Page 102 of A Dance of Shadows

“Not a problem.” Linus snaps his fingers toward the line of guards. “Gallum, you’re the one with the gift for shaking up the earth, aren’t you? Let’s have you put that talent to good use.”

A soldier I’ve never taken much note of steps forward with a tick of his jaw. My body goes still as I take in his features—a bump on his nose where perhaps it’s been broken in combat, heavy brow but narrow chin, thick reddish-blond hair cropped short like a field of just-scythed hay.

If this man has a gift that could bring down a rockslide big enough to cover the cave entrance, he could also have sent a single rock tumbling down at my head, couldn’t he? And possibly have shaken the ground to startle a horse one time and trip me another?

As those questions pass through my head, Gallum’s gaze sweeps across me and the Accasians gathered nearby. Both his eyes and the set of his mouth harden as if he dislikes what he sees.

Alarm jangles through my nerves. I don’t know why this stranger would have wanted to harm me… but perhaps he hasn’t done it for his own ends. Linus is obviously aware of his talents.

Could it really be true that the more sadistic twin has been aiming to outright murder me?

If that’s the case, he’s attempting to do it by more subtle means today. I suppose I’m safer than usual as long as Gallum doesn’t join us in the caves.

Linus makes a shooing gesture to direct the Accasian nobles toward the crevice. He glances over his shoulder. “Vicerine Bianca, you leapt into the fray in Rodrige. Baronissa Damina and Baronissa Hivette, the two of you as well. I believe my three foster brothers are always eager to help. Who else was there…”

He points out a few of the other Darium nobles who intervened to protect the kids in Lavira. As they move toward the hillside as well, leaving our host of soldiers behind, my husbandshoots one last smirk at me. “And my lovely wife, I hear there’s a spring of water believed to be Elox-blessed within this hill. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding that alongside your other concerns. Bring me back a bottle, would you?”

It’s not really a question. A servant shoves a small glass flask into my hand. The nobles, both Accasian and Darium, glance back to see my response.

I can’t let myself falter here. I’ll be guiding the people of both my homes in a minute—I need all of them to trust me.

Linus’s first mention of the challenges he’d assign to me wavers up through my memory. He said we couldn’t let any country think their empress favored others more.

I tuck the flask into the pouch at my hip and smile back at my husband. “What a perfect opportunity to collect Elox’s blessing. Let us extend it to our loyal subjects as well. I can take a few more vials to distribute among the victors of this game.”

Linus blinks at me, his expression momentarily darkening. He obviously didn’t expect me to not just embrace his demand but expand on it.

It won’t help his image any if he appears to doubt his own request. He motions to the staff interspersed through the crowd. “Well, you heard your empress. Get on with it.”

In a matter of moments, I have three smaller containers the servants were able to scrounge up also tucked in my pouch. Linus jerks his chin toward the crevice, holding out his arm to stop my guards from following me.

Striding after the nobles, I lift my head high and exude all the assurance I can, as if there’s nowhere I’d rather go. My heart keeps hammering at my ribs.

It’ll be all right, I remind myself.You took precautions. These caves have always been ours.

But gods only know how much else could go wrong. It’s not just my own people I have to protect but the Darium nobles who’ve been willing to throw in their lot with me.

How inclined will they be to follow my lead again now that they’ve faced the consequences?

The baron just ahead of me balks at the mouth of the cave. He glances back toward Linus. “Your Imperial Majesty, you can’t seriously expect?—”

My husband cuts him off with a remark that somehow sounds both brusque and bored. “You can go in or meet death right now. Your choice.”

A soldier beside him stirs as if bracing himself to deal the killing blow. The baron’s face ticks, and he hurries through the crevice.

I follow him in. Several steps past the opening, the passage widens into a space that’s more like a room, though still relatively small and low-ceilinged. I step close to my family, catching Soreena’s hand to give it a reassuring squeeze I wish I was surer of myself.

I’m the last to enter. As Mother steps away from us deeper into the cave, a rumble sounds over our heads, reverberating through the stone.

It’s followed by a rattling, pelting sound. Rocks and boulders careen over the entrance we came through, diminishing and then completely blocking out the light.

Someone sucks in a breath on the verge of a sob. Then lanternlight flares, illuminating the tight cluster of perhaps forty of us braced in the cave.

Mother hands out the five lanterns as she lights them. “Here we go. We’ll find our way out. None of you newcomers need to worry. This cave system has plenty of openings.”

At a scraping noise behind us, Soreena tenses up again. “But if we return before the city folk out there can clear the main entrance, the emperor said he’ll punish them for it.”

She glances at me as if hoping I’ll correct her impression of my husband’s statement. Unfortunately, I can’t.

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