Page 108 of Taking Jenny
Justice addressed the court once more. “As the first human to run and survive Illiapol, you shall henceforth be titled as the Prima, Lady Jenny Hollinger of Ladrille. Hero to humans, and the People’s Favored Lady. Hail, Prima!”
The court shouted back, “Hail, Prima! Hail, Prima! Hail, Prima!”
“You honor me, Ruler,” she said firmly, yet respectfully.
“Yes, I do,” he said, as he seated himself. “Join me.”
Jenny stood then sat on the golden throne next to Justice.
A stunned gasp rippled through the ballroom. I didn’t know who they expected to sit there, since Justice’s consort, Aphonic, was still ill, but the boldness of it made even me uncomfortable.
Mal stiffened beside me, his jaw clenched tight.
Justice clapped his hands once. “Music. Dancing. Now.”
The band started up. People danced, as servants delivered banwine. Discord and Longshot drifted off to dance, but Surge had vanished off to somewhere. I would have danced too, but my eyes were locked on Jenny.
She laughed at something Justice said to her, their heads tilted together like they were longtime friends. It was so unlike Jenny, considering her contempt for the other man.
Mal glowered at them from against the wall, so I joined him. “Why are you here by yourself?”
He didn’t answer immediately, just tilted his chin toward the thrones. “That.”
I followed his gaze back to the pair. “It is strange, but I don’t know how things go here after Illiapol.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression troubled. “Not like that, I can assure you.”
“What do you think is going on?”
“I’m not sure. Particularly after what Longshot said about what he saw and heard at the end of the trial. That Justice let her cross the finish line and win.”
I frowned and grabbed two banwines for us from a passing servant. Mal drank his in one shot, then set the empty glass on a windowsill.
My gaze went back to Jenny. “She looks good,” I said.
“Too good.”
“How do you mean?”
“When I saw her on the path, she was injured, bumps and scrapes and bruises, mostly. Her skin was sallow, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Now…” He exhaled hard. “She looks incredible. Like a fucking vision.”
I wasn’t following. “And that’s bad?”
“She’s been cleaned up. Mostly likely healed by a palace magician. She’s dressed to dazzle and it’s not just for appearances. He’s made her into a pawn. Just like Silence.”
I choked on my banwine. In all the craziness, I had forgotten once again that Mal didn’t know Silence was still alive. And that he had once been betrothed to her.
“Uh, how so?” I asked, feigning innocence.
“Anyone at the top of their game is a target, Tiger, and targets are often used as pawns by Justice.” Something in his expression turned brittle. “Did you know I was supposed to unite with Silence?”
I choked on my banwine again, worse the second time. I didn’t know how else to react, and I would not break Discord’s confidence. Mal rubbed my back until I could breathe again.
He continued. “Silence had always been predisposed to me, untilValorcame around.”
“But she was betrothed to Deacon Ladrang, how—”
“That was a ploy by Justice to keep Valor distracted. Justice wants to develop a mine on some islands in the south, and those islands are owned by Valor’s wife’s family, the Sellacs. They refused to sell their ancestral islands to Justice, so he wanted to destroy the Sellacs and take the islands for himself. First thing to do was distract Valor by waving Silence around as a suitable consort for Deacon.”
