Page 138 of A Dance of Shadows

Any other evening, I’d have followed him. Tonight, Iwantto look vulnerable.

I need to tempt my intended assassin—or assassins, depending on how many of them there are—into making another attempt.

Without even looking toward my princes, I make a gesture at my side.Ready.

They’ve been watching me more closely than ever since I was able to convey my plan to them in a hasty conversation yesterday. Bastien and Raul both tried to argue me out of taking the risk.

“I’m going to be putting myself in much more danger than this if we’re going to see our plans through to the end,” I reminded them. “Neven isn’t totally wrong—we can’t shrink from a battle when we’re better off taking control.”

Lorenzo simply said,“We’ll protect you when you need it, Rell. If we hold up our end, none of us willneedto worry.”

Neither Bastien nor Raul could protest any more after that, although Raul seemed to feel he needed to make a show of grumbling a little more.

Now, Lorenzo’s illusionary voice passes into my head within a few heartbeats after my signal.“We’re ready too. We’ll spread out but make sure we all have you in view. Don’t move too quickly.”

I can give them that much. After all, I do very much share their preference that I remain un-assassinated.

I stroll casually in the opposite direction from Marc, letting my gaze drift vaguely across the courtyard as if I’m not paying much attention to my surroundings. Here and there, flames dance in the small braziers set up to offer additional light and heat. I weave between them, taking in their prickles of warmth.

My gait is starting to feel more like a waddle than I like, but in this particular scenario, that fact may enhance my appearance of vulnerability.

When a server offers a platter of desserts, I pluck up a pastry so I have something to nibble on—and offer a target for if my enemies want to try the choking route again. I pretend to take careless bites but actually only nip off a little of the flaky dough so there isn’t much to snag in my throat with each swallow.

Let’s get on with it. I’ve got no magic-sensing guards near me now. This is the perfect opening for a little imperial murder.

I keep my steps as light as possible but plant my feet firmly with each one to surreptitiously steady my balance. Every nerve buzzes beneath my skin, on the alert for a threat I can’t entirely anticipate.

I stop to exchange a few pleasantries with Baronissas Damina and Hivette, and then a couple of clusters of nobles who are warmer in their friendliness than I think they were before we left this country. I’d chat with Bianca, but she’s at the end of the courtyard near Marc—and I don’t want to get into a conversation that would distract me from my goal.

My past “accidents” have happened while I was relatively alone. I meander toward the edge of the courtyard, taking another nibble from my pastry. The soldiers stationed in a loose ring around the yard stare forward with bland expressions.

Veering back toward the clusters of nobles, I pass one of the braziers. I pause there for a moment to soak in the heat.

Just as I push onward, a lick of fire lashes straight toward me.

If I hadn’t been so secretly on guard, if my princes hadn’t been guarding me too, my entire dress might have gone up in flames in an instant. As it is, I only just jerk out of the way as a gust of wind smacks the sudden flare in the opposite direction.

Lorenzo’s voice peals into my head, taut with anger.“The soldier near the corner of the courtyard—the woman with the short black hair and the cleft chin—she was staring right at you when it happened and then jerked her gaze away to pretend she hadn’t seen. Raul says she hasn’t got any weapons on her except her regular sword.”

That sword could cut me just fine on its own, but at least I can keep track of where it is. I spin on my heel and march toward the soldier Lorenzo indicated.

My personal guards dash after me.

“Are you burned?” Kassun asks in a low voice. “We should have them put a damper on the braziers?—”

He doesn’t realize there was magic involved, that it was a purposeful attempt. If it wasn’t clear to him, I doubt anyone else suspects yet either.

I’ll just have to change that.

As I draw myself to an imperious halt in front of the soldier, my guard falls silent in confusion. The uniformed woman’s gaze ticks toward me, because she can hardly pretend not to notice her empress right there in front of her. The corner of her mouth twitches too, with what looks like a jolt of anxiety.

I’ve studied Marc’s list of the soldiers’ gifts thoroughly, and none of them had a talent for manipulating fire. But there are other ways one could direct flames without having a specific affinity for them, as Bastien just proved while protecting me.

“Why?” I ask.

The soldier’s gaze flickers again. “I—I’m sorry, Your Imperial Highness? Why what?”

I lean a little closer, keeping my own gaze intent and my voice low but harsh. “You know what I mean. What do you have against me? Who put you up to this? You couldn’t really think I wouldn’t find?—”

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