Trev let out a pained noise where she stood, still staring at Turner's dead body on the floor of the cell.
Leliana grew even more worried when she saw her friend double over as if she was going to retch, but nothing came. Trev pushed her fingers against her temples and rubbed. She was whimpering now.
"We were supposed to do this together," she whispered. "Me and Cullen... I promised him. He was supposed to watch. Ending Turner's life was to be my gift to him. Maker... I can't... I can't breathe..."
She fell to her knees and started to hyperventilate.
"Shit," Leliana muttered under her breath. She needed to distract her, now. The loss of Cullen would be great for them all but they couldn't afford to have an Inquisitor in this shape. She needed to get a hold of herself.
Leliana leaned down over Trev and gently rubbed her back.
"Calm down, my friend, please. We need to get you cleaned up, there is so much blood on your face."
There was no change in Trev and at this rate she was going to pass out soon.
Leliana had to gamble with her next words, but anything was better than having the Inquisitor pass out on a dirty floor next to the body of the man who's blood she was drenched in.
"Think of the other culprits. They're still out there. Maybe even in the throne room right now, waiting for your judgement."
That seemed to get her attention. Her breathing calmed and Leliana continued to rub her back, helping her to slow down her pulse.
Trev took a deep breath before she looked at Leliana.
"I want to go right now. Take me there."
"Let's get you cleaned up first..."
"No. Let them see me covered in the blood of the man who's orders they followed. I trust our people will have cleared out all the visitors and nobles from the throne room, so no need to keep up appearences for their sakes."
There was no argument to be had. The Inquisitor's authority reverberated in her words.
Leliana helped Trev to her feet. Just before exiting the cell, Trev turned her head slightly in the direction of Turner's body without looking at him.
"Ask someone to take care of this mess. I want every trace of him erased from Skyhold."
Leliana only nodded and followed her up through the stairs and the rest of the keep until they were outside again.
Not many people were around. They'd probably been ushered in somewhere more safe than out in the open courtyard. An assassin, or maybe several, could be anywhere. Although Leliana didn't worry too much about that. Her people would have found the guilty party by now.
Trev and Leliana had just begun to climb the stairs leading into the throne room when Cassandra, Iron Bull and a mage that Leliana hadn't seen much of before, a shy girl, emerged from the door leading out of there. The mage ran past them, her hands full of lyrium and health potions.
Leliana arched an eyebrow in question. Cassandra was the one who answered her.
"Dorian is in bad shape. Really bad. Olivia is taking potions from the undercroft to him now to see if it can help. Unfortunately, she doesn't have any healing skills. All of the mages we have here who are proficient with healing are already drained from trying to help the Commander... I'm so sorry, Inquisitor. Dorian boosted himself with their magic, they poured everything they had into him and he did everything he could to bring Cullen back. He's almost dead now because of it."
"Cassandra!" Leliana hissed. "What are you thinking, telling her this? She doesn't need to hear this right now."
Cassandra looked confused but Trev spoke before she had the chance to respond.
"It's alright, Leliana. She was right to tell me." Trev's shoulders slouched in defeat and she stared down into the ground as she talked. "I will go see him right after..." She turned her eyes to Cassandra and Iron Bull. "You have the one who did this? The one who fired the arrow?"
Iron Bull nodded. "We do, boss. And the traitors who let him into Skyhold. They smuggled him past the guards and Nightingale's people."
Leliana felt both annoyed and relieved at this. Angry because someone had slipped in under their watch, and relieved by the fact that they'd had inside help, so it wasn't really their fault.
"How many traitors are there?" Trev asked, her tone hard.
"Four so far, Inquisitor, plus the assassin," Cassandra said.
Leliana grabbed Trev's hand.
"Please, Inquisitor. I know how you must feel right now but you mustn't kill them all now. It is vital that we know how widespread the treachery is within these walls."
Trev pulled her hand back from Leliana's.
"Fine. But the one who fired the arrow is mine. Let the others see what I'll do to him. That ought to loosen their tongues, two birds with one stone."
Leliana's eyes flickered over to Cassandra's and the Seeker nodded. She agreed.
"Alright, Inquisitor," Leliana said. "If you swear to give the others to me I'll do this quick. I won't rest until I'm finished."
Trev nodded, and walked up the rest of the stairs, closely followed by the ever loyal Bull.
"I've got your back, boss," he murmured behind her and Trev gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.
They entered the throne room together. There were no people in there except a few guards at all the doors, Josephine and the five prisoners, in chains and kneeling in a straight line on the floor in front of the throne.
Leliana saw Trev flinch as her eyes gazed upon the prisoners, and she did the same when her eyes followed. They knew these people. One was an elf who worked in the kitchens, another a gardener, a gardener for Maker's sake! A third one Leliana recognized as one of the newer merchants. The fourth one she didn't remember ever seeing before. He must be the archer.
Her observation was disturbed when Trev lunged forward and grabbed the fifth and last person by the collar and yanked him up off the floor.
"You! You are one of Cullen's own soldiers! He trained you, he was your brother-in-arms you worthless, traitorous fuck!"
Leliana and Cassandra had to physically remove her from the soldier, who was crying now, shame filling him to the brim. He threw himself at the Inquisitor's feet.
"Forgive me, my Lady, please! I swear I didn't know what they were going to do to the Commander! Please! I would never have been a part of this if I thought..." he gulped, snot running from his nose mixing with his tears. "If I thought they would hurt either you of the Commander, I would never, please..."
He went on and on. Leliana thought the display pathetic. He was a traitor and blaming his own stupidity didn't change that.
"We will deal with you later. Shut up, now," she said.
He didn't seem to hear her as he went on babbling and crying. Leliana looked over to Iron Bull who nodded and dragged the crying, screaming man out of the room and returned without him a minute later.
The silence that followed was broken when the elf started whimpering in fear, staring at the Inquisitor's blood-soaked face.
Trev pointed to the man Leliana hadn't seen before.
"Is this the one?"
Josephine stepped forward. "Yes, Inquisitor. We have several eye witnesses who say they saw him walk around the battlements just before the attack. No one seems to know who he is, which is highly suspicious since everyone allowed into Skyhold goes through clearance first. A crossbow was found a very short distance away from where he was spotted as well. He would have had the perfect angle from there."
Leliana watched the man as Josephine spoke. His expression was perfectly neutral the entire time. He was young, in his twenties.
"What do you think Josephine? Crow?" Leliana asked.
"No, I do not believe so. This was far too sloppy."
Trev started walking slowly back and forth in front of the young man, her eyes never leaving his face.
"So you were the best Turner could get a hold of, hmm? Who are you?"
The man shifted his gaze to her. "I'm not saying a word."
"I'll take that as guilty. What do you say, Leliana?"
"Indeed, Inquisitor. I don't doubt that for a second. He's not even attempting to claim his innocence."
"Who gave you the orders?" Trev asked him. "Turner's been in custody for days, under heavy guard, so it can't have been him."
He just stared at her, his face still neutral. It was almost impressive.
Trev took out her dagger, still wet with blood from Turner. Just as she grabbed the man's hand, ready to do something to it with her blade, the elf, who was shaking in fear now, opened her mouth to say something.
"Stop! Please stop! I can't watch this... I... w-we let him in because we'd been told a long time ago to do so, in case Lord Dreallor went missing or if you somehow incarcerated him."
"Like what, a failsafe then?" Trev asked, her voice dangerously low now. The elf started to shake even more under her gaze.
"Shut up, you idiot! We're all going to die anyway if you betray him!" It was the assassin who hissed the warning to the elf.
"Maker, betray who?" Trev exclaimed, rage taking over. "I'm so fucking tired of all these twists and turns! Why can't there just be one bad guy? One person to kill. Who is it that you're speaking of?"
The elf was sobbing now, she tried to say something but it was hopeless.
Leliana placed a reassuring hand on Trev's shoulder. "She knows, as does the rest of them, most likely." Leliana swept her other hand in front of them to indicate the three prisoners that were left except the assassin. "We have no need for this one. He seems to be more work than the others anyway. Do what you want with him."
The young assassin turned his chin up defiantly at Trev when he heard the spymaster's words.
"Did you like it when he fucked you, your worship? Lord Dreallor told me he made you scream every night, like a hungry little slut." A lopsided grin spread across his face, his first indication of any emotion.
Trev walked up to him and cocked her head to one side and returned his grin with a smile of her own.
Your funeral, stupid boy, Leliana thought as she watched the amused darkness grow in the Inquisitor's expression. It sent shivers down her spine.
The man's grin faltered a little and his eyes widened as Trev suddenly plunged her dagger down into his groin with full force, a sickening sound echoing in the room as the steel met his flesh.
He screamed, roared in pain as she drove the blade deeper into him, maiming his manly parts.
Trev's voice rang out over his screams.
"Do you like it when I fuck you?" She twisted the blade further. "Do you like how I make you scream like a hungry, little slut?"
His screams only intensified and more blood splattered up on Trev.
She finally pulled the blade out from his flesh and he passed out and fell face down into the floor.
The other prisoners were crying and wailing now, afraid that this was waiting for them after she was done with him.
Trev nodded to Leliana.
"Guards! Take these prisoners down to the dungeon. I want a full watch down there around the clock," the spymaster ordered. The men immediately obeyed and dragged them out of there, leaving only Trev, Bull, Cassandra, Josephine and the mutilated man on the floor.
Trev grabbed him again and shook him back to consciousness.
"I'll kill you the same way I killed my dog of a husband," she said to him and drove her dagger into his throat and cut it open. Blood pooled out on the floor.
The door to the throne room opened behind them and closed again but Trev payed it no attention. She was still staring at the man who had shot the arrow through Cullen.
She didn't stir until she heard a voice close behind her, shaky but unmistakable.
"If that's what happens to all of your husbands... I think you may have to wait for that proposal you wanted until I'm brave enough to face the consequences, my love."