Page 31 of A Dance of Shadows

“Next time, you should all act faster,” Marc snaps, narrowing his eyes at our host of soldiers. He eases closer to me. “My wife and I will make our way back to the palace with only our personal guards. The rest of you may follow well behind. And if there are any further incidents, you can be sure my punishment will be swift and unpleasant.”

As he swivels on his heel, bringing me with him, I manage to catch Raul’s gaze amid our gathering. With a hasty gesture, he conveys that he didn’t see anything amiss.

Perhaps itwasjust an awful coincidence.

While my husband guides me onward in the midst of a tighter ring of guards, my pulse starts to even out. The accident has played into my own plans. Marc is feeling even more protective of me.

And the incident revealed that when push comes to shove, the woman I was hesitant to consider a friend cares more about my well-being than even her own. I never would have guessed.

If I can count Bianca as a true ally, that’s a victory in itself. Because if someone among us is looking to eliminate me, I’m going to need as many of those as I can get.

Chapter Twelve

Aurelia

I’m taking a brief respite on my balcony after breakfast when a knock brings me to my door. One of the guards posted outside pokes his head in to speak to me. “Prince Lorenzo, Lady Cristal, and Lady Jazmina would speak with you.”

I recognize those names vaguely from among the cousins Lorenzo mentioned. When I peer out, I find my lover flanked by two women I don’t believe I’ve spoken to before, one dark and statuesque and the other pale and petite. The tall one’s cocky grin seems oddly forward when I don’t even recognize her.

But I trust Lorenzo’s judgment. He bobs his head to me with a welcoming if reserved smile of his own and a twist of his fingers that says,Come.

The blond woman speaks, her posture more awkward than her companions’. “We were hoping you would join us for a boating jaunt, Your Imperial Highness. There’s a lot of Rione’s marvels you haven’t gotten to see, and it appears your husband has other business he’s attending to this morning.”

Lorenzo must have arranged with his family to divert Marclinus again. Even if this is only a friendly excursion, I’d better take what chances I can to make more allies among the Rionian royals.

“I’d be happy to accept that invitation.” I glance at the two guards on either side of my doorway. “I assume you’ll accompany me?”

The one who summoned me to the hall draws himself a little straighter. “Of course, Your Imperial Highness.”

As usual, they trail several paces behind us through the halls and out to the carriage that’s already waiting. My guards keep a close watch over me, but they do try their best not to overly intrude.

As the carriage rattles down the cobblestone streets to the harbor, Lorenzo’s smile turns slyer. He signals to me below the level of the window.Stay quiet. Watch.

I take that in, and then the appearance of the two women next to us flickers.

For just an instant, I glimpse Raul’s brash face behind the image of Lady Cristal and Bastien’s, more pensive, behind Lady Jazmina. My heart skips a beat.

“I’m so glad you could arrange this outing,” I say in a carefully measured tone, aware of the guards positioned on the carriage’s outer seats.

“It should be very enjoyable,” the illusion of Lady Cristal says, with just the slightest hint of Raul’s wry tone.

I don’t want Lorenzo to have to strain his gift any more than he already is, so I force myself not to push for more conversation on the way to the harbor. My heart keeps thumping at its giddy pace in anticipation of an even more delightful excursion than I could have imagined.

It’s been far too many days since I got to relax in the company of the men I love.

Lorenzo leads the way to an elegant sailboat, its canvas sail as white as its hull. Cushioned lounge seats have been set up by the bow, with a couple of benches farther back where my guards settle in.

The prince of Rione may be royalty, but I already saw during Marclinus’s challenge that the royal family practices the skills their country is most known for. No sailors join us. Lorenzo deftly maneuvers the boat away from the docks and angles the sail to catch the wind.

He’s told me he started learning to guide a boat not long after he started walking. Clearly his time away from home hasn’t diminished his confidence in that area.

I sink onto one of the sprawling chairs between the two “ladies.” Once we’re steadily cruising perhaps half a mile out from the coastline, Lorenzo sinks into the last of the seats, at Bastien’s other side.

The prince of Cotea speaks with his illusion-altered voice. “You’ve had a busy time of it since you arrived at our country, Your Imperial Highness. I hope you’ll take a moment to take in the scenery and relax. We are a hospitable people.”

I smooth the amusement from my voice. “I can see that.”

And there’s nothing I’d like to do more than let my body sag into these cushions. It appears my princes don’t intend to try to turn this voyage into a strategy session, which seems wise.

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