Page 81 of Caged By Dance and Desire

“Lord Iliweh,” I murmured, “it’s a great honor to meet you.”

I wasn't certain of the etiquette, so I didn't hold the curtsy long, and figured any mistakes would be chalked up to my humanity.

Constin moved towards me and bowed. “Lady Hasannah. Lord Iliweh has a request.”

The bow and Constin’s neutral tone warned me to be on my best behavior.

I glanced at Andrei. “My Lord?” What could Iliweh want with me? My brow furrowed in spite of my attempt to keep my expression neutral.

Iliweh took a half step forward, then halted and turned to Andrei.

“You claimed she was too weak to attend her, and yet here she is. Demand your mortal release my bonded.”

“Why,” was Andrei’s chilly reply, “was your consort not Shielded? You blame an infant for your oversight.”

“There were no succubi in the city,” was the equally chilly reply. “That oversight has been corrected.”

“Ah. Then you are in Lady Hasannah’s debt.”

At a loss, I hesitated to interrupt, but Iliweh’s bonded was Vargas.

“Is something wrong with—” Movement flickered at the corner of my vision as I stepped into the room. “Mistress Vargas.” I looked between her and Iliweh and Andrei, confused. “I don't understand.”

Whatever was happening, I was at the center of it. There was no other reason for the focused, glittering stares.

“You claim you have no idea what you did?” Iliweh demanded, their voice cold and resonant.

“I—”

“Consort.” Andrei held out a hand. I walked to him, sliding my palm against his. He turned to Iliweh. “Tell my Lady what you claim.”

“It is no claim, Lord Andreien.” They intercepted my gaze.

But Vargas moved forward from where she'd been standing across the living room. She wore sweats, of all things. Tailored and high-end but still sweats, and her hair, which was normally braided or pinned in an elegant chignon, was in a loose ponytail.

“Hasannah, do you recall earlier when you danced for me?”

As she approached, Iliweh lifted their arm like a barrier, preventing Vargas from coming closer to me. Vargas clasped her hands in front of her, the fingers white with tension.

“Yes?” My heart began to sink. Surely not. . .

Vargas fixed her gaze on me, the edges haunted, hungry. I almost stepped back, but Andrei's hand tightened around mine.

“I thought you were human,” the mistress said.

“I am human.”

She shook her head. “Not completely—you forget, I'm a human with Fae blood too. I don't believe any malice was intended.” She glanced at Iliweh and lifted a hand, placing it on her bonded's shoulder. “There was no ill intent.”

“Intent,” was the cold, tremulous reply, “is irrelevant. I am a Lord of Casakraine’s High Fae Court, and my bonded was attacked.”

“There was no attack, and no malice,” Constin said, drawing next to me, his voice steely in a way I had never heard. “If you continue to claim so, you understand the consequences.”

After listening to the negotiations between Ashlyun and Andrei, even I understood the consequences. I shook away from Andrei’s grip, stepping towards Iliweh.

“My Lord, I promise you that whatever I might have done, it wasn't intended to. . .hurt.” I swallowed and turned to Vargas. “Mistress, you asked me to tell a story, to spin a web, to weave a spell.”

Her gaze hadn't wavered from my face. “Yes.”

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