Page 17 of Façade

The corner of his mouth curved up into the hint of a smile as he lifted his gaze to mine. “Pardon me for my false assumption.” After a bit more perusal he finally closed my book. “I find your drawings quite interesting, especially since you capture details others might otherwise miss. I’m admittedly curious about the stories behind each of thesecompletedpieces.”

He was being strangely amiable…a bit too much so, which made me instantly suspicious. “Is that truly the reason you sought out my company…or is there another?” I sincerely doubted it was to converse about my unfinished drawings.

“There is.” After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled his resolve firmly around himself and straightened. “There’s a ball tonight, and it’s my hope that we attend together.”

“Aball?” Dread knotted my stomach at the very word. “Why is this the first I’ve heard about this impending torture?”

His lips twitched. “You have been hiding away, giving me little opportunity of fulfilling my husbandly duty in warning you.”

I frowned. “So your feigned interest in my art was nothing more than to appease me before imparting such terrible news.”

He shrugged. “Perhaps a bit, though I had every reason to worry—I don’t recalldancingbeing one of your listed hobbies during our last conversation.”

I was surprised he could recall any details from a conversation that’d been far too tedious for me to maintain any hold on it in my memory…except for the fact it’d only confirmed that my husband was as boring now as he’d been during our courtship.

I pursed my lips. “Your assumption is correct.”

“In that we’re in agreement. Unfortunately, our attendance is mandatory, considering the ball is a celebration of our marriage, making us the guests of honor. Normally we’d await our father’s return, but my brother is eager to announce our union to our subjects so that they might share in our joy.”

Our marriage wasn’t anything to celebrate…at least for me, though I supposed for Brimoire it symbolized the realization of all their hopes in their quest for power. The more official our union became, the more firm his greedy hold on the magic he thought I possessed.

My first instinct was to reject his invitation. I loathed formal functions at the best of times, and tonight I’d be forced to perform the exhausting charade without the comforting presence of my parents, my usual guards, or even the familiar courtiers—none of whom had been friends, but at least they weren’t strangers.

Though I’d always loathed the heated stares and sharp whispers of Estoria’s court about what a disaster of a princess I was, it was at least familiar. Brimoire’s court remained uncharted territory; no amount of time would ever prepare me to enter the foreign court unaccustomed to the unconventional princess who did little to embody the idea of royalty, despite my best efforts. A headache caressed my temples at the mere thought of the strenuous evening awaiting me.

There would be at least some benefit from tonight’s event: making a public appearance as a couple would only make it more difficult for Ryland to sever himself from me once my role as an imposter was inevitably discovered. I didn’t know how long I had before the executioner’s ax fell and destroyed this façade that was our marriage, so I needed to do my best to utilize every opportunity for all it was worth.

“Has your mind wandered again?” Ryland’s impatience snapped my attention back to the conversation at hand. My own defenses rose against his annoyance.

“I was simply weighing my duty in accompanying you against my personal desires.” Despite my reluctance, the best course would be to cooperate in this matter in hopes of increasing his patience in waiting for my magic…not to mention not attending would reflect badly on Estoria, the kingdom I still yearned to honor.

I heaved an exaggerated sigh, not bothering to hide my irritation. “Very well, I will accompany you.”

He smiled. “I’ll come for you after dinner so that you may dine alone in preparation for tonight.”

The thoughtful gesture only left me confused…and disgruntled, considering anything even remotely sweet went against my carefully constructed image of him. I much preferred to dislike him, especially when he was stealing my precious evening for one filled with tedious dancing.

He departed up the hedge-lined path but paused to glance back not at me but at my bare toes peeking out from beneath my skirts. I hastily adjusted the fabric before giving him a challenging look, daring him to comment, but he only sighed. “You should probably wear shoes to the ball.”

Drat, so hehadnoticed. I expected disapproval, but his expression remained impassive. “I have enough sense not to attend a ball without them; how else will I protect my toes when you inadvertently step on them?”

His lips twitched before he tucked all sign of his amusement behind his stoic countenance. “We shall see who’s the superior foot-stepper. Until tonight.” He bowed and departed, leaving the morning far less pleasant than it’d been before his announcement of the dreaded event now looming on the horizon. If only there was a way to make the tedium bearable…

And then inspiration stuck, an opportunity I’d been patiently waiting for. I smirked. Perhaps tonight wouldn’t be so bad after all.

CHAPTER7

Istood in front of my full-length mirror, frowning at the ball gown that my limited wardrobe had required me to borrow from the deceased queen. I’d wasted far too much time changing into one dress after another, unable to settle on any. At first I’d donned gowns covered in fancy frills in hopes of hiding my failures behind the latest fashions, only to leave me feeling like a little girl playing dress-up. Even if I’d wanted to wear the gaudy outfit, I couldn’t do up the complicated buttons running down the back without the help of a lady’s maid.

In the end, my true plans for the evening, along with my desperation to feel more comfortable, compelled me to settle for a less ostentatious gown, and my task shifted to finding one that was simple yet elegant enough to be appropriate for a ball. I already felt out of place enough without alienating Brimoire’s nobility for my lack of fashion sense. And even though our marriage was a sham, a part of me wanted my husband to be proud to have me on his arm, a secret wish I hated myself for.

In the end, I chose a classy gown of purple silk, my favorite color that helped set my anxious heart at ease while being dark enough to blend into the shadows when I later slipped away for my espionage. I was just fiddling with the finishing touches on my mousey-brown hair when a knock sounded on the door, announcing Ryland’s arrival. The nerves I’d been fighting fluttered to life at the sound. I took several steadying breaths before hoisting it open.

He bowed in greeting. “Good evening, Evelyn. Are you ready to attend—” His words trailed off as he took me in, his gaze lingering on my hair done in only a few small braids against my straight locks, a ringlet of pearls atop my head to enhance the otherwise simple style.

After a moment’s hesitation, my confession to his unspoken questions tumbled free. “None of my servants accompanied me…including my lady’s maid.”

His eyes bulged. “You mean you’ve been dressing by yourself all this time?”

---