Page 16 of A Promise of Lies (Shadows of the Tenebris Court #3)

15

Kat

D espite Cyrus’s warning, my act in his office seemed to do the trick. The next day, Amandine wasn’t posted outside my rooms, so I decided to test the length of my new leash. I spent the morning walking through Dawn’s side of the palace, realising that the layout was similar to Dusk’s, but not quite identical. Not once did I catch sight of Amandine. Good.

Perhaps I could see some of my friends—Rose and Ari wouldn’t ruin my cover. Being seen to confide in them about Ella’s terrible betrayal might make it more believable. But guards stopped me before I could reach the grand entrance hall lodestone and told me I had to wait for Amandine before going into the city. Less good.

Still, at least I knew where these new boundaries lay.

At lunch, Cyrus leant towards me on the arm of his chair, delivering all his best lines in my direction. He even took a morsel of dessert from his plate and fed it to me. I hated being fed like I was a lapdog, but when I reminded myself that this was all part of my plan, it was enough to tame my anger.

“Such a pretty little thing,” he murmured, swiping a crumb from my mouth.

I fluttered my lashes and let the pressure of his touch pull my lips apart. Gods, grant me sharp fae teeth so I can bite off his fucking thumb.

Just like unCavendish, his gaze lingered on my lips, which had been perfectly rouged before the meal.

As in Cyrus’s office, I didn’t feel frozen or cowed into snivelling compliance as I always had with unCavendish. Instead, I leant closer as though my spine turned to jelly in his presence. It was no accident it also gave him a great view down my dress.

The situation was different, but also… I was different.

With a deep breath, I bit my lip as if holding back a smile and was rewarded by his low hum.

I was not a pawn on the board for him to sacrifice. No, I was going to take this fucking king down.

After lunch, Adra took Cyrus away for an urgent discussion, and, buoyed by my success, I took my chance. With both of them gone, his office would be clear.

I needed another look at that letter. I might even borrow it, give it to Bastian, then sneak it back into the drawer, but that was much more risky.

One thing at a time. First, I needed to get into his office.

The gods were on my side, because the whole corridor leading to it was empty without a guard in sight. I hurried towards the door to Adra’s outer office.

Locked. No surprise there. But I pulled the picks from my hair and set to work, Ella’s lessons fresh in my mind. A simple mechanism, it took no time to get through as I kept watch along the corridor.

Inside, however, was the greater challenge—the lock to Cyrus’s office was more complex. Now I was out of the corridor, though, I could crouch by the door. Biting my lip, I set the tension wrench and moments later, I had the first pin lifted. The second followed shortly after. A few more to go.

“Interesting,” came a voice, right behind me, making my heart fucking explode.

I froze, every part of me focused on that thundering pulse.

Move, Katherine. You have to move .

Slowly, I straightened and turned.

Arms folded, one ankle crossed over the other, Prince Sepher lounged against the wall, just inside the door to Adra’s office. I blinked, hoping that might get rid of the terrible apparition, but, no, he was real.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Good luck.” He raised one eyebrow. “You’re not getting in there. At least not like that.” He cocked his head, gaze turning distant for a second. “Yes, I can hear my brother coming this way.”

Fuck. Think of an excuse.

But there was no possible reason for me to be here picking the lock.

I barely registered he’d pushed away from the wall when his huge hand closed on my shoulder. “Come along, my sneaky little friend.” Then he was leading me out and along the corridor. Towards Cyrus, ready to tell him what he’d found me doing.

My gaze skimmed over the gilded ivy leaf design on the walls as my mind raced through possible plans.

If I could get my bracelet off, I could poison him and run. Not that it was the best idea to murder a prince and I didn’t want to rob Zita of her new husband, but I didn’t exactly have a host of options. Regardless, my hands shook too much to get my lock picking tools into the bracelet.

We rounded a corner and I searched for some other escape.

There was none. I was trapped in Dawn, and Sepher was its prince.

And, oh great, even better, this was a dead fucking end. Maybe he was just going to kill me himself. I’d have to stab him with my lock picks, right in the soft bits.

At the end of the corridor, Sepher spun me around and leant in, almost nose-to-nose. “The former lover of Dusk’s spymaster comes to Dawn and starts flirting with my brother. And then I find her trying to break into his office. What game is she playing?”

I blinked. If he wanted to talk, maybe I could reason with him or at least buy myself time to come up with an excuse. “You do understand people have died, right? This isn’t a game.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “ Everything is a game. It’s simply that in some games the stakes are higher.” With eyes narrow, he watched me, tail swishing behind him. “I think you might’ve taken a seat at the wrong table if you don’t realise what you’re playing for.”

“You assume I got to choose the table.”

“Hmm.” His lips pursed and he surveyed me for long seconds, as my pulse slowed to something approaching normal. “So you’re just pretending to be under my brother’s thrall?”

I held my breath. Admitting my ploy meant trusting him. Denial wasn’t believable—not when he’d caught me. I doubted he’d believe the story that I was trying to leave Cyrus a surprise gift.

Trusting Sepher didn’t seem like the brightest idea—at least not according to Bastian. Yet hadn’t he and Zita stepped in between me and Uncle Rufus at tea? And in the gardens, they had lured Cyrus away, leaving me clear to retrieve Ella’s lock picks. I’d put it down to coincidence, but maybe he was trying to work me out.

I lifted my chin and glared at him. “Why do you care?”

“Because if you’re not charmed by him, you might be useful to me.”

A huffing laugh escaped me. So he was also looking for an ally… or a tool.

He glanced back the way we’d come before stooping and pushing a decorative ivy leaf. What had appeared to be just a painted design pressed into the wall, followed by a click so soft, I questioned whether I’d really heard it. Then a section of wall swung away into darkness.

A secret passage. I knew they existed in Dawn, just as they did in Dusk—I’d even travelled down them to the lodestone courtyard with Bastian’s spy. She’d refused to reveal the entrance, muttering, “Can’t have you giving me away.” And I’d had no luck in finding it on my own.

“This leads to my brother’s personal suite… amongst other places. Best not to go to his rooms though—wouldn’t be possible to explain that away, now, would it?” A slow smile showed off his canines. “ Unless you’re absolutely certain he won’t return for a while.”

Why did I get the feeling he was going to ensure that wouldn’t happen?

“But,” he went on, cleaning his claws, “if you do find yourself there, I wouldn’t be upset if you were to fetch me the gold fountain pen he keeps on his bedside table. I’m sure it’ll help keep me quiet about finding you sniffing around.”

Ah, so there it was. Helping me was just a means to help himself. It didn’t necessarily mean he could be trusted.

“Why don’t you do it yourself? You know about these secret passageways and you can move much more quickly and silently than I can.”

“He would smell that I’d been there. But he’s had you sitting at his side all week—I daresay his clothes smell of you anyway.”

“And what if I bump into Cyrus in the passageway? I’m sure that would go down well.”

He snorted, glancing down the corridor as though he expected to see his brother any moment. “And I thought you were smart. Do you really think the golden child had any need of hidden passageways?” His amusement faded as old anger wrinkled his nose and drew his brows low. “My brother grew up with the privilege of not needing to know about things like secret passages. I did not. I have a feeling you’re more like me than him in that regard.”

Escape. That’s what secret passages would’ve meant to me if I’d discovered those as a child. I’d have taken Avice with me and we would’ve waited out Father’s rages somewhere hidden.

“Go left and keep straight. Oh, and watch your step.” He nudged me towards the entrance, calling a single, dim fae light and sending it to follow me.

I entered, looking back as he pushed the hidden door shut. His face appeared in the last sliver of light. “Know that if you’re caught, I won’t help. You’re on your own.”

Then the door shut, leaving me in darkness.