Page 17 of A Dance of Shadows

Some long-ago emperor commissioned separate imperial residences on the grounds of the capital palaces of every conquered country. It’s supposedly for privacy and security, but undoubtedly also to serve as a constant reminder of the local royals’ subservience, even in the long stretches when the emperor isn’t around.

The similar palace next to my family’s in Accasy’s capital was only occupied for a couple of months in the entire twenty-one years I’ve been alive, but the sight of it never failed to knot my stomach.

The secondary palace is perhaps only half the size of Lorenzo’s family’s, but considering it only needs to house a court and staff a fraction as many, that’s awfully extravagant all the same.

One of the soldiers who’s guarded our convoy opens the carriage door for us. My husband and I stride into the glinting halls first with our personal guards and then the rest of the court trailing behind.

The Rionian architecture shares much with Darium—how much because of similar southern climates and how much through centuries of influence, it’s impossible to say. The airyinterior is structured to allow breezes to easily pass through for their cooling effect. Art both painted and in mosaics decorates the walls, though none of the pieces I pass are enchanted. I suppose it’s not worth the effort to arrange that magic when we’re so seldom here to appreciate the effect.

The chambers reserved for the empress do come with a couple of noticeable differences. Even in my bedroom, the floor is free of rugs other than a thin one right next to the bed. The rest of the space gleams with pale buffed hardwood. And one set of windows is actually a double door that opens onto my own small but private balcony overlooking the city and the sea beyond.

As I take a deep breath of the salt-laced breeze, Linus pats me on the shoulder. “Get yourself out of those travel clothes and ready for the pledging ceremony. We’ll be presenting ourselves at the fourth bell.”

That gives me at least a couple of hours before I’m called on again.

Once he’s gone, I submit to my maids’ ministrations without complaint. After a quick bath, the elaborate pinning of my hair, and the arranging of the many filmy silk layers of my gown, the bells for the third hour peal from the towers throughout the city.

“I’d like some time to meditate before the ceremony,” I tell my helpers.

They bob their heads and slip out of the room.

I sink down on the floor in a pool of sunlight. Exhaustion prickles through me under the warm beams, and all at once all I want to do is lie back and go to sleep. Skip the awful pageantry I’m meant to be a part of.

No. That pageantry will help solidify my place as a leader. I just need to demonstrate that I’m more thoughtful and compassionate than my husband or the imperial leaders before him.

Which shouldn’t be difficult. The hard part will be not being so obvious about my intentions that Linus—and Marc, for that matter—takes offense.

A soft knock on the balcony door brings my head jerking around with a lurch of my heart. My momentary panic washes away with a rush of joy.

All three of my lovers are peering past the open door into the room. As I scramble to my feet, they slip inside.

Bastien catches me in his slim arms first, hugging me tight with a kiss to my forehead and then easing back to look me up and down.

“How are you doing?” he asks in a soft voice, wary of the guards posted in the hall outside.

A slightly hysterical giggle bubbles out of me. “As well as I can be.Whatare you doing? If someone saw?—”

Lorenzo’s illusionary voice travels into my head before I can finish.“They won’t have. We made sure Marclinus wasn’t nearby, and I drew an illusion around us to disguise our arrival. And getting up to the balcony was no problem.”He aims a fond smile at his older foster brother.“Bastien’s getting better with his control over his gift by the day.”

Raul lets out a teasing huff. “I could have made us a staircase of shadow if that wouldn’t have created even more visuals for you to hide.”

Bastien elbows him in return. “Yes, yes, your gift is very impressive too.”

A fuller laugh rises from my lungs. My princes close in around me in a joint embrace, as if this is exactly where they’re always meant to be.

We’re tackling the challenges ahead of us together. I take so much strength from that fact.

Bastien strokes his thumb over the small of my back. “We haven’t had much chance to strategize for our stay here. You’llwant a chance to make an impression of your own, separate from Marclinus.”

I nod. “I’m not sure how exactly I’ll do that, but the more time I can get apart from him to speak with the local nobles or even the common people, the easier it’ll be.” I seek out Lorenzo’s gaze. “You’ll have the best ideas of how to keep him occupied here.”

“I’ll see what I can nudge my family into arranging. They’re not all that inclined to do favors for the emperor beyond what’s expected.”Lorenzo caresses my cheek.“And Raul and I can keep up our campaign of seeding good will. We can explore the city, inventing voices speaking your praises and symbols of your favor with the gods.”

Raul grins. “I noticed a temple of Elox we passed that might be the perfect place to start.”

I tip my head against his shoulder. “Don’t go too overboard. We don’t want the gods feeling we’ve engaged in blasphemy.”

“I can generally draw an appropriate line. For example, I’m exerting the most laudable self-control right now not tossing you on the bed and rumpling that lovely dress.”

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