Page 55 of Stranger's Choice
“I will seek her out myself. I’m sure you’ll be busy in the Moon Room tonight.”
Sebin shuddered. “No.”
It wasn’t what people got up to in the Moon Room that bothered Sebin, though he had no interest in joining them. His problem was that not all of the women attending the parties did so voluntarily. Quite apart from the few members of the Emperor’s Will who were used as part of the entertainment, Sebin had pieced together that some women were pressured to attend because the Moon Room was a stepping stone to the Star Room. Visiting the Star Room was the best way to gain the Emperor’s favor.
“No, I can’t seek her out?” Heolin growled.
“No, I’m not going to the Moon Room. Besides, Auraelie has told me that the Emperor tries to ensure she doesn’t get too close to you. If you seek her out, it may catch his attention. If we cross paths by the fountains, it won’t be as noticeable. I promise I will give you a chance to speak to her alone.”
“Fine, but Iwillseek her out if you don’t keep your word.”
“Understood.”
The earth shuddered again while Heolin strode away.
Sebin looked down at his feet. He was no longer trapped in a solid mass of hard-packed dirt, but loose soil still surrounded his feet. He carefully pried one foot free, then the other, and looked at his filthy feet and trousers. For the first time since coming to Kalitalo, he wished he had his old boots on instead of sandals.
Auraelie watched Sebinwander around the fountains of the inner courtyard. She waited like any dutiful servant would: close enough to see if she was needed, far enough not to be in the way. Unlike a dutiful servant, her attention wasn’t on the man she served—though her eyes tracked his movements. She was focused on Heolin.
He stood distant enough that it wasn’t obvious they were having a conversation. Not with her facing Sebin and him facing the next fountain over. It made it difficult to carry on a conversation, for they had to be quiet and aware of anyone coming close enough to catch them talking.
This was especially frustrating for Auraelie because the more Heolin said, the more she wanted to scream.
“I told you he isn’t.” Auraelie hissed, her lips barely moving.
“And you are in a position where he might demand you lie to me, and he is close enough to monitor us and guess if you are admitting the truth to me.”
Heolin’s distrust of Sebin bothered her. Based on Sebin’s calm announcement of this little rendezvous, it bothered her more than him. Heolin had been Auraelie’s ally, limited though his help was, since he first came to court. She wanted him to extend that trust to Sebin. She needed him to understand that helping Sebin was the best way to help her.
“Fine. Let me put it this way then. No, Heolin. Prince Sebin did not rape me. He is more appalled by the situation I’ve been placed in than anyone. He did not coerce me. He did not even seduce me. I approached him. I seduced him, and it wasn’t easy.”
“What do you mean? Does he not recognize your worth?”
“Wait. A moment ago, you were mad because he had slept with me. Now you are mad because he didn’t do it sooner?”
“Of course not. I only want what is best for you, Auraelie. You shouldn’t have to seduce anyone. Any man worth the trouble wouldn’t actually cause you such trouble.”
Sebin glanced in Auraelie’s direction. She gave him a minute shake of her head. She needed to convert Heolin to his cause before they left that evening.
“Heolin, you are being irrational. You won’t believe me when I say Sebin didn’t take advantage of me, and now you think he doesn’t appreciate me. You are wrong about him. I know he acts like so many of the courtiers you despise, but it is just an act. He pretends to be like them to get close to them. Then he learns their secrets and how to manipulate them to his own ends.”
Auraelie paused. She had to put into words something she knew in her bones. “The real Sebin, though? He is honorable. Considerate. Willing to devote himself fully to something he believes is right, even if it has no direct benefit for him. Even at his own detriment.”
“And how do you know that Sebin isn’t the act and the face he shows the court the truth?”
“To what end, Heolin? Why would he go through that much effort to convince me he was a good person? If he was the person you imply, then he’d only do so for some significant gain.”
Before Heolin could reply, Flenden wandered too close. The young man was everything Heolin assumed Sebin to be, and standing near him, realizing that what she saw in him was what the sprite saw in Sebin only stoked Auraelie’s anger.
Flenden didn’t bother to pretend he was admiring the fountains. He leered openly at Auraelie.
She felt the earth rumble beneath her feet, but only because she expected the vibration. Heolin would not risk using his power obviously to show his displeasure. He glared openly at the courtier, though.
Flenden didn’t notice the sprite’s anger, but when Sebin hailed him, he turned away from Auraelie.
Sebin wandered closer, his attention on the other man, but his eyes darted to Auraelie for a moment. “Flenden, you must tell me about this new tavern you found. Marsone mentioned it, but he didn’t have the details.”
“The Moon’s Shadow? Of course,dyela. It is so much more than a tavern.”
