Page 23 of Ties of Deception (Tethered Hearts)

Chapter

Twenty-Three

A scroll arrived at lunchtime. Flavia was eating beside me, wolfing down her food in a manner that was quite amusing, considering how reserved she usually was. Thankfully, my Blessing had cured her headache and fatigue, but she was mortally embarrassed—despite how many times I had told her it wasn’t her fault—and even hungrier than I had been.

She berated herself for the hundredth time. “I just can’t believe you managed to get yourself ready without me. The dress isn’t easy. I let you down. I failed you.”

“Nonsense. We got through it. Next time we won’t be so easily caught out. No more incense.” Flavia gave a firm nod of agreement before pushing a large slice of bread and cheese into her mouth.

I cracked the wax seal on the ribbon and unfurled the scroll—it was from the empress. My heart thudded with excitement to find out what the next stage would be.

I scanned the curling script. “I need to organize a political banquet. I suppose that is what empresses do. It will be held in some staterooms in the middle of Fierro in four days’ time. Four important nobles from Hassia, Vekatna, and Suza have been invited, along with four important families from Yienna and…the Aidis, along with three of his companions.”

Flavia was staring at me with wide eyes. “That could be a hard group of people to please. They won’t easily be impressed with such a young Grace. Not to mention, the Aida will lower the mood. The Unseen Lands and Suza are not on good terms—we’ll need to sit them at opposite sides of the room. And only four days…” She stood with a determined expression. “We should get to work at once. I’ll make up for this morning, I promise you.”

I laughed and squeezed her arm. “You have always been a tremendous help, Flavia. And the incense wasn’t your fault. Neither of us knew what moon blossom smelled like or suspected it could be in anything other than a drink. Thank you for all your hard work.”

Her face softened a little in gratitude. Then she pushed the plates to one side and retrieved a pen and parchment. “Let’s make a list.”

It turned out there was an awful lot to prepare for a state banquet, even if most of my job was delegating all the tasks. I was so nervous about interference from the competing Graces, that I oversaw much of it myself. At the end of each day, I tested every new decoration that was placed in the hall and had Flavia watch the servants involved with sharp eyes.

I couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong, and it was a relief to know Ethen and his Aida were looking out for potential sabotage too. At least they were people I could firmly trust, even if I couldn’t see what they were up to.

Every evening, as I attempted to sleep, my head buzzed with information about the nobles, lists of herbs I had or hadn’t selected for seasoning, and visions of how every entertainment I had organized might go wrong.

At least no other Graces had been invited, so any interference would have to be indirect. But it was impossible to constantly watch the actions of every servant. Since Charity, Constance, Hope, and Liberty were all hosting their own parties at exactly the same time, I hoped they would all be preoccupied. Prince Sebastian would be making a passing visit to each one.

Then, almost too soon and not soon enough, it was the morning of the event. I’d never felt so nervous in my, admittedly short, life. People this important required everything to be perfect. The empress would face genuine political trouble if I got something wrong.

I dressed in my finest clothes—bright crimson to win attention and to boost my own confidence—and painted my lips, eyelids and cheekbones with gold dust. I left my hair down after Sebastian’s compliment as any woman trying for his hand would do. And maybe because of what Ethen had said too. Just remembering the way he had spoken about my hair in low, mesmerized tones as he brushed it, made my stomach dip.

But right now, I needed to concentrate. He would be there, but it wouldn’t be him. I needed to steel myself for the cold, indifferent god of death and remember we both had a game of deception to play.

A servant announced my litter was ready, and I ran through my mental list one final time before Flavia opened the door and escorted me through the corridors. The litter was a small one, carried by only a single horse in front and another behind, meaning the team of servants accompanying me would travel by foot on either side. We had finished the decorations and final details last night but would still be early to make sure everything was in order. From the moment the curtains of the litter closed, my nerves grew. I hoped I hadn’t forgotten anything, and I hoped the other Grace’s would be too preoccupied with their own plans to consider sabotaging mine.

The litter swayed, and I listened to the sharp clatter of the horse’s hooves over the sounds of the crowd. The swaying and the heat were making me drowsy. I hadn’t slept well for days, and I valued my privacy too much right now to push back the curtains and let a breeze pass through. I settled farther back on the cushions when there was a strange scraping noise on one side of the litter.

I frowned, about to peep through the curtains to check what it was, when they billowed inward, and Ethen flew inside.

I sat there and gaped at him, waiting for the alarmed shouts from outside. But nothing came. He settled down comfortably opposite me as if nothing was amiss. The litter wasn’t meant for two, and the god was tall, so our legs brushed against each other. I pulled my knees up to my chin to make room.

“How…how did you get in here?” I hissed. “There are people everywhere.”

He grinned at me. “I was underneath the litter. I just chose my moment to swing up.”

I blinked at him. How long had he been under there?

“Why?”

“To see you of course. I thought you could use some cheering up before you entertained a room full of boring people.”

I folded my arms and mock-frowned at him. “You are one of those boring people . You’re invited, remember? Can’t you afford your own transport?”

He grinned. “Well, allow me a few minutes of your time before I have to be boring. It will be easier for me to ignore you if I’ve at least managed to talk to you this morning. Otherwise, it will be too painful—after I’ve spent the last two days missing you. And it will also be easier for me not to stare at how beautiful you look in this dress.”

I snorted, but the compliment had gone to my head. His silk black jacket was finely cut, emphasizing his broad shoulders, and for once, he didn’t wear his broad sword strapped to his back. He probably wouldn’t have been able to get into the litter with it on.

I arched an eyebrow, pretending that he was being a nuisance. “I need to be clear headed to entertain my guests—not distracted by you sneaking into my litter.”

He bent his arms behind his head and leaned back as if settling down, his legs crossed in the limited space. “Hmm. And do you have a plan for how to entertain the Aidis? I hear he’s a difficult one to impress.”

I pursed my lips as if in thought. “I think I’ve given up on him as a lost cause. Too grumpy. I’m going to concentrate on people who are more worthwhile. Like the lords from Hassia and Prince Sebastian.”

His eyes darkened a little, and he leaned closer to one side until one of his arms was touching mine. My heart stumbled in my chest while I pretended to be completely unaffected by his proximity. “Aren’t you worried the god will feel a little left out? He is the heir of the Unseen Lands after all.”

I shrugged. “Maybe.” My wit was drying up as his breath tickled my cheek. It was becoming harder to think straight. “Do you have any suggestions?”

His voice had lowered. “Well, I can think of one thing that would make him very happy with how the day has gone.”

“What’s that?” My words escaped as a whisper.

His gaze flickered across my face, admiring every detail. “A kiss.”

“A kiss,” I repeated, my eyes lowering to his lips.

“Yes.” He raised his eyebrows and nodded.

“Well, I…I…” I failed to come up with a reply and gave in to the pull drawing me to him. I pressed my lips to his and lifted one hand to cup his neck. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. Warmth rushed down my spine in a tingling wave of sensation. I kissed him again, marveling at the feel of it all.

When we broke away—far too soon—his smile had been replaced by a vulnerable expression, his eyes wide and his lips parted. His fingers entwined in mine as if he never wanted to leave my side. I leaned in, wordlessly asking him to kiss me again, but instead he kissed the back of my hand.

I swallowed, trying to lighten the mood and repress the sting of rejection. “Do you think that has won him over? It was rather brief.”

He stared at me for a few seconds before looking away with a chuckle. “I would say so. I mean it was such an altruistic service for the whole of Fierro. Just think how many people were just Blessed around us.” He paused to clear his throat and straighten the label of his jacket. “Now if you don’t mind, you’ll have to excuse me—I have a rather important banquet to attend.” He pressed his lips firmly against the back of my hand and slipped through the curtain. I blinked after him, my heart still racing. That man was out of his mind. The litter kept swaying forward as though he’d never been here.

I lay back in the cushions, stretching out my legs again, and smiled. He was right. It would be much easier for us to ignore each other now, and I already felt less nervous, making it easier for me to Bless the guests. I pressed my fingers to my lips, my skin still tingling. I just wished these stolen moments could last longer. I just wished he would be freer with his kisses.

Was there something in particular he wanted me to remember before he stopped feeling guilty? Could our relationship still progress? I still struggled to believe I could have been somebody as competent and well-loved as Snow. I had a lot to live up to in order to be like her.

But if everything went well, and we found out how the souls were being kidnapped, he would take me back to his home. In the Unseen Lands, nothing between us would need to be hidden. And maybe the familiar surroundings would bring the rest of my memories back.

Until then, I had a job to do.

I talked and smiled at the guests, desperate not to forget any of their names, while signaling to Flavia when to bring out the various courses. The tables were arranged in an open square with the entertainment in the middle. First, we had dancers, then jugglers and acrobats, and now a group of four women played stringed instruments with impressive skill.

Things seemed to be going well, though I was relying heavily on the guests to start the conversations. The more I listened, smiled, and nodded, the more I realized I knew so little about the day-to-day life of people here. I’d been isolated. With only a few months of memories, I was sure to be less interesting than the older Graces who had been around the palace for years. Constance had seen whole generations pass. It was yet another obstacle to earning Prince Sebastian’s affection.

Still, I could amuse guests by bringing them fortune, brightening their complexions, and making flowers bloom brighter. Their lives of luxury jarred with what I wished I could use my powers for. They already had so much, and here I was bringing them more. I needed to ask Ethen to smuggle me into one of the poorer areas of the city again so I could do some genuine good.

Ethen sat at one of the farther positions from me, eating methodically with little expression, and only talking occasionally to Tamel who sat beside him. None of the others tried to engage the Aida in conversation. Ethen hadn’t glanced in my direction once, though he had watched the performances intently.

Voices quieted and my conversation was interrupted by the sound of scraping chairs. I looked up to see Prince Sebastian entering—the guests stood as soon as they noticed. He was smiling and called for everyone to sit back down. He walked behind the tables greeting and talking to each guest in turn, remembering names, inquiring about family members and building projects. He was a natural politician—every person he spoke to was smiling before he left. Well, every person but Ethen, with whom he only exchanged the briefest greeting. I tried to hide my smile at Ethen’s barely veiled distaste for the man.

Sebastian reached the middle-aged lady beside me and kissed her hand. “Lady Anii, so good to see you again. How has your back been treating you?”

She smiled, raising a hand to her heart. “Well, enough, well enough. Now you really need to come and visit us in Hassia. You don’t come and stay with your father nearly often enough. The weather might be cooler up here, but nothing beats our cuisine and our dancers. You can’t forget your roots.”

He nodded in easy agreement. “Very true, very true. It’s not long until our next scheduled return. Maybe we could share a boat trip.”

She beamed. “Ah that would be lovely. And you can see Saffron again. My daughter has grown so much since you played together as children.”

Sebastian looked over her head and winked at me when she wasn’t looking. I covered my smile with my napkin. He turned back to the woman who was arranging her long braids around her shoulders. “Of course. It would be my honor.”

He turned to me. “You’re doing a wonderful job, Purity. The quartet is exquisite. Where did you find them? I’ll have to ask them to play again.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’ll send you their details. I have a seat here laid out for you. I didn’t know if you had eaten at one of the other banquets or might just like a drink.”

He sighed and fell gratefully into the chair. “A drink would be perfect. Charity was so eager that I eat her special pudding, I couldn’t refuse—and I was already full from Constance’s and Hope’s meals.”

I laughed. “You must be tired.”

He shrugged and accepted a glass of wine. “It’s not too bad. I enjoy talking to people, and all the hard work has been done for me. I hate organizing these things.”

I decided to be bolder. “You know, we spoke of swimming together. Well, I noticed the weather is already starting to cool. Maybe we could do so next week…if your mother has nothing else planned?”

He grinned in a mischievous way that made me feel like I was one of the people closest to him. How did he do that with a simple expression? “I know just the place. I’ll arrange it all.”

“I—”

The sound of breaking glass cut me short. My eyes shot first to Ethen—the person I was most drawn to in the room—but he was staring past the string quartet to the opposite table. The ambassador from Suza slumped by his plate, a broken glass fallen from his hand.

Sebastian drank some more from his own cup and murmured. “Somebody has had far too much to drink, it would seem.”

The woman beside the ambassador flushed under the sudden attention and elbowed him, muttering something too quiet for me to hear. When he didn’t respond, she reached out to shake him. His body remained prone. Her annoyance and embarrassment turned to panic as she leapt to her feet shaking him and rolling him over. He didn’t respond.

I pushed my chair back. Was he sick? Had he choked? Maybe if I healed him with a Blessing, the feast could continue without hiccup. I walked as fast as I could, coming alongside the woman and placing my hands on his cheeks. I focused on how I had felt in the carriage when Ethen had kissed me. Nothing happened.

His cheeks felt cold and clammy. His eyes were half open and vacant. I removed my hands in shock. He was dead. How could one of my guests be dead?

“Fetch a physician! Hurry!” I shouted. I turned to the woman. “Does he have any health concerns? Any allergies?”

She shook her head, her face contorted in panic. “He was fine when we arrived. He’s been poisoned. Poisoned!” Her shrieking voice reached the ears of every guest in the room, and everyone started to stand, pushing plates and cups away from themselves.

I turned to Ethen who stood in the corner, watching emotionlessly. “Can you save him? What’s wrong with him?”

The god of death only narrowed his eyes and frowned before walking out the room, his three men close behind. The sting of abandonment in my hour of greatest need pierced my defenses. It was just an act. Just an act.

The woman pointed at him. “He did it! That Aida! He did it!”

Prince Sebastian clapped his hands. “I think it’s time we all headed back to our accommodations. Thank you for coming. We need to give the physician space to treat the ambassador. Please don’t be concerned.”

The guests left as multiple physicians filtered in. I hovered behind the weeping woman, wringing my hands. If I could do nothing as a Grace, surely the physicians couldn’t either.

Sebastian rested a hand on my shoulder. “Stay calm, Purity. You’re the host, remember? You must remain levelheaded and in charge.”

I nodded, blew out a deep breath and directed a servant to fetch a glass of water for the ambassador’s wife. I couldn’t think of anything else I could do to help.

The physicians conferred and then bowed to the prince. “We regret to say the ambassador of Suza has passed away. We believe it was a fast acting poison, but we will have to run some tests to determine which one.”

Cold dread ate at my stomach. “You should take all his food and drink for testing. His utensils. Anything he touched.”

The physicians took over directly from the servants. I attempted to comfort the ambassador’s wife, but she hit my arm away. “We were guests at your banquet! How could you let this happen!”

I didn’t know what to say. An apology didn’t seem adequate. “I’ll…they’ll do everything they can to find out who’s responsible for this.” She wasn’t listening to me.

Sebastian had taken one of the physicians to a corner to speak privately. The doors flung open as the empress strode in. She swept over to the crying woman as the physicians instructed servants on how to preserve the food, the body on the table now covered with a shroud. Her eyes found mine—they were furious.

“Purity, you should return to your chambers. Do not leave the palace until the investigation is over.”

I couldn’t respond. I curtsied and hurried to the safety of my litter.