Page 29 of A Dance of Shadows

I offer them a polite smile and cast my gaze toward the scenery on both sides of us. “Thank you for including us in this part of the festival. I appreciate getting to see the wilder side of Rione as well as the city’s grandeur. A country is so much more than its buildings.”

The queen’s answering smile stays equally mild. “That’s very true. I understand your home country has some imposing terrain of its own.”

I give a light laugh, the memory of Accasy’s towering forests and grand mountains sending a pang of homesickness through my heart. “It does indeed.”

With a surreptitious glance around, I confirm that none of the dozen guards who’ve accompanied us on our outing are standing close enough to overhear. Then I tip my head subtly toward the fortress down the slope. “It must be a little suffocating sometimes, having armed representatives of the empire watching over you so closely.”

As her daughter’s stance tenses, Queen Anahi’s gaze goes even more distant. She’s suppressing her actual feelings, of course.

“We have no complaints,” she says. “They ensure our security as well as that of the entire empire.”

“You have your own soldiers, who I’m sure you’ve chosen for their loyalty.” I’ve seen several of them in the royal colors of sky-blue and silvery gray stationed around the palace. “It’s been long enough since there was any trouble here that I’d imagine you don’t need quite the same level of extra help. I was thinking of suggesting as much to my husband.”

Lorenzo mentioned that his mother was skeptical of my intentions. I’m hoping that this overture might offer a little proof that I’m not out to tyrannize her people.

To my surprise, Queen Anahi’s mouth twists with what looks like genuine discomfort. “I think we have an excellent balancenow, actually. Better to be sure there isn’t more trouble in the future. We wouldn’t want to disturb the empire.”

Is she only saying what she thinks I’d want to hear?

I knit my brow. “The empire functions best when we all trust each other to rule our own people as much as we can. I assure you, I have no doubts that you’ll conduct yourselves well.”

It’s a vague enough statement that it couldn’t be seen as treasonous. Let her recognize the gesture of good-will I mean it as.

The queen studies me for a moment. I think I see something soften in her gaze, but then she simply draws her posture a little straighter. “Then please trust that when I say we prefer the current level of oversight, I do mean that. The governing of a country can be quite complex. It may be difficult to recognize all the elements in a few days. But I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

She eases to the side just as Marc strides over to rejoin me. Princess Leonor shoots me a quick if tight smile before following her mother.

My husband nods to them in bland acknowledgment. “Is it almost time for the display?”

Queen Anahi motions to the apparatus her staff have set up. “Everything is prepared, but we wait until the sun has completely set for the best effect. It should only be a few more minutes now.”

The last haze of light gradually fades from the sky. As the queen signals for the staff to get started, I tuck myself closer to Marc with my hand around his arm, shoving down the pang of longing to be with my princes instead.

Bianca sashays over at my other side and glances at both me and Marc through her eyelashes. “My husband is being dreary at the moment. I thought I’d enjoy the rest of the sights with better company.”

Marc chuckles, and I offer her a companionable if cautious grin. If she needs to escape Ennius, that’s one scheme I’m more than happy to help with.

“I gather this should be quite an impressive sight,” I say to her, just as the first enchanted projectile hurtles from the apparatus with a pop and a sizzle.

For the first few seconds, I can’t see anything, only hear that slight hiss as the ball hurtles up toward the sky. Then it crackles apart in a shower of light, as if pink stars are raining down on us from above.

The Rionian staff launch another and another of the projectiles into the sky. The magic imbued in them guides some of the bursts of light into the shapes of Ardone’s sacred symbols. Glittering roses bloom among the actual stars. Salmon leap into the distance. Swans glide over the city with flares of their broad wings.

As I crane my neck to take in every detail of the display, a wave of dizziness passes through my awe. My head goes momentarily fuzzy, as if my thoughts are whirling like the lights above.

What am I supposed to make of Queen Anahi’s remarks? Was she trying to convey some subtle message, or did she mean exactly what she said?

Why would she ever wantmoreDarium soldiers around rather than fewer?

I can’t piece that puzzle together, and I’m not sure whether it’s because of the fog of fatigue that periodically grips my mind or because she didn’t make any sense at all.

My grip on Marc’s arm tightens instinctively to keep my balance. As applause ripples through the courtyard with the last of the projectiles, my husband glances down at me.

“It appears the show is over. Shall we make our return? It’s rather late and still a fair hike back to the palace—it wouldn’t do for you to get overtired.”

My gaze darts to the royal family, but I can’t imagine how I’m going to make any further progress with the queen tonight. And Marc will like feeling I appreciate his concern.

I lean against him. “Yes, I think I’d like to be off my feet before much longer.”

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