Page 45 of In Rising Tides

Drystan was more wicked than she’d ever given him credit for. He had been smart enough to play right into her assumptions about him and use them against her.

Lyra blinked, and when she opened her eyes, she saw him in a new light.

His shoulders stretched wide as he waited for his plans to unfold. He wasn’t expecting anything but his will to be obeyed.

That should have told her everything she needed to know about the outcome of this meeting.

Lyra had crossed the threshold and into certain defeat.

“I donotdeny her claims.”

His words were met with an angry silence.

Outrage and betrayal played across the faces of the princes.

Caspian returned to his position in the semicircle, keeping his hands on his hips.

“You entered into a bargain with our enemy? While we were led to believe King Auris was behind her disappearance?” He jerked his chin towards Lyra.

Drystan spread his arms. “There are too many rumors afloat. I made no claim to any. It was Aegir who wove those tales.”

Lyra tilted her head at that name.

Aegir?

“If that is the truth, such a decision should have been brought before the council,” Lir said, with a flash of sharp teeth. “That would have changed the outcome of many things.”

“Would it?” Drystan rose to his full height. “I seem to recall you all willing to go to war before those rumors had even come to pass. Besides, I had enacted those plans long before we sought a coup.”

Lyra’s mind spun.

What outcome had that deceit wrought?

And how long had he been planning this?

And why?

“Decisions of that magnitude demand a discussion,” Rigel added with a shake of his finger. “It is thereasona council is in place.”

“My apologies,” Drystan drawled, looking rather bored. “Like I said, Lyra’s kidnapping was planned before our rise to power.”

Rigel shifted, and the light gleaming off his pearlescent tail shifted the color into a rainbow. “We shouldn’t even be having a meeting now while we’re not a full council.”

His words were laced with venom.

The council would not take lightly to Drystan’s deceit, but they wouldn’t be taking her side now either.

Lyra felt her hold wither away.

She had no voice here, no power, nothing to use to sway them to her side.

She was trapped.

“We’re overlooking critical information. If you made a deal with the High King, then why were you so adamant that she be returned? Was that not part of your arrangement?” Ishmael asked, his brow raising high on his forehead.

Drystan nodded, and Lyra could see his expression change from one of placidity to rage.

“That was my next point of discussion.” He frowned, and his brows tugged together. “The High King has offended our kingdom by keeping our princess beyond the terms of the agreement. He put her life in jeopardy, and now they think they have some sort of claim on her. They’ve sworn to track her down and retrieve her.”