Page 95 of The Sundered Realms

“Charming as I can already see you are, Liris,” Belighia said, “I was actually hoping to steal a private moment of the Lord of Embhullor’s time, if you can spare him.”

“Oh, certainly.” Liris gestured easily with a smile, as if this was no matter to her and she had no concerns. There was no way for Vhannor to decline and insist she stay with him, not when Belighia’s motivations were the ones they most needed to dig into, and both Vhannor and Liris needed to appear as forces in their own right.

Vhannor slanted a look of caution at her, as if she didn’t realize this was a trap. She’d keep an eye on him while working the room, and hopefully Shry was nearby.

A few weighted pleasantries later, and Vhannor and Belighia were alone together as Princess Nysia and Liris drifted away to make their separate rounds.

Liris managed a few circles around the ballroom, surveying relevant parties: other Tellianghu ministers who might give something away, representatives of other realms either close enough to Tellianghu to have their own intelligence or with their own signs of not ratifying the Coalition.

Despite the wide variety of expressions and customs on display, the picture that emerged was strangely consistent, in a way that made Liris feel like with every conversation, she was more and more exposed. As an unknown quantity, she could smile and imply she too had reason to be mysteriously smug.

But everyone in the know was either unwilling to speak explicitly or would make only slick comments that confirmed the impression she’d had from Belighia.

It wasn’t like they were all political geniuses here: if the stupider among the wealthy and powerful had known specifically what was coming, they’d have told her.

Princess Nysia might not be adept at this side of politicking, but her instincts had been right: Liris was absolutely certain there was a conspiracy against the Coalition, but she still couldn’t glean why. What did all these horrible people think they were going to gain?

It was time to regroup, but they couldn’t yet, because Vhannor was still trapped with Belighia. Since he showed no signs of distress, she couldn’t risk interrupting him gathering some more concrete intel.

As she began the process of extricating from her current conversation, she turned right into a man she recognized instantly, though they’d never met.

Liris knew all the ambassadors who’d gotten to leave Serenthuar, of course, but Ambassador Rhuil was special.

She’d never met him, because unlike other ambassadors who reported to Serenthuar in person, his placement in wealthy Tellianghu was so critical to Serenthuar, and Rhuil’s position there dependent on his accessibility, that Serenthuar would never risk recalling him home.

The pattern on the edges of his formalwear a mimic of her own. The long robe in burnished orange was cut short, modernizing the style to match the pants and shoes more the fashion in Tellianghu. A perfect representative of Serenthuar: adapting to move easily in the realm he was designated to, causing no discomfort with their guests, but still a blatant reminder of Serenthuar and its many skills.

And here he was, tall, dark, and handsome, with one of those faces that never seemed to age. She’d wondered if up close she might see the lie of it, but no—he really did look that perfect.

Perfect in a way that was evident to everyone, without evidence of having to try.

“It appears these fine folks are expecting a show from us,” Ambassador Rhuil murmured, causing laughter around them. “Shall we show them the grace of Serenthuar?”

Ambassador Rhuil swept into an invitation to an old, traditional Serenthuar dance. A highly stylized performance piece that would be perfectly received by this crowd: it would make her and Rhuil appear both exotic and somehow above it all.

Liris could only accept. Of all the Serenthuar ambassadors she could have encountered here, she was least prepared for this one. It wasn’t that she was surprised the ambassador to Tellianghu was at a public function in Tellianghu, but to either dignify her presence by speaking with her, or to make a scene after what she’d done? Unthinkable. Too bold, too risky for Serenthuar.

Nevertheless, here they were, striding toward the silvery dance floor clearing for them.

The icy surface glinted silver, and Rhuil struck the opening pose at an unusual angle.

The dance called for her to mimic his movement, and Liris did, following his lead.

Once she’d dreamed of a placement with someone like Rhuil, who could move as confidently through the world as he desired. Her heart would have been pounding from the exhilaration of knowing she’d been chosen to operate at his level.

And he had just picked her out, deliberately, and that was an old pattern of emotions it was hard to suppress. But—

“So,” Rhuil murmured, “Serenthuar’s greatest traitor makes her move.”

It was like he’d stabbed her right in the gut.

Fortunately, Serenthuar had trained her too well to show it, to stop her from moving.

“You are aware Serenthuar has sold our people out to demons,” Liris drawled.

“I see why they never let you out,” Rhuil said, shifting through another move with toes pointed a shade too narrowly, “if your loyalty could be tested so easily.”

“You’re confident they want to be working with a man inviting demons in throughout the realms, then?” Liris asked. “They knew all this would happen, and found it acceptable?”

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