Chapter 77 The sun-kissed pears

Chapter 77 The sun-kissed pears


"Elowyn." Freya's hands tightened on her stomach. "I shouldn't have fallen for her schemes. I know now that she is only concerned with whatever benefits her." She looked at me. "She doesn't care about my child. She doesn't care about me. She only cares about power. And she'll destroy anyone who gets in her way."

"You're just now realizing this?"

"I've known it for a long time. I just didn't want to admit it." Freya's voice cracked. "I've been her pawn for a while. And now..." She swallowed. "Now I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Of her. Of what she'll do when she realizes I'm no longer useful to her." Freya leaned forward. "Of what she will do when she realizes she can no longer bend me to her will."

"You should have come to me sooner," I said.

"I was afraid. I am still afraid." Freya reached out, her hand hovering near mine. "But I'm more afraid of what will happen if I let her continue to manipulate me. For my child's sake. For yours."

I studied her. The fear in her eyes was real. The trembling in her hands was real. But I had been fooled before, by Elowyn, by the court and by my own desperate hope. I refused to be fooled again. 

"How do I know this isn't another trap? What if you and Elowyn concocted this plan?" 

"You don't." Freya withdrew her hand. "You'll have to trust me. Or not. But I'm telling you the truth, Your Majesty."

\-———————

I didn't sleep well that night.

The next morning, Sera came to me with a report.

"Something strange happened last night," she said, her voice low. "A delivery was made to Lady Freya's chambers. A basket of fruit rare and expensive fruits."

"What kind of fruit?"

"Sun-kissed pears from the southern orchards. The kind that only grow in the royal greenhouses." Sera paused. "The thing is, Your Majesty, the delivery didn't come from the kitchens. The head cook had no record of it. And the servant who brought it wasn't one of the regular palace staff."

I went very still. "Who was the servant?"

"Unknown. The guards at the east wing didn't recognize him. But they let him through because he had a valid palace seal." Sera met my eyes. "A seal that belongs to you. He claimed you were the one who sent the pears to lady Freya."

My blood ran cold. "Where is the basket now?"

"It just reached Lady Freyas chambers, but she is still asleep, her servants haven't alerted her yet."

"Good."

I rose and began to pace. My shadows curled around my ankles, agitated. "Sun-kissed pears. They're a real delicacy. But why..." I stopped. "They used my royal seal. The pears must be poisoned."

Sera's face went pale. "You think the pears are poisoned?"

"I think someone is trying to frame me for poisoning or attempting to poison Lady Freya." I turned to her. "Have the basket brought to me. Immediately. I want to examine it before anyone else knows it exists."

\-————————

The basket was beautiful.

Woven from pale wicker, lined with silk. The pears gleamed like golden teardrops, their skins flawless. They looked delicious.

But when I held one to the light, I saw it. A faint residue on the skin, not visible to the naked eye, but detectable to my shadow-senses. A fine powder, white powder coated it. 

Poison.

"How bad?" Liriel asked.

"Bad enough. If Freya had eaten even one of these, she would have lost the child within hours. Maybe worse." I set the pear back in the basket. "Whoever sent this intended to kill."

"And frame you for it," Sera added. "If Lady Freya had miscarried, if she'd died, there would have been an investigation. And the only person with an obvious motive would be..."

"Me." I laughed coldly. "Elowyn isn't just trying to destroy my marriage. She's trying to frame me for murder."

"Can we prove it?" Liriel asked.

"The seal on the delivery was from my household. Someone must have stolen our seal. Any servant could have stolen a seal. Any enemy could have forged one." I shook my head. "The servant also has no record of serving in the palace and has long absconded. We need to confront Elowyn. Privately. See how she reacts."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Thalia asked.

"No. But I'm doing it anyway."

\-————-

I found Elowyn in her chambers.

She was sitting at her vanity, brushing her golden hair, when I entered without knocking. Her expression flickered, surprise, then irritation and then, a sly smile. 

"Nyx." She set down the brush. "To what do I owe this intrusion?"

"The basket of pears you sent to Lady Freya."

Her expression didn't change. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The pears. From the royal greenhouses. Delivered  by a servant with my household's seal." I stepped closer. "The pears that were coated in a poison strong enough to kill a pregnant woman and her unborn child."

Elowyn's mask slipped, just for a moment. I saw it, a flicker of something almost gleeful. Then it was gone, replaced by an expression of wounded innocence.

"That is a terrible accusation." She rose from the vanity. "I would never harm Lady Freya. She's carrying my nephew."

"I never said the poison was meant for Freya specifically. But you assumed it was."

"Because you said the pears were sent to her chambers. Where else would they be meant? Is there any other pregnant woman in the palace?" Elowyn crossed her arms. "I don't know anything about any pears. I didn't send any delivery. And I certainly didn't poison anyone."

"The seal 

"Seals can be stolen. Servants can be bribed. Enemies can be paid to lie." She tilted her head. "You of all people should know how easily evidence can be fabricated. The real question is why do you think I had a hand in it." 

"I know how easily you fabricate schemes Elowyn, this is not your first. This one has your signature all over it."

"Does it? Or are you simply looking for someone to blame for your own failings?" Elowyn smiled her blade-velvet smile. "You're paranoid, Nyx. The pressure of being Queen Consort is getting to you. Maybe you should take another trip to Hel. Clear your head again."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Pity."

We stood facing each other, the air between us crackling with tension. I could feel the truth hovering just out of reach. She had done it. I knew she had done it. But I couldn't prove it.

"Stay away from Lady Freya," I said. "Stay away from her chambers. Stay away from her child. If anything happens to her, anything at all, I will make sure everyone in this court knows exactly who you really are."

Elowyn's smile widened. "That's not a threat. That's a promise."

"It's both."

I turned and walked out before I could do something I would regret.

\-————————-

That night, I told Cardan.

We were lying in his bed, tangled in the sheets, the Nightbloom casting its soft violet glow across the room. I had debated whether to tell him at all. he had enough to worry about, enough weight on his shoulders. But secrets between us had caused too much damage already.

"The pears were poisoned," I said. "I examined them myself. If Freya had eaten them, she would have lost the child."

Cardan went very still. "How do you know?"

"My shadow-senses detected the residue. A compound derived from sun-kissed pear seeds. Highly concentrated. Fatal to pregnant women in the early stages."

"Who sent them?"

"The delivery bore my seal. But I strongly believe Elowyn had a hand in this."

He sat up. "Elowyn."

"I confronted her. She denied it."

"Of course she denied it."

"I know she did it, Cardan. I could see it in her eyes. She was lying."

He was quiet for a long moment. Then: "Could it have been someone else? Someone trying to frame you?"