“…stay here,” he finished, his eyes flicking the command to Leonin and Davi, who were just coming in for breakfast. “Anyone who wants to see you can come here.”
The duchess bit her lip and nodded, and Mionet couldn’t tell whether it was because she feared to speak, or feared to speak in present company. In either case, her husband was not inclined to listen. He gave her one last black look and then ducked out the door, lumbering off to find some other tiny, harmless creature to brutalize.
It was not Mionet’s place to comment. That was abundantly clear from all thelookingthat had just occurred: Duchess Andelin’s appealing glance at Justenin, who had been standing just outside the door. His Grace’s silent order to Leonin and Davi. The duchess’s unhappy glance at those two men as she went to sit down to breakfast. It mattered, who sought whose eyes, and who participated in those silent communications.
And who did not.
Mionet was not being excluded. She was just not beingincluded. She had no place in the present crisis. And with no clear direction as towhy,or whether she was accounted among the potential enemies, she could not even capitalize on His Grace’s unpleasant behavior as a lever to move herself nearer the duchess.
But whatever their trouble was, it hung in the air like a stench, and through most of the morning’s lessons, Mionet had the distinct impression she was talking to the air.
“…the horse races, in June,” she went on, a recital of the highlights of the social season. “They are very popular, all the finest beasts in the Emp—”
“Mionet.” Duchess Andelin lifted her head, which had been propped pensively on her hand. “Is there any way we could just not go to the capital? Surely if everyone knew that someone was trying to kill His Grace again, they would understand, wouldn’t they?”
“I—I’m afraid it’s not that simple, my lady,” Mionet replied, concealing her surprise and alarm at this request. Well, she supposed it wasn’t surprising. “The sacred Divinity has commanded it. He has the right to order his lords to come to court.”
“So he can murder them more conveniently?”
That question was so shocking, even Leonin’s mouth fell open. Mionet drew a sharp breath.
“That—that is…my lady, it is unwise…” she began, plunged abruptly into a sea of treason and searching desperately for land. “I…understand that you may feel so. But those words might be considered treason for everyone that hears them.”
“But it’s true. Doesn’t everyone already know it’s true?” The duchess asked in confusion, looking from one face to the next. “Even in Aldeburke we heard about the assassins, and the only person who would—”
“Well, yes, yes, that is…something,” Mionet intervened, before she could complete the dangerous sentence. “It has been very…unfortunate, for His Grace. But there are other considerations one must consider: the matter of his parents, his antagonism with the Divinity. You have not even heard of that first audience, everyone knows it wentsopoorly. And then the war, and the way he harrowed Valleth from the Andelin, and…other tales.”
But even as she reeled off the charges, Mionet knew no onereallybelieved them. They were common knowledge, easy lies everyone in the capital repeated without thinking, but now it felt as if they cut her tongue to repeat them. Oh yes, everyone knew Remin Grimjaw was the son of traitors, a violent and likely treacherous man who would sooner or later come to a bad end.
And everyone simultaneously knew thatsomeonehad been trying to kill him since he was a child. The Emperor always publicly and loudly denounced the attacks, of course.
“And so everyone thinks it’s fine if the Emperor keeps trying to have him killed?” The duchess asked stubbornly.
“No. No, but it is…difficult,” Mionet tried to explain. “It is not something that can really be discussed in society, my lady. Because the Emperor is Beloved of the Stars, and we must not…it touches a great many areas. The Temple, the House Melun, the Five Courts, all of them must weigh in, and…it is hardly the sort of thing one would discuss over a banquet. It is not the proper…place.”
Duchess Andelin looked at her for a long time.
“So they all know, in the capital,” she said quietly. “I thought they just didn’t understand, like they don’t know about me. But they do, and no one will say anything because they are afraid it will happen to them.”
And with those large, clear eyes fixed on her, Mionet could not think of a single thing to say.
It was true. No one wanted to think too much about Remin Grimjaw. He was such an unpleasant person, thoroughly unsociable, no sense of humor at all, a perfectly wretched guest at banquet. His rank and accomplishments made him impossible to ignore, but no onereallywanted him around. His presence was a reminder of things no one wanted to think about. He spoiled everyone’s fun.
“It’s not…right.” Mionet was shocked to realize she had said that aloud. But looking at this young woman, she found herself reaching out, unable to help herself. “I think most people know that. But—”
“No. I understand,” Duchess Andelin replied, withdrawing. “I know. Thank you. Rem—His Grace said the same, that we have no choice but to go. And I knew…what they said, a little. Please excuse me.”
Her voice was quivering, and she had gone off by herself to cry a few times, over the last few days. Watching her go, Mionet couldn’t understand why she herself felt so disturbed. On a tactical level, this was good. His Grace was a dangerous subject; best not to say anything she might have to disavow. And it was hardly a subject that they could laugh away, or forget with a new gown.
But it was still a bit of a slap in the face when Mionet found out who the duchess had chosen as a confidante instead.
“You sent for me, my lady?”
Coming out of the dressing room later that day, Mionet heard the familiar voice and froze.That man.
“Yes,” came the duchess’s voice from the solar, with unmistakable relief. “Davi, Leonin, would you excuse us, please?”
Neither of those benighted men had the sense to protest leaving the duchess alone with an unmarried man, let alone withMiche of Harnost.Mionet huffed out a breath and stole down the hallway on silent feet. Now she had no choice but to eavesdrop. Easing to the end of the corridor, she peered through the crack in the door.
