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I shouldn’t have fought my instincts. I should have gone, or told Zaina where she was, or done literally anything but let her once again be put in danger because of all of our scheming.
Lady Delmaragives nothing away with her expression, so serene I wonder if I imagine the added glint of cruelty in her violet gaze.
I search in vain behind her, but I know in my gut that Aika won’t be rounding the corner. My stomach clenches, my heartbeat thundering so loudly that I barely hear the pleasantries my mother exchanges with the wretched woman.
“Katriane,” Madame greets in her usual melodious timbre.
“Ursula,” Maman says back, her own tone carefully neutral.
“Did my wife decide not to return to us?” It’s an effort to keep the question casual, to raise a teasing eyebrow, ostensibly for my mother’s sake.
“I’m afraid she was feeling unwell,” Madame says, all false sympathy. “I have my best people looking after her.”
The blood drains from my face with her confirmation, her threat. Her best person right now is Damian, and she’s telling me that Aika is still with him.
“I should probably go check on her as well,” I offer, getting to my feet.
“Don’t be ridiculous, child,” Madame says. “I’m sure it would be wiser for you to stay here and enjoy your tea while she rests.”
My mother is no one’s fool. She reads between the lines of this conversation as well as I do, and it would be impossible to miss the danger emanating off Madame, the wild, furious energy practically seeping from her pores.
So Maman gives a brittle smile and gestures to the seat across from her.
“Of course,” she says in a calming tone. “I’m sure you’re taking excellent care of her. Won’t you have a seat, old friend?”
We need to keep her in this room a little longer, just enough for the soldiers to move into place. Then I can get to Aika. She’s still alive.
She has to be.
Madame sits, and my mother gestures for a maid to pour the tea. The woman clears the room silently as soon as she’s finished, leaving the three of us alone once again.
“I’m glad to see you’ve recovered from your illness.” Maman bravely saws through the mounting tension.
“Indeed,” Lady Delmara replies blithely, sipping her tea without even waiting for it to cool.
She opens her mouth to speak again when she abruptly cocks her head like she hears something. Her eerie gaze flicks to the outside wall where the soldiers should be gathering right about now.
She shouldn’t have any way of knowing that, though. Lawrence didn’t even give the order until after she arrived.
Except that it appears we’ve underestimated her yet again. Her eyes blaze with murder, but her tone is deathly calm when she speaks. Casual, even.
“I was sorry to see King Einar leave before I could speak with him again,” she lies smoothly, setting down her teacup and turning to me. “Where did you say he ran off to?”
She can’t know that he’s still here.
“A hunting trip with my father,” I lie right back.
A tutting noise escapes her lips, the sound sending icicles of dread scraping down my spine.
“My son recently went on a hunting trip, too,” she says, casually pulling something from the pocket of her gown.
If I hadn’t known before that she suspected us, I would have figured it out then. She doesn’t claim a son. At least, not as Lady Delmara.
I lift my eyes slowly to meet hers, my mouth dry, my heartbeat pounding with the certainty that we have erred somewhere along the way. If she’s going for a weapon, there will be no way for either of us to stop her.
We couldn’t stop her without a weapon, for that matter.
But what she pulls out is infinitely worse.
