Page 39 of The Shadows Between Us
“What happened to Xanthos?”
“A carriage accident, they say.”
“How terrible.”
Leandros nods. “My uncle brought me to the palace a few years later, thinking the companionship of boys his age might help. I wasn’t prepared to actually like him—it being a planned friendship, you see.”
I know the sentiment precisely.
“And now with his parents gone,” Leandros continues, “Kallias trusts no one. Save you, it would seem.” A pause. “How is he?”
I pat Leandros’s arm. “He seems well enough. He’s so dreadfully busy taking everything on his shoulders. But we have good conversations.”
“I just worry he’s forgotten entirely how to have fun.”
Fun.
Yes, that’s exactly what Kallias needs. Someone to remind him what fun is.
“Here we are,” Leandros says when we turn onto a new corridor. “Straight ahead. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you for your help. I never would have found it on my own.”
“You’re most welcome.” Leandros takes back his arm, and his eyes rest on the necklace at my throat—the ruby-studded rose. “Beautiful.”
“It was a gift from Kallias.”
“The poets say a virtuous woman’s worth is above rubies. I should think the king values you more than all the precious gems in the world combined. I know I would if you were mine.”
And he takes his leave, disappearing out of sight.
I’m left staring after him, a peculiar mix of emotions swirling within me.
The poets can say whatever they damned like. A woman’s worth is not decided by what’s between her legs but by what is in her mind.
But Leandros’s flirtations are beyond flattering. Perhaps he might be someone to use in the future should I need to make Kallias jealous. Or, if the two used to be best friends, Leandros would know more than I do about Kallias’s interests and hobbies. He could prove to be a valuable source of information, if I could broach the topic naturally.
When I reach the end of the corridor, I’m stopped by a man with overly large spectacles, heeled shoes, tights, and a black tunic. He holds a pen and parchment in his hands.
“My lady, can I help you?” he asks. He tries to be subtle about the look-over he gives me, but I see it clearly.
“My name is Lady Alessandra Stathos. I was hoping to catch His Majesty in between meetings.”
The man drops into a bow. “I have heard of your arrival at court, Lady Stathos. I’m sure the king would love to know you stopped by, but I’m afraid he’s in back-to-back meetings for the rest of the day.”
“Do they switch rooms? Perhaps I could catch him in pass—”
The doors open, and a group of men and women step through. The appointment keeper grabs my arm to pull me out of the way so as not to be run over.
“Forgive me, my lady,” he says once the angry horde has passed. He disappears into the room, and I promptly follow him before the door can close.
The room is less a meeting room than an assembly hall. Benches span over half of the space. Against the opposite wall rests a throne and a scattering of smaller chairs. While Kallias occupies the throne, the council members take up the surrounding seats.
This is a room where decisions are made, where power is wielded. Once Kallias is dead, I will be at the head of this room, deciding the fates of others.
Kallias spots me almost at once. He rises and brushes past the appointment keeper to reach me.
“What are you doing here?” he asks quietly.
