Page 87 of The Shadows Between Us
“I thought we already discussed that you smell nice all on your own,” Rhoda says. “That you don’t need to copy everything that—”
“This has nothing to do with that! You’re telling me you’re not the least bit curious whether the queen bathed in lavender oil from Rondo’s or Blasios’s?”
Rhoda thinks a moment. “I’ll grant you that.”
“Ha!”
Our work done for the day, we see ourselves out of the ballroom. As soon as we hit the main receiving area, I spot a figure entering the palace.
Orrin.
He’s finally back.
Our eyes meet, and a look resembling a wounded animal crosses his face before he turns away from me.
“He looks so heartbroken,” Hestia leans over to say.
“It’s not me he’s heartbroken over. It’s my sister. He’s somehow so misguided as to think we’re the same person.”
“He does seem quite… daft at times,” Rhoda intones. “However did that man inherit an earldom?”
“All of his father’s intelligent offspring must not have made it to adulthood,” I reply with distaste. “I’ll meet up with you two later,” I add, before steeling myself to talk with Orrin.
“Lord Eliades!” I call, striding up to him. I’m doing this for Rhouben. He held up his end of the bargain, and now it’s time for me to do mine. “I wonder if we might talk in private? Perhaps in your rooms?”
“There’s nothing more to say, Lady Stathos. You’ve made your feelings quite clear.”
“But perhaps if I could just explain,” I try.
“That won’t be necessary,” he says, and heads after his footman, who carries a trunk of his things up to his room.
Among all his things will be his seal. I need it if our act is to work. Orrin won’t let me into his room directly, so I’ll have to find another way.
IHAVE A NEWplan by the time Kallias joins me in the library for dinner, though I’ve no clue if it will work. Just to be safe, I retrieved the forged letter from Rhouben and had Petros fill in the date. With all the players finally in the palace, all we need is that seal.
“I’m told you and Lord Eliades had a bit of a disagreement in the greeting hall this afternoon.”
As Kallias takes his seat, Demodocus lies on the floor next to me, placing his head atop my foot, like a pillow.
“Yes, well, he was somehow under the impression that he and I were courting. A notion I’m afraid my father encouraged. After our escapades at the lake, Orrin wanted to make it very clear that he no longer wishes anything to do with me.”
“Does your father know of our ruse?”
“Of course not. He only wanted a backup plan should I not succeed in securing your hand. My father is quite set on achieving an enormous bride-price for me. His estate is… bankrupt.”
Kallias blinks. “And so he thought tosellyou to me?”
“Is that not how things are done?”
“Well, yes, but not in such crass terms. Hmm. Perhaps I should do something about that.”
I knowIwill certainly do something about it once I’m queen.
A pause in the conversation allows us both to sample our supper.
“Tell me,” Kallias says, “when it is safe for our charade to be done with, do you not wish to marry and have a family of your own?”
“Of course I do. Marriage at least. I’m not certain about children just yet.” I want to slap myself as soon as the words are out of my mouth. How does he do that to me? Sometimes I’m convinced we’re real friends, and I can be honest. But that is the true charade, isn’t it? He is a mark, and I cannot make the mistake of becoming too comfortable with him.
