"You nearly beat me to death, Uncle. I am not likely to forget it."
"I did not understand how fragile your body was, Meredith, or I would never have touched you so."
Veducci recovered first, saying, "Is King Taranis admitting that he beat you as a child, Princess?"
I looked at my uncle, so large, so imposing, so regal in his gold and white court clothes. "He is not denying it, are you Uncle Taranis?"
"Please, Meredith, uncle seems so formal." His voice was wheedling. From the way Nelson began to walk closer to the mirror, I think the tone was meant to be seductive.
"He is not denying it," Doyle said.
"I am not speaking to you, Darkness," Taranis said, and his voice tried to thunder again. But as the seduction had not worked, so now the threat fell flat as well.
"King Taranis," Biggs said, "are you admitting that you beat my client as a child?"
Taranis finally turned to him, frowning. Biggs reacted as if the sun itself had smiled at him. He actually stumbled in his speech and looked uncertain.
Taranis said, "What I did years ago has no bearing on the crime that these monsters committed."
Veducci turned to me. "How badly did he beat you, Princess Meredith?"
"I remember how red my blood was on the white marble," I said. I looked at Veducci as I spoke, though I could feel Taranis's magic pushing at me, calling me to look at him. I looked at Veducci because I could, and because I knew that it would unnerve the king. "If my Gran, my grandmother, had not interfered I believe he would have beaten me to death."
"You hold a grudge, Meredith. I have apologized for my actions that day."
"Yes," I said, turning back to the mirror. "You have recently apologized for that beating."
"Why did he beat you?" Veducci asked.