Page 106 of A Pact of Blood

I’ve nearly reached it when a rustle draws me up short.My head jerks toward the sound—in the other direction, off near the wall of the palace opposite my apartment.

Is someone else out here?

My pulse lurches. Keeping myself still and silent, I strain my eyes to see through the moonlight.

There’s a soft rasp as if of footsteps over stone, but they’re heading away from me. As I crane my neck, I think I catch a glimpse of short pale hair between the far-off foliage.

Who could be strolling the imperial-side gardens? One of the guards, thinking Marclinus and I must be too occupied to notice?

What will he think if he sees me sneaking around in the night?

My heart is outright hammering at my ribs now. I stay where I am until the click of a door closing reaches my ears. Then I dart along the path to my chambers as swiftly as I can.

I ease my door open to the sight of my husband still sprawled across my bedcovers. I don’t think he’s moved more than a tilt of his head toward the pillow.

When I sink onto the bed next to him, a faint snore warbles from his lips. My racing pulse slows.

Whoever was wandering the gardens didn’t appear to seeme, which is the most important part.

The next time I seek out my princes, I’ll have to be that much more careful.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Aurelia

Purple streamers fly all around the city square in the middle of Rexoran. Jubilant laughter rolls through the air alongside the spirited fiddle tune a nearby musician is playing. Feet patter with dancing steps, and the smells of roasted pork skewers and fresh-baked cinnamon twists lace the breeze.

I stand in the middle of the festivities, but I feel set apart from them all the same. Marclinus’s court has taken over the center of the square around its grand fountain dedicated to the very first emperor who pushed beyond Dariu’s borders and began expanding their holdings. His statue stands over us with raised sword and fist while similarly armed living soldiers create a barrier all around us to hold back the common folk.

I can’t help thinking that the ongoing celebration of Marclinus’s ascension looks more thrilling on the other sideof our ring of guards. The city’s people are frolicking and downing mugs of frothy ale while we stroll more sedately around the fountain, sipping from goblets of wine.

The court must maintain its appearance of elegant propriety, of course.

Some of the palace servants have at least gotten us our own supply of the local pastries. I nibble on a cinnamon twist my taster already sampled for me, the spicy-sweet flavor flooding my mouth.

Bianca sidles up to me, the goblet in her hand still nearly full. She peers out beyond the guards at the mass of reveling civilians. “They do adore His Imperial Majesty, don’t they?”

“Yes,” I have to agree. It hasn’t escaped my notice that not a single cheer has been raised specifically in my name. I’ve been mentioned a few times alongside Emperor Marclinus or as the joint “Their Imperial Eminences” but never alone.

That’s to be expected. I’ve only just started making my mark. I’ll have many more months ahead of me even if my latest attempt at establishing myself in the imperial family is successful.

The thought is somehow both reassuring and depressing. I push my smile a little higher and aim for a note that’s friendly but not overly warm. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Oh, decently enough.” Bianca’s gaze slides over the crowd again before settling on me. “I suppose you had royal festivals and celebrations of your own back in Accasy?”

A couple of months ago, she’d have delivered that question in a disparaging or disdainful tone, ready to mock whatever I answered. Now, it comes with a curious lilt.

She really is attempting to make good on her realization of how useful I could be as a friend.

Well, as long as I don’t forget that she’s mainly cozying up to me for her own benefit, I can’t see any harm inindulging her overtures. I know some of her secrets. It makes the ground between us feel more even than with the many other nobles who could be scheming just as much but with whom I’m less familiar.

I nod. “The usual godlen festivals, naturally, and a few local holidays. We have less need to worry about security, though, so I’d have mingled more back?—”

I’m about to say “back home,” but I catch myself just in time. Dariu is home now, to anyone around here who’d be listening to me.

“—back there,” I replace it with. “There’d be guards keeping watch, but not outright shielding us.”

Bianca raises her eyebrows. “The wild north is a rather peaceful place, then.”

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