Page 13 of Ties of Deception

Chapter

Five

After I insisted we not stay in Fierro, I was grateful that Flavia didn’t ask me any questions on the long carriage ride home. By the time I was safe in my villa, it was long past midnight; I was so tired, I didn’t even brush my hair. But the dagger strapped into my sandals made me pause. I’d completely forgotten about it. What was I meant to do with such an awkward gift? If I threw it away out of dislike for its owner, the Aida prince might tell the empress who would scold me again for being discourteous. I had upset her enough as it was. Or was I completely overthinking this?

In the end, I shoved it under my pillow. I doubted any intruders would ever break in here, but at least it was hidden, and I wasn’t going to lose it.

I collapsed onto the massive bed laden with silk cushions and tried to block out all thoughts of the disastrous evening.

The next morning, I woke with a hollow ache in my chest, and it took more effort than it should have to push my feet to the edge of the bed and rise. It was hard to think of anything that could motivate me. I had hoped the party would help me feel more grounded as a Grace, but instead it had been bitterly disappointing.

Drusella, Hermon, and Pris called on me while I was eating a very late breakfast and asked if they could join me. At first, I thought about asking them to leave, but then I had questions about what I’d seen and heard last night burning at the back of my mind, and I wasn’t sure who else I could ask.

The maids moved the low table and chairs into the courtyard and erected an awning to keep us out of the sun. The table was soon laden with enough food for a dozen people. I sprinkled sugar on my grapefruit, hoping that they hadn’t been told that I’d been reprimanded and asked to leave by the empress.

I kept my voice light. “What does Fated mean?”

Drusella straightened, a spoonful of yogurt and honey suspended between her bowl and her lips. “Where on earth did you hear that?”

I innocently concentrated on excavating my grapefruit. “I overheard somebody mention it at the ball. There were a few terms I didn’t understand.”

The older woman snorted. “Superstitious mumbo-jumbo, that’s all it is.”

Pris frowned at her mother and shook back the free golden curls framing her face. The rest of her hair was skillfully bound by blue ribbons crisscrossing her head. “Well, I think it’s terribly romantic.”

Drusella arched an eyebrow. “That’s because you can be terribly silly.”

“It’s just the eastern word for ‘love at first sight,’” Hermon said in a calm tone, patting my shoulder.

Love at first sight…had the Aida prince used that as a joke? A sarcastic excuse for his behavior?

A shiver of hot annoyance trembled down my back. How many women had he acted that way with before, to be so surprised when I resisted his touch and told him to stop?

Drusella’s shrill voice broke me from my thoughts. “Purity! Please be careful! You must stay happy!”

I blinked and was surprised to notice several items of crockery now had cracks in them. A pitcher slowly bled juice onto the tablecloth. I swore internally. Before I could apologize, Pris suddenly disappeared from her place at the table, falling to the flagstones with a loud crack. To my horror, I realized her chair leg had broken.

I covered my mouth with my hands “Sorry! I’m so sorry.” How could I be so bad at this?

Pris stood up with an awkward laugh. “I’m fine.” A maid hurried to replace her chair with a new one.

Hermon’s voice was low and calming. “It’s all right, Purity. Think grounding thoughts. Concentrate on how the taste of sugar contrasts with the sour grapefruit. The smell of the flowers. Think of the beauty around you.”

I did as he said, thinking of every positive sensation I could discern around me. Once I was calm, I dared to look at the expressions of the family. They were all carefully blank. “I’m sorry,” I repeated.

Hermon shook his head. “No, none of these apologies. You’re tired. All of us struggle with our emotions when we’re tired.”

Drusella gave me a decidedly fake smile. “How about a long bath after breakfast? You could try all the different lotions. Then I could arrange a massage.”

Pris perked up. “Oh, Mother, why don’t we host some dancers? Then Purity can watch a show with me.”

I nodded. “Thank you. That would all be very kind. Excuse me.”

I stood up, careful to keep my thoughts under control as I left the courtyard to return inside. As I rounded the corner, I heard Pris whisper, “Is this normal? Should we contact the priest and ask if something is wrong with her?”

Her words were sharply hushed. But then heard Drusella’s barely audible grumble. “This is all the empress’s fault. How could she invite such a young goddess to the palace?”

I closed my eyes for a moment before I walked back to my chamber.Happy.All I had to do was be happy. I could do this. I could learn to control myself. I’d been given a life of luxury most could only dream of. I should be grateful.

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