Page 42 of The Shadows Between Us
Leandros and Petros pause the game to listen.
“First, I need you to answer a few questions, if you would?”
“Of course!”
“What does Melita want more than anything else?”
“To marry a rich and handsome man with a higher title than her father, a baron.”
“That’s why she snagged you at the first opportunity,” I realize. “And why she bats her eyelashes at Orrin. He has a better title than you.”
“And he’s far more handsome,” Petros puts in unhelpfully.
Rhouben reaches over and smacks him.
“Why would your father allow you to marry beneath you?” I ask, curious.
“He’s friends with the baron. They’ve talked of uniting their families since before I was born.” The words come out as a grumble.
“Well, we’re prepared to stop that. All we need is to arrange for Orrin and Melita to get together,” I say.
“How are you going to manage that?” Leandros asks. “Eliades is smitten with you, and I hardly see how that is going to rid you of—Myron, was it?”
“Yes, for that bit, I’m going to need some money.”
Rhouben leans his billiards stick against the nearest wall. “You can really get rid of Melita without getting me disinherited?”
I nod.
“How much money do you need?”
Without blinking, I say, “Five thousand necos.”
Petros whistles. “That’s more than my father makes in a year.”
“But not Rhouben’s father?” I ask.
Rhouben doesn’t need to think twice about it. “I’ll get you the money. Just tell me what else you’ll need.”
“Invite your father to the palace. I don’t care how, just get him here. And in the meantime, you need to play the perfect fiancé, so no one will suspect anything.”
Petros turns to his friend. “In that case, he’s doomed.”
THE NEXT AFTERNOON,Kallias sends me a bracelet strung with black pearls and black diamonds, a truly impressive design considering Naxos is nowhere near the sea. On Wednesday, I receive an ivory comb studded with blue diamonds, meant to be worn in an elaborate updo. Friday, I’m brought emeralds cut into the shapes of leaves, strung around a necklace band that ends in a large topaz.
Each gift is presented to me when I’m surrounded by people. Knowing that these presents are for their benefit, not mine, has a sharp bitterness taking root in me every time another one is delivered in a gloved servant’s hand.
The king is supposed to be in love with me. He’s supposed to give me gifts because he’s smitten with me.
Not because he’s making poor attempts to convince others of our ruse.
He’s making this impossible.
ASERVANT FINDS MEthe day of the Demetrio ball, a letter in hand. I break the bright red wax seal and read:
My dearest Alessandra,
I hope you will forgive my boldness, but word has reached me that the king did not accompany you to your latest outing at the estate of the Christakoses. In fact, it’s rumored you spent the evening with a childhood friend. This has dared me to hope that perhaps you’ve ended things with His Majesty.
