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Some of the tension eases from my shoulders at the mere sight of him in his well-tailored suit, his hair still perfectly side-swept and his face not yet showing an evening shadow. I can practically smell the comforting scent of his soap from here.
He stops to kiss Grandmère and his sisters each on both cheeks—a customary greeting of the nobles that I have never understood or appreciated less than now—as he slowly makes his way over to me.
He’s scrutinizing me, a peculiar expression on his face.
It could be because this is the first time he’s seen me in this room since our wedding, or that he rarely sees me doing anything quite so domestic. More likely, it’s the same reason he’s been assessing me since he found me furiously playing my fiddle when he returned early this morning.
He knows something happened. He just doesn’t know what, and I’m not ready to explain it to him yet.
Katriane breaks off mid-sentence when she sees that I’ve been distracted by her son, giving me a knowing smile before she turns to greet him.
“Francis, darling, your wife has quite an eye for these things, and some innovative ideas for the gala.” Her tone is genuine, her features shining with pride. “I think she’s turning out to be exactly what this family needed.”
This might be the first time anyone has been proud of me for something that didn’t involve violence or subterfuge. My smile falters.
“I don’t doubt it,” Remy replies without hesitation, though his features still flash with something close to concern as he leans down to kiss her cheeks.
Finally, it’s my turn. I wait until his lips are against my skin to murmur “liar” into his ear. He grins like I’ve said something flirtatious, and his family practically swoons.
“Not this time,” he replies. The words are low enough that only I can hear them, low enough that he has no reason to pretend.
So just this once, I let myself believe him.
CHAPTERFORTY-NINE
ZAINA
It’s yet another long night of planning, but I can’t complain because at least I get to sleep a bit during the day. My sister looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks.
Remy looked nearly as tired when he dropped by long enough to pass along what he heard from Natia this morning. Then he rushed out to another meeting with his father, leaving the three of us to theorize.
“So she doesn’t want the dragons for parts,” Einar muses. “She wants to use them? To…killthe Mayima?”
“Or to take them out, if they’re the only things that can kill her,” I add.
“Natia said the Mayima can’t leave the sea,” Aika reminds us.
On top of being worn out, she seems unusually nervous tonight, flipping a card through her fingers and running her hand over her long braid in quick, repetitive motions.
“That’s a hell of a lot of coincidences to ignore, though,” Einar counters.
Pumpkin takes tentative steps toward me, eyeing the ring in my nose. I know he has a penchant for thieving, and tonight my diamond stud has caught his attention.
Batting his tiny fingers away as he stretches out to grab it, I pause to consider him. He’s a blend of breeds, a rare pairing, and I wonder briefly if the same is possible of the Mayima.
“Maybe she’s half? Or, some relative?” I ask, thinking over how little we know about the kingdom under the sea, or Madame’s history, for that matter.
“Or maybe she’s none of it, and we’re right back where we were, with no real plan and no way to end this,” Aika grumbles, tossing her cards on the table. “But hey, I’ll be sure to ask her when I visit tonight.”
I glance sharply up at her, the reason for her mood this evening becoming apparent.
“Why now?” I ask.
“Damian came calling,” she bites out, taking a swig of her cinnamon sake. “All the way to my bedroom to let me know she wanted to see me tonight. Which reminds me, I’m having someone install more locks on your balcony.”
She gives a smile that’s more a baring of her teeth, but I don’t return it, both because the idea of Damian in this room is horrifying and because we both know the most likely reason Madame wants to see her. To check on her.
“Her tonics always work, Aika. Always. She will know you didn’t take it, and she will punish you.”
