Once Upon a Time (Calluvia's Royalty 3)

“He’s lying,” she said. When Idhron looked at her, she smirked. “Oh, you’re good. I would have totally believed you. Except I have a feeling that what you just said is a load of bullshit and if we believe you, we’ll make a huge mistake.”

On the inside, Rohan breathed out.

“She has a gift for premonition,” Rohan clarified for Idhron. “So shall we try again?”

Idhron’s lips thinned. He was silent for a while, looking between Rohan and Sirri before saying, “What do you want?”

“Stop twisting public opinion against us. That’s our first demand.”

“First? I presume there is a second?”

“You’ll clear our name from the murder of Prince-Consort Mehmer,” Rohan said. “As long as we’re blamed for the murder of a royal, the Council won’t even listen to us. We’ll be arrested on the spot.”

Idhron stared at Rohan for a long moment.

Unease twisted Rohan’s gut, his instincts screaming that something was wrong. He got the strangest feeling that Idhron was in his mind, even though his shields were fully up and undamaged. Frowning, Rohan focused on his shields and the strange feeling disappeared. He must have imagined it.

Idhron smiled. It was a strange, jarring expression that seemed completely out of place on his blank face.

“Very well,” he said, something like cold amusement glinting in his eyes. “Now let my apprentice go.”

“Not so fast,” Warrehn said when the kid tried to free himself. “You aren’t getting him back until you keep your end of the deal.”

Idhron’s expression became stony. “I am not leaving without my apprentice.”

Rohan thought it was sickening how adoringly the boy gazed at his master, as if Idhron’s words meant something besides his unwillingness to keep his end of the deal. Rohan almost felt sorry for the poor kid before remembering Sirri’s words. Eridan was no innocent boy. He was entirely capable of manipulating and tricking people to achieve his means, too.

That didn’t mean the kid couldn’t still be saved if they got him away from Idhron’s influence.

“Sorry, dear, but you understand that we can’t just trust your word,” Sirri said sweetly.

“I can hardly trust you, either,” Idhron said. “How do I know that you will let my apprentice go even if I do as you say?”

“You don’t,” Rohan agreed. “But the difference is, you can’t do anything to us. It’s not in your interests to tell the Council where the rebels’ base is. You don’t want us to be found. That would destroy the social order the High Hronthar spent millennia establishing. If other Calluvians see how much stronger we are, they will be scared. There will likely be war, and Calluvians won’t want to be shackled by their childhood bonds anymore while the hated ‘rebels’ are so much stronger. You will lose the unlimited power you now enjoy.”

Idhron’s eyes grew colder as he spoke. “Then why should I do anything for you if it all ends the same way, either way?”

Rohan hesitated. He glanced at Warrehn and Sirri, knowing that they would be pissed off. But he’d been thinking about it for a long time. Idhron was right: he had no incentive to help them. But he could be given one.

“We could help each other,” Rohan said. Unlike his friends, he had to think about the bigger picture, despite his distaste for everything the High Hronthar stood for. He was the governor of Tai’Lehr. He was responsible for the lives of millions of people. The truth was, they couldn’t afford a full-blown war against a high-tech planet like Calluvia. They would be crushed like bugs.

Ignoring Warrehn and Sirri’s bewildered gazes, Rohan met Idhron’s eyes. “The difference is, if you help us restore our reputation, we won’t remind the Council of the original reason our ancestors rebelled. We won’t remind them of the ex-member of the High Hronthar who was disgusted by his Order’s thirst for power, by the web of deception the Order wove for the Council, using their fears against them. If the Council actually accepts Tai’Lehrians, there will be no war, and if there is no war against powerful telepaths, Calluvians will have little reason to want to break their bonds. We’ll leave the Order alone, and you’ll be able to keep most of your power if you play your cards right.”

Sirri made a protesting noise, but Rohan didn’t look at her.

He watched the subtle change in Idhron’s eyes. He was actually considering it. Good.

“As a show of goodwill, we’ll let your apprentice go,” Rohan said, ignoring the protesting noise from Warrehn this time. “Think about my offer. Working together would be beneficial for both of us. It’s the only way that doesn’t involve heavy losses for both of us.”

Slowly, Idhron nodded. “I will think about it,” he said before looking at his apprentice. “Eridan.”

The boy practically ran toward him. Eridan grabbed his master’s wrist, who activated his transponder, and they teleported away.