Page 94 of The Shadows Between Us
“But of course you did!” Melita’s voice grows frantic.
“I’m so sorry for your distress, but here.” I imagine him handing her the flowers. “I must go find Lady Stathos.”
“Lady Stathos? Why would you bring her into this?”
I take off down the corridor, making myself scarce before Orrin has a chance to discover me.
KALLIAS ANDIHADarranged for a late dinner that evening, due to a meeting he knew would run late.
When I join him in the library, I don’t walk, I dance my way through the door, twirling my skirts after me.
“Whatever are you doing?” Kallias wants to know.
“I’m in an excellent mood tonight.”
“I can see that.”
I pause in my twirling to take note of Kallias and his big grin. “What?”
“I’m in an excellent mood, too. We learned many things during tonight’s meeting. We’ve rounded up all the Pegain revolutionaries. They’re to be put to death first thing tomorrow. And we’ve found several peasants carrying the bandit’s stolen money. One of them is ready to talk! Though he doesn’t know the bandit by his true name, he can identify him by sight. All we need to do is have him take a look at all the nobles.”
I laugh a little before pulling the mask from my pocket. “We don’t need to do that.”
Kallias rises from his chair so fast it almost tips over. He startles Demodocus into taking a few steps to the side. The king strides over and takes the mask from my fingers.
“Where did you get this?”
“From Orrin’s room.”
“Eliades?” Kallias says with disbelief. “This is the incriminating evidence you found? How could you not tell me straightaway?”
“I made a promise to Rhouben. I told him I would get him out of his engagement with Melita, and I did. Now you are free to lock up Orrin.”
Kallias is too pleased over the sight of the mask in his hands to give me any more grief over the timing. He fairly runs to the door and barks orders to throw Eliades into the dungeon until Kallias can come deal with him.
When he returns to the table, Kallias holds up a glass of wine. “I think a toast is in order.”
I find my own glass and lift it.
“To you, Alessandra. May your wit never be used against me.”
I laugh before tipping the contents of my glass into my mouth. “And to you, Your Majesty. To your fine leadership. This growing empire wouldn’t be what it is without you.”
His eyes are on mine as he tips back his glass a second time. And something about that gaze, the way it drinks me in—it curls my toes within my slippers.
But our celebrating is interrupted by a presence at the door.
“Come in,” Kallias calls after a pause in which I think he seriously considered turning the intruder away.
A servant enters with a platter held atop the fingertips of his right hand. He lowers it before me.
“A letter for you, my lady.”
I take the parchment and look to the handwriting spelling my name on the front. I do not recognize it.
“I have no guesses as to whom it’s from. There’s no seal,” I tell Kallias as I read the note to myself.
“What is it?” Kallias asks when he sees the look on my face.
