"Why did you leave faerie the first time, Princess?" Shelby asked.
Biggs answered that. "That question is off limits, and outside the charges in question." The queen had probably given him a list of questions I couldn't answer.
Shelby smiled. "Very well. Is it true that the Raven guards were forced into centuries of celibacy?"
"May I ask a question before I answer that?"
"You can ask anything you like, Princess, but I may not answer."
I smiled at him, and he smiled back. Doyle's hand tightened on my shoulder. He was right - mustn't flirt, until we knew exactly how it would be perceived. I toned the smile down, and asked my question. "Did King Taranis himself say that the Ravens were forced into centuries of celibacy?"
"I've so stated," Shelby said.
"No, I mean as truth, Mr. Shelby. Please bear in mind that even a princess may be tortured for going against her queen's orders."
"You admit that they torture people at the Unseelie Court," Cortez said.
"They torture people at both courts, Mr. Cortez. Queen Andais just doesn't hide what she does, because she's not ashamed of it."
"Are you stating for the record ...?" Cortez said.
"This will be a sealed record," Biggs said, "unless it goes to court."
"Yes, yes," Cortez said, "but are you stating for the record that King Taranis allows torture to be used as a punishment in the Seelie Court?"
"Answer my question truthfully, and I will answer yours."
Cortez looked at Shelby. They exchanged a longer-than-normal look, then both of them turned back to me. "Yes," they said at the same time. The two men looked at each other, and finally Cortez nodded at Shelby, who said, "Yes, King Taranis stated that the fact that the Raven Guard had been forced into centuries of celibacy was the reason they were a danger to women. He further stated that to then have the forced celibacy lifted for only one little girl, referring to you, Princess, was monstrous. For no one woman could satisfy the lusts of centuries."