Page 9 of Ties of Deception (Tethered Hearts)
Chapter
Nine
P ris gasped. “You spoke to Constance? Did you know she has eight temples devoted to her in Fierro alone?”
Pris was the only family member who had escorted me to Fierro, since Drusella and Hermon were caught up with business back in Yienna. She fluttered around as Flavia dressed me for my second day accompanying the empress. I wished it were possible for goddesses to be ill. After yesterday, my stomach was a mass of nerves as I considered what might happen. The boring etiquette lesson, in which I’d been given a long list of hundreds of rules I shouldn’t break, had only made things worse. I longed for the peace and quiet and simplicity of Yienna. Maybe after this visit, I would be more appreciative of what I had. Maybe that was the key to my happiness and Blessing the people of the Riverside District. The thought cheered me up.
I didn’t respond, but Pris continued anyway. “They say Constance has Blessed more people than any other Grace that has ever existed, because she is so reliable and so generous. People travel from all over to her temples at the chance of getting even vaguely close to her. She is especially gifted at curing infertility or problems with babies in the womb. Pregnant ladies line up for hours for the chance of their baby being Blessed. Though it’s exciting you saw Charity too. Charity believed to be able to heal any illness—she can bring people back from the brink of death with a glance from her litter. Then there’s Serene. Have you met her? She’s young—about ten, I think—but she is said to make every crop she passes taste exquisite. And then…”
I cut her short. “Pris, have you ever heard of Sincerity?”
She pursed her lips and frowned. “I think she’s married to the brother of the ambassador of Vekatna who immigrated to Atos.” She smiled as if proud of herself for remembering. “She’s not as interesting as Constance or Charity though. You could…”
“And what happens to goddesses when they retire?”
She stopped mid-sentence and stumbled a little on her words as if she’d never thought about it before. “I…don’t know. They just leave and go somewhere. Probably have a nice island or something to live out their immortal days.”
I frowned.
Pris brushed my arm. “You’re not thinking of retiring, are you? We can always lower the number of petitioners we allow through.”
I huffed a laugh and smiled reassuringly. “No, of course not. I just heard it can be a consequence if you displease the empress.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip and looked down, seeming to think that over. I lifted my arms for Flavia to fit a braided gold sash around my waist. “Maybe it would be good for us to return home soon if you’re worried about that. Mother and Father and the entire Riverside District would be devastated to lose you so soon. And before you’ve fully come into your power.”
“I’m being careful, Pris. But yes, it would be good to go home as soon as I’m excused by the empress.”
Pris frowned for a moment, becoming uncharacteristically serious. “Your happiness is the most important thing, Purity. It’s all right to be selfish here—more than all right. Every sliver of happiness you gain for yourself helps your people. So it’s our duty to win every scrap. If you say the word, we’ll go home, and Mother will write to the empress with some excuse.”
Her words warmed my heart, even though I knew my happiness was also what would bring her and her family the most Blessings. I winked at her. “If I need an escape plan, I’ll let you know.”
I arrived at the gardens earlier than I needed to. I wanted the chance to clear my head and prepare myself for the mental battles that were to come, and the palace grounds were like another world, shrouded in calm and beauty. I left my three maids near the pavilion, wanting a rare moment alone.
As I walked, I practiced making the flowers bloom, shutting away the negative emotions and focusing on the happy ones. I focused on the warmth of the early sun as it kissed my cheeks, the sound of the birds, the beauty of the flowers and butterflies. This garden provided a lot of inspiration.
After wandering aimlessly, I came across a maze of thick laurel bushes almost twice as tall as me. I stood at the entrance thinking that if I got lost inside and then became late for the empress’s lunch gathering, I would not forgive my own stupidity.
I was about to walk past when a figure appeared, approaching from the opposite direction. I straightened up when I recognized Prince Sebastian. He was also alone with no retainers.
The prince grinned and gestured for me to follow him behind the hedge. I glanced around the empty garden in confusion before following him, determined not to venture far from the entrance of the maze.
He smiled his wide, charming smile. “Purity, may I have a moment of your time, please?”
I nodded, distracted a little by the pleasantness of his face and mannerisms. When he turned his full attention on me, he exuded warmth and magnetism.
“I wanted to make an unorthodox request of you. As you may have heard, my mother intends for me to choose a Grace as a bride to Bless our family and ensure the longevity of our descendants. She approved a small list of Graces for me to consider. Beginning in three weeks, there will be rounds of events so I can get to know the candidates better and to see if love blooms between any of us.”
I held my breath waiting to see what this had to do with our clandestine meeting.
He looked down and sighed. “I’m afraid you’re not on that list.”
The news wasn’t surprising—and I wanted no part in this competition—but still, it brought a strange mix of relief, shame, and disappointment.
“Mother has decided that any approved Grace has to be at least five years old so as to guarantee their character and their emotional control.”
He gave me a lopsided apologetic smile and reached out to squeeze one of my hands. I was too surprised to pull it free. I spluttered a reply. “I doubt I have given the empress a good impression anyway. I don’t think she would have chosen me even if I had been around for five years. Besides, I know you spend a lot of time with Constance.”
The prince chuckled. “I think Mother’s worried that if I ever upset you or broke your heart, that you’d bring the whole palace crashing down on us.”
Hmm. Yes, that sounded like something I would accidentally do.
Prince Sebastian chuckled again. “But here’s the thing, Purity. I want you to be one of the candidates. Could you be one unofficially? It could be our little secret. You’re so beautiful, and I would love to get to know you better—far more than half the Graces on Mother’s list. Even if we just ended up as good friends.”
I blinked in surprise. “But…what about the structural integrity of the palace?”
He laughed, his voice open and full. “Well, if we decide to further our relationship, I’ll just have to be very careful to make you happy in every way, won’t I? But I’m sure I could think of many, many ways.”
His warm brown eyes were becoming intense, both drawing me in and making me uncomfortable. “I…I don’t know if…”
He squeezed my hand. “Just say I can spend some time with you. There’s no commitment on your part. No expectations. Just a chance for us to get to know each other, even if it’s just as friends.”
I licked my lips, then decided to nod instead of speaking. He grinned and bent down to kiss my hand. “Purity, our conversation has been a pleasure.”
I stared after him as he disappeared back through the bushes. Why hadn’t I said no? Constance had helped me, and I didn’t want to repay her for kindness by competing for the man she liked. But when he spoke like that, as if it were a simple request for friendship, he was too hard to refuse. I would have to keep him to his terms. Secret. And just to get to know each other as friends.
I pulled my hands through the roots of my hair. I’d barely been here a few months, and I was already tangled up in far more things than I could manage.
I peered farther into the maze and squinted. A strip of fabric lay tangled near the base of one of the laurel trees, disappearing around the edge of a corner. I walked closer, wondering if somebody had dropped their shawl.
I rounded the corner and screamed.
Serene lay on the floor, curled slightly on her side. She stared blankly at the hedge. A dagger protruded from the bottom of her chest, its hilt clutched in her hands.