Page 80 of Prisoner of Darkness and Dreams
“Oh, Baron Hornifold,” one of them gasps, “You are awful.”
“I’m offended, Lady Petunis,” I say with mock hurt. “That’s one of my best.”
This only makes them giggle again. Beside me, Damia is silent, studying the room intently. It would be obvious she’s staking out the place to anyone with a careful eye. It’s partly why I’m trying to keep everyone distracted with my excellent jokes.
“Careful, Baron Hornifold, or you’ll have the girls choking on their soufflé,” says Lord Qualis, opposite me. I’ve learned he’s the cousin of Lady Petunis and her sister, Lady Viola.
“Come now, Lord Qualis. I don’t believe such graceful ladies capable of such a thing,” I smile.
I catch the ladies’ friend, Lady Frione, looking at Damia. Then, when itseems Baron Hornifold’s wife isn’t paying attention, she very deliberately bats her eyelashes at me.
“Do you have many graceful ladies up there in Artifract, Lord Hornifold? It must be awfully cold. However do you stay warm?” She raises her brows at me, eyes big and innocent, but I feel quite clearly the slipper-clad foot sliding up my leg.
“Ah, well, the climate certainly isn’t for everyone,” I say evenly, wondering exactly when Lady Frione will stop her exploration. Her foot is getting awfully close to?—
“Oh don’t worry, I make sure he’s kept plenty warm,” comes a dangerous voice from beside me. Lady Frione startles a little as her foot is quickly dislodged from its position by my knee, shoved to the floor by a strong, swift hand. I try not to jump when Damia’s hand claims my leg territorially, her fingers sliding up toward my thigh. “It’s my job to make sure Baron Hornifold never gets chilly. And I take my jobveryseriously,” she says, staring at Lady Frione in direct challenge.
The young woman blushes and looks away while Lord Qualis chuckles.
“Good for you, Baron Hornifold,” he says, nudging me with his elbow. “Not every man can claim such an attentive wife.”
“Not every man can claim such a beautiful one either,” I say, smiling at Damia. Her green eyes meet mine, and for a second, I’m very conscious of the heat emanating from her touch, still resting tantalizingly high.
“Just you remember that, my love,” Damia says sweetly to me before releasing my leg and returning to her food.
“NowIheard a rumor that the rogue princess has been spotted in the north. You wouldn’t happen to be hiding Morgana Angevire up in Artifract, would you, Lord Hornifold?” Lady Viola asks coquettishly.
Damia stiffens beside me, but I just laugh and pretend to think.
“Hmm, not that I recall. Although I’ll have to check the pantry when we get home. I hear outlaw princesses are notorious for lurking in those.”
My audience titters, and I make a note of their amusement. It seems the nobles of Trova aren’t so disturbed by talk of Morgana Angevire, and I decide to probe further.
“But then perhaps I should be more concerned,” I say lightly, taking a swig of my wine. “I mean, do you think it’s true that she murdered her parents?”
I watch their reactions carefully over the rim of my cup. How deeply do they believe the official story? But Lord Qualis just shrugs.
“Who knows? A terrible tragedy, of course. But kings and queens always have a lot of enemies. I’ve heard people say she got herself in a mess with the fae. Made promises she couldn’t keep, or something like that, and now she’s stuck taking orders from them. I certainly wouldn’t be standing up to the Nightmare Prince in a hurry.”
“Oh I don’t know, if she really is a solari, she might be a match for him,” Lady Petunis says.
Damia shifts beside me uncomfortably, but I seize the opportunity.
“I’ve heard the rumors about her power,” I say, shaking my head. “A heretic princess—you couldn’t make it up.”
“Well, ‘heretic’ is one way of putting it,” Lord Qualis says.
I lift a questioning eyebrow at him and smile to show I’m intrigued. “Meaning?”
He sets his drink down. “I’m just saying the Temple loves to be a party pooper. They certainly have a long list of boogeymen.”
“Careful Qualis, or you’ll find yourself uninvited from the coronation. The regentlovesthe Temple,” Lady Petunis says.
Lord Qualis makes a gesture indicating his lips are sealed, and the conversation moves on.
“I wouldn’t mind meeting the Nightmare Prince,” Lady Frione giggles. “I’ve heard he’s rather handsome.”
Lady Viola rolls her eyes. “Please, Frione, you’d flirt with a rock if it had enough muscles.”
