Page 63 of Lord of Dance and Desire

Seventeen

HASANNAH

“Where is Coralene, Andrei?”

I asked about my friend several times over as many weeks, but the answer was the same.

She’d disappeared, Andreien’s warrior had lost her trail, and there was as yet no trace of her. Her uncles and Lord Ashlyun were looking for her as well, though Ashlyun was less worried. Or maybe more impassive. Andrei tended to be more emotive. Well, I’d be too, with Con jumping out of the shadows at me all the time, but the emotiveness would be mostly shrieking.

What Andrei didn't say, and what he tried to keep out of his mind, was the growing certainty Coralene was dead.

When he stopped responding to my pestering, I telegemed Ashlyun.

Humoring me in his quiet way, the Coal District Lord said,“She is Ninephene born and bred, Lady Hasannah. She is not adolescent. She has lived thirty years in my District navigatingits dangers. She is not helpless, and when set to a task she is focused, especially when she feels a personal interest. I am not yet concerned.”

I wanted to ask what task involved her infiltrating Sahakian Arts, but I knew better.

It also took me two weeks to remember the gem.

I waited until Andrei was gone for the day and entered my bathroom, opening the drawer where I'd stashed it in the jumble of unorganized supplies and cosmetics.

My capture, and the fallout, seemed to have halted Andrei’s obsessive makeovers; he hadn't bothered with his checklists for days now.

I'd feel some relief if it wasn't a clear sign our lives still hadn't returned to normal. Those three grueling days haunted us all. Them because of their lurid imaginations, me because I knew what happened. If I could wave a wand and make us all forget so we could move on, I would.

. . .so. The gem was missing.

There wasn't necessarily a need to panic. Yet. All right, there was a need to panic, but considering my mental shields were still laughably rudimentary, I’d learned strong emotion was guaranteed to draw Andrei's attention. If he wasn't in the house, he'd telegem one of the luudthen to come to me.

These people didn't understand the concept of alone time. I'd feel offended rather than annoyed, if they weren't invading each other's personal space as well.

So there went the backup plan I needed now more than ever.

Low-grade panic welled in my chest and up my throat in the form of strangled breath. The security of that plan had helped keep me calm the last couple of weeks, like a weighted safety blanket. My reassurance I was here of my own choice, and not a prisoner.

Now it was gone.

I was under no delusion it had sprouted wings and flown away.

I closed my eyes. Either Andrei had it, or one of the luudthen had it. And if one of the luudthen had it, Andrei had it. It was keyed to me. Did he know what it was?

Ch?t ti?t.

This wasn't good.

I knew how he was going to react; not well.

But maybe amidst the melodrama of my recent life I picked it up and hid it somewhere else, rethinking my plan to hide it in plain sight. I didn't normally do that sort of thing because I liked my belongings in their specific spots so I didn't have to waste energy thinking. But I had mislaid items on enough occasions, so it was possible.

I searched my bedroom, going through the many drawers in the custom closet when I felt eyes on the back of my neck.

I straightened and turned, hating that he wasn’t stupid. Stupid men were always easier to manage.

Andrei leaned in the threshold, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes bright with an emotion that wasn't humor or anything I’d mistake as warmth. The lazy smile on his lips, more snarl than anything else.

“You should have been informed I'd be able to unkey the gem using the same methods required to key it. And that magtech of this kind often recognizes bondeds. I'd request a refund, if I were you.”

No one had to tell me he was livid, despite the mask of an almost playful tone. Seething anger flowed through our bond as if he'd been keeping it behind a mental barrier until now. Old anger, like a bruise he'd been nursing for some time.

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