Page 52 of A Dance of Shadows

He lifts his shoulders in a subtle shrug. “There isn’t much they can do about it. In a way, it’s our own fault. Innovation and diversity of thought have always been cornerstones of Cotean identity. We can’t encourage those principles and then tell people they have to follow the party line.”

“But to go behind their own king’s back to make a deal with the empire…” Surely they don’t interfere in any way that’s too damaging?

Bastien exhales in a rush of a sigh. He’s quiet for a moment before answering. “It isn’t as if our royal family has been able to accomplish all that much on our country’s behalf in centuries anyway. The courtiers probably see it as more efficient to go straight to the source of real authority.”

I wince at the truth in his words, but I can’t help protesting all the same. “Having their own nobles working at counter purposes will only make it harder for your family to rule.”

Bastien tosses me another smile. “Perhaps you’ll be the one to convince them of that.”

“How much do they hassle you?” I ask as we walk on. “As part of the Cotean royal family imbedded in the Darium court, you must?—”

I stop at the shake of Bastien’s head. He doesn’t look back at me this time. “They tried, when I was quite a bit younger.The courtiers figured out pretty early on that I had no real sway with the emperor—and that I wasn’t willing to gamble what little security I did have making questionable deals.”

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me, but the prince’s tone is self-deprecating, as if he thinks it was a fault of his. I squeeze his hand. “You had much bigger—and more meaningful—plans to protect.”

“As long as those dreams lasted. But they did hold me through long enough to join in yours.” He pauses, and a wider grin crosses his face. “I think I see some of your josemine!”

We take a roundabout route between several spans of pale mud and matted reeds to reach the clump of cattails where he spotted the delicate white flowers. As I crouch down and start plucking the blossoms, my breath flows easier into my lungs.

I’ve gotten what we came for. We’ll be able to go back victorious.

Back to the man who didn’t seem to care whether I drowned in this bog.

Maybe that thought drags at me more than I realize. Or maybe it’s simply an unfortunate twist of fate. Either way, I wrap a couple of handfuls of josemine blossoms in wax cloth, tuck the bundle in my pouch, and set off after Bastien back toward our horses.

I’d swear I walk along the exact same path he does, but as he hops across a rivulet ahead of us, I set down one foot—and the soggy ground gives way under my heel.

My other foot jerks backward in an instinctive motion to catch my balance. It plants on a chunk of matted reeds that immediately plunges down beneath me.

My first foot slides with it. I crash into the lukewarm water.

A yelp breaks from my throat. As Bastien whips around, I snatch at the nearest reeds, at the firmer ground I slipped off.The surface beneath me keeps plummeting with a tug of my feet as if it’s dragging me down.

Bastien dives forward. Sprawling on his stomach, he throws his arms around me, catching me under my armpits just before my shoulders tumble beneath the surface.

“I’ve got you,” he says in a ragged voice.

I try to kick myself closer to him, but my feet can barely move. The tug I felt before keeps hauling me downward.

“My feet,” I gasp out. “They’re stuck—it’s pulling me into the water.”

Bastien’s arms lock even more firmly around me, though they’re submerged to his elbows now. “The reeds lift up and get tangled. Stay still for a moment. Just hold on to me.”

Resisting every instinct to thrash, I force my legs to stop moving. The pressure remains, but the tug lightens a little.

“Good.” Bastien keeps his voice even, but he can’t erase the rasp from it. “Now wiggle your feet just a little. Tiny movements, until you feel the grip loosening.”

I twitch my feet this way and that. The tugging sensation shifts, clinging to my slippers. With a few more furtive movements, one of the shoes slides right off my foot—and the reeds’ grip leaves with it.

The frantic thumping of my heart eases just a tad. With several more cautious wriggles, I free my other foot, losing its slipper as well. “All right, I think I’m untangled.”

“Here we go.” Bastien squirms backward, dragging me with him. As soon as I can press my own arms against the solid stretch of earth, I haul myself out of the water as quickly as possible.

I collapse amid the reeds next to Bastien, my sopping dress clinging to my limbs. A hitch has come into his breath. My own lungs have constricted.

An echo of the water’s chill and the drag on my ankles reverberates through me. The impression of the deep darkness I was nearly pulled into floods my mind.

If Bastien hadn’t been here, if he hadn’t acted so quickly, I’d almost certainly have died. The sinkhole would have swallowed me whole.

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