The Husband Poisoning Society, Chapter 27

We clustered at the door, listening as Leon spoke with Duke Xander. 

“The court will use the escape of your seer as a pretext to claim Ys is flouting our laws. From there it is a short jump to declaring war.”

“It seems that everything is a short jump to war in Hyperborea.” Leon said. 

“You are not wrong. You see what I am up against. My people love to go to war. And war with Ys has been a dream for many for a long time.”

“Any excuse will do?”

“Any excuse will do, indeed. We need something to make declaring war seem unreasonable.”

“Do your people care about reasonable?” Leon asked.

“Agarthans care about reasonable. And so does Hy-Brasil. And if they decide that Hyperborea has gone too far, even his majesty will worry.”

“So we need to make Agartha see this as a step too far. But wouldn’t they already?”

“Not after the death of Prince Wulfric. Your seer kills the crown prince, and then a duke, and then flees capture. This is provocation enough that even Agartha would have trouble objecting.”

“I see.” Leone said. 

Silence stretched as we waited.

“We need to make it clear that Lady Ren acted alone.” Leon said. “We need to make it clear that Ys doesn’t support her alleged actions.”

“How do you plan to do that?” Duke Xander asked. “She is a noble. She is your grace’s agent. How do you plan to clear such suspicions.”

“She is a noble. She is not a duke.”

Lynn gasped. I wrapped a hand around her mouth. 

“What do you suggest?” Duke Xander asked.

“She is my agent. If you held me in her place, that would prove she was not acting under my orders. I am second in line for the throne of Ys. If I submit to be held in her place, it proves that Ys is not condoning her actions.”

“But would your grace do that?” Duke Xander asked. “If we cannot recapture your seer, the court will execute you in her place.”

“I will not lead my people into a war they cannot win.”

“But will your brother tolerate Hyperborea executing you?” Duke Xander asked. 

“Godwin will not push for a war he cannot win. And the council of lords will likely be happy to see me replaced as duke.”

“And your fiancée?”

“I am not putting her at risk by causing a war while she is behind enemy lines.”

Lynn stood beside me, hyperventilating. 

“You will be sacrificing yourself.”

“So be it. Arrest me.”

“You’re serious?” Duke Xander asked.

“I am.”

“I will do my best to stall the legal proceedings,” Duke Xander said. “But I think that you’ve volunteered to die.”

“Will you escort me to my cell?” Leon asked.

Duke Xander sighed. “Yes. I want you to know that I do not like any of this.”

“And yet you keep carrying out these actions you do not like.” Leon said. 

“Yes. I am complicit. If I knew another way, I would take it.”

As we listened, their voices faded into the distance. And like that, Leon was gone.