Page 25 of A Pact of Blood

“Pathetic Accasian tramp.”

My back stiffens in an instant with a lurch of my gut.

If I caught that right, he isn’t tense because of a threat he wants to protect Aurelia from. He doesn’t want to protect her—he’sthe threat.

Did I misinterpret? Lip reading is hardly an exact science, and some of the syllables of the words I thought I made out are awfully subtle. He could have been grumbling to himself about something else altogether.

As I watch him longer, though, I become increasingly sure. When he scans the garden, his eyes always narrow slightly as they pass over Aurelia’s position beyond the fountain. His hand flexes against his sword hilt as if he’d like to draw the blade and use it right now, even though I haven’t seen any cause for violence.

Unless he sees the foreign princess-turned-empress as a malicious entity.

I knew some of the common people had hostile feelings toward her—I saw what happened in the square after the funeral speeches. The current palace guards were all hired before they had any idea they’d be serving an empress fromthe wild north as well as the current imperial family. It isn’t totally unexpected that one or two might have a negative attitude.

Gods above, what if he decides to act on his disdain?

Abruptly, he swivels and strides past my bench toward the other side of the fountain. His mouth is set in a grim line.

Panic overrides most of my good sense. I push myself to my feet as if I have somewhere else to be and fling a concentrated illusion straight at his face with the force of my will.

My scrap of magic smacks over his eyes, making him think he can see nothing but darkness. The guard yelps, stumbles, and whirls around—and the effect has already wisped away.

I peer at him as if startled, my pulse thudding fast. There shouldn’t be any need to fear consequences for using my powers. Raul told us he’d heard from Aurelia that her guards can’t detect magic, and that’s obviously held true, or he’d have deflected my trick before it reached him.

Then I look past him and realize the true reason he was moving this way.

He wasn’t going on the attack. He was simply following Aurelia as she meandered over to rejoin her husband.

Both she and Marclinus frown at the guard before their gazes slide to me, standing nearby. My heart stutters again.

I give a twitch of my mouth I hope looks bemused and hustle off between the beds of flowers.

Fuck. What did I even accomplish? I could have exposed my powers and gotten myself into a total catastrophe if any of the emperor’s guards with a magic-sensing gift had come closer without me noticing.

I’ve veered off between the taller hedges when a familiar broad hand falls on my shoulder.

I glance over to see Raul has followed me. He offers a sympathetic smile that’s really closer to a grimace.

“Getting a little jumpy, huh?” he says.

I twist my hands in the air.It was a stupid move. I know.

He pitches his voice even lower. “You’re too messed up about her. You need to believe what I told you, and you’ll be able to simmer down.”

Not that easy.

He squeezes my shoulder and cocks his head pensively. Maybe I should be worried when that sly gleam comes into his eyes. But when he leans close with a conspiratorial lilt to his voice, I can’t pull away.

“You need to talk to her yourself. I think I can distract the imperial prick for long enough tonight to give you an opening.”

Chapter Nine

Aurelia

When I retire to my chambers at the end of the evening, Jinalle and Eusette are waiting to tend to me. They murmur pleasantries as they help pull off the elaborate dress and the heavy jewelry that adored my neck and hair. Then they carefully unpin the brown strands so they tumble free across my shoulders for the first time since this morning.

“What will you wear for the emperor’s confirmation rite tomorrow?” Eusette asks, peering into my wardrobe. “I think the blue gown would look very fine.”

Jinalle hums to herself and peeks at me shyly. “Or maybe that lovely green one, to match Estera’s colors in her honor?”

---