the cork and sniffed it. "Demonfire."

"Do tell me you're joking," Faellian snapped, stalking forward with his hand out for the bottle. Yddris surrendered as if eager to be rid of it. The lord took one sniff and cursed in what Nova thought was about five different languages.

"There's documents, too," Yddris said. Nova picked them up and scanned them, sensing the reluctance in Yddris's aura.

"They're account summaries," she said, but before she could get further Harkenn snatched them from her hand.

"I should have known." His voice went strangely flat. "Night take the conniving sod."

"Is something the matter?" Ethred's voice made them all stop. He stood in the doorway to the office. Though his face was the picture of surprise, Nova could tell instantly that he had been expecting them.

"A great many things," Faellian said tartly, shaking off his surprise. "Starting with the illegal demonfire production chain this temple has been funding."

Ethred blinked. "I don't know what you mean."

He did. Nova narrowed her eyes. "He's lying, my lord."

"He'd better stop before he finds himself in my cells," Faellian ground out between his teeth. "And by proxy loses his right to the Orthanian seat."

Ethred's face darkened. "And you would take her word for it? Tell me, my lord, where was she at the time Eril was killed?"

"In the dungeons, speaking to the Angel whose presence this temple didn't declare, on my orders," Faellian snapped. "And this line of questioning will only embarrass you. She is watched at all times."

"She has no obvious motive to harm Lord Eril, at any rate," Yddris added.

"Ah, but her people might," Ethred replied, "Disturb the civil order, get in through the cracks. How do you know she's not in contact with anyone?"

"Oh, please."

"You don't know everything, I'm afraid, Faellian," Ethred said. Nova wanted to punch the smug look off his face. "Have you asked her about her involvement with the otherworld girl yet?"

Bastard.

From behind, she saw Faellian stiffen.

"Don't allow the years she's spent with you make you complacent," Ethred said, in a tone of faux concern. "She is Lucifer's niece, after all."

She bit her tongue against the barrage of abuse she wanted to inflict on him and waited for Harkenn to respond. A small part of her whispered 'I told you so', and it was right – she had known this would come one day. She cursed herself for almost believing that it wouldn't.

"I'll bear it in mind," Faellian finally said, voice frigid. "In the meantime, you'll allow us to continue this investigation unhindered and cease pretending that I'm stupid."