Page 82 of A Game of Veils

He taps his finger against his lips near his scar. “And you wouldn’t be worried about keeping around a woman who also had her aims set on me?”

I force a haughty chuckle, keeping my gaze fixed on him. Not letting myself look at Rochelle even though she’s right next to me, her arms wrapped tightly around her belly now.

I can’t let him see how much I actually care about her. I can’t bear to witness how she’s reacting to the way I’m talking about her.

“How could I see her as a threat?” I ask. “You’ve just said you feel no passion at all for her. And I can’t imagine you wanting a passionless partnership.”

“True. Very true.”

My heart thuds as Marclinus ponders the proposition. He shifts his attention to Rochelle. “What do you have to say about this, Lady Rochelle? Would you accept Princess Aurelia’s offer and live on as her maid?”

My breath catches in my throat, but Rochelle gives him exactly the answer he needs to hear.

She bends into a pleading posture, her voice hoarse. “Please, Your Imperial Highness, let me receive my rightful execution with honor. To face that degradation, and from a supposed friend who’s proven herself so false…”

Her voice breaks with a wobble.

A triumphant expression crosses Marclinus’s face. “No one here should be getting off easy, especially those who’ve disappointed the imperial line. How clever was my princess to come up with such a fitting punishment? Princess Aurelia, she is yours.”

I bob my head again, restraining the majority of my relief. “Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. You are so generous to those who earn your favor.”

He wipes his hands together. “I am, aren’t I?”

When I lift my gaze, Rochelle is still cringing by my side. Fausta’s glare would be stabbing straight through me if it got any sharper.

And Prince Lorenzo has moved within my view, his dark face taut with revulsion.

I smile at all of them as winningly as I can while an ache wraps around my heart. How much more hatred have I earned with an act I meant out of kindness?

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aurelia

Melisse’s chin trembles as she helps me into my gown. “I didn’t realize you were so dissatisfied with my services, Your Highness.”

It appears my gambit has upset even more people than I anticipated. I’m not entirely sure anyone’s happy about the turn of events I just orchestrated except for the imperial heir.

“It’s not that at all,” I reassure her while keeping my voice appropriately cool for our difference in status. There are still too many keen eyes and ears around us. “I would simply be better served by staff with a variety of strengths. It wouldn’t do to place an overlarge burden on you alone. Speaking of which…”

Committing as fully as I can to my act, I turn toward Rochelle and clap my hands in summons. “Rochelle, I’d like you to attend to me in my chambers now to decide on tomorrow’s attire.” I raise my voice. “Can someone bring her an outfit suitable for her new station?”

Within minutes, Rochelle has donned one of the black and gray dresses worn by the female attending staff and we’re proceeding down the hall toward my bedroom. She trudges along a couple of steps behind me, as is also appropriate.

And possibly for the best, because I’m not sure how well I could keep up this front if I had to look her in the face.

I unlock the door and let her follow me inside. She turns the bolt in our wake, perhaps on instinct from when she’s entered her own room in the past.

She’ll never have chambers to herself again as long as she dwells in the palace.

I turn around, an explanation I’m not sure she’ll accept choking me on the way up—and Rochelle throws her arms around me.

“Thank you,” she whispers as if she’s still afraid of being overheard, squeezing me tight. Her curls spill against my face. “You did it, Aurelia. Gods, you actually saved me.”

All at once, I’m choked up for a completely different reason.

I hug her back, thanking all the gods there are that the person who mattered most in my gambit understood my purpose. “You did well with your part. I believed you saying you’d rather die.”

Rochelle pulls back, grimacing. “I just knew that would make him even more eager to go along with your idea. That absolute prick…”

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