Page 119 of A Dance of Shadows

I stop myself from peeking at Bastien, warmed by the thought of watching him demonstrate his main combat talent, but tension remains coiled inside me. What if Lorenzo doesn’t see an opportunity to act in time?

Then, as the nobles bunch closer together on our way across the grounds, an arch female voice that sounds vaguely like manynoblewomen but not definitely like any specific one hollers across the crowd. “That guard—the tall one with the pale reddish hair—I saw him put something in one of the wine goblets!”

As most of us whirl around, I notice a glimmer around Gallum that’s just a little too bright to be sunlight—another illusion to make sure our attention goes to the right person, I assume.

It’s gone in a blink, and another voice—this one male—travels from seemingly nearby. “That’s the one. Gallum, isn’t it? Search him and see what he’s done!”

Scowling, Linus strides forward. “What’s happening here?”

Father meets him with a few of his palace guards in tow. “If there’s a concern about your guard’s conduct, perhaps it’s better to have my staff handle it than his colleagues?”

Linus huffs, but it’s an undeniably reasonable point. “All right. Who’s accusing him?”

His gaze slides over the crowd, but no one comes forward, of course. It doesn’t matter. In the middle of Gallum’s sputters of bewildered protest, one of the Accasian guards has already fished the packet from his jacket pocket.

She frowns. “What’s this?”

“I don’t know,” Gallum insists. “It’s not mine.”

“You were carrying it on you.” She eases back the flap and takes a tentative sniff. Her expression hardens.

She catches my father’s gaze. “I’m pretty sure this is lepidex.”

Father’s jaw works. He turns to Linus, his voice even but taut. “Possession of that toxin is illegal in Accasy. It’s used to knock victims out for all sorts of despicable behavior.”

Linus rounds on Gallum. “What in the realms were you thinking? Where did you even get it?”

The soldier looks as if he’s scrambling to find any words at all. “I don’t—I didn’t—it wasn’t—” But a stark blotchiness hascome over his face that looks more panicked than indignant or confused. As if he knows he’s screwed up somehow or other.

As if he’s afraid of how much else about his conduct might be exposed.

High Commander Axius has pushed through the crowd, his expression stormy. He stares down his underling. “You’re going to answer for this.”

Linus waves his hand impatiently. “He’s your responsibility. Have King Josif put him wherever Accasians put their criminals, and we’ll discuss what to do with him later.”

A trickle of relief seeps through my nerves. I turn away—and find Nica watching me, her own face pale.

As if she’s a little afraid ofme.

Chapter Forty-One

Aurelia

As the carriage lurches over a stone in the road, I brace one hand against the seat and the other on my belly. The ever-expanding life inside me squirms as if displeased with the bumpy ride.

Marc’s head jerks up from where he’s been writing notes where he’s sitting across from me. “Are you all right?”

I give him a wry smile. “Just a momentary discomfort.”

I was glad to leave my old home and the conflicted emotions it provoked behind, but every day of the journey to Goric has been a little more trying on my body. Aches are starting to wake up in places I didn’t know I could ache. I need to relieve myself more than is really practical on such a trek.

A few days ago, I had to switch my gold-and-sapphire ring from my forefinger to my ring finger to accommodate the gradual swelling of my hands alongside my belly. By the time we return to Vivencia, I may need the cleric who orchestratedmy marriage to resize the wedding band around my wrist so it doesn’t dig into my flesh.

With nearly three months left before the baby should be due to arrive, I’ve still got quite a way to go. I can only hope that we’re done with carriage rides before the worst of the discomforts set in.

Marc grimaces. “This is the smoothest road between the mountains, but it’s still rougher than most beyond this stretch. I’d have taken us back around through Cotea and Lavira if that route wouldn’t have added multiple weeks to our journey.”

I shake my head. “It’s more important that we finish our rounds well before the baby is ready to arrive. But I am looking forward to our next stop.”

---