AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Never been seasick in my life. I’ve been on the choppy waters of Hadria plenty of times.”
“I’ve only seen you like this once before. When Callen was in prison. You had just visited him, and it was his suffering that sickened you. But before I knew that…before we knew each other…I questioned you rather awfully about what I thought must be the cause of your illness.”
Perita swallowed. “You were trying to help.”
“Well, I hope I do better at it this time.” Cassia brushed a strand of damp hair back from her friend’s forehead. “May I ask if some very happy news is the reason you’re not feeling well?”
Perita nodded, then promptly burst into tears.
Cassia’s congratulations died in her throat. She pulled her friend close. “How long have you known?”
“About since we got here.”
“It’s your decision when to tell me, of course, but if I’d known, I could have made your duties easier for you.”
“Oh, my lady, I wanted so much to say something, but I’ve been too afraid to say it out loud. What if the Hesperines hear? They mustn’t find out.”
“No, no, don’t be afraid. You are perfectly safe, I promise.”
“You know how they are about increasing their numbers,” Perita whispered. “What am I to do?”
“What a terrible fear to live under every night we’ve been here. Let me banish it for you right now. No harm will come to you in Orthros. I swear it.”
“Always standing up for me, my lady. I thank you for that.”
Cassia could tell her friend believed in her intention, but not her ability to protect the child. What could she do? She had to make Perita see she need feel no distress over her pregnancy, only happiness. “Have you told Callen?”
“I managed to make it clear without saying. He’s beside himself. It’s hard on a man when there’s a threat to his family he has no power against. He feels he’s to blame. You see, we were trying, before we found out we would be coming to Orthros. It seemed like such a good time, with all our prospects so bright, thanks to you, my lady. As soon as we learned where we were headed, of course, we changed our plans. But it was too late.”
Cassia stroked her friend’s back. “I am so deeply sorry I have put you through this.”
“There you go, blaming yourself, just like Callen. It’s no one’s fault. It’s just…”
“The way of things, Perita? You know my answer to that.”
Her friend pulled back and smiled for the first time in a long while. “When the way of things doesn’t satisfy you, you do away with it.”
“As I shall do now.” Cassia took her friend’s hands again. “I am going to tell you something you must not ever share with anyone, except Callen, of course. It could be very dangerous for us if any other members of the embassy found out. But I am telling you, because this knowledge will help you see that you are safe from the Hesperines.”
Perita frowned in thought. “Are you into some sort of magic I don’t know about, my lady? If your Kyrian friends have given you some charms they have to keep off the books, I’ll be the last one to tell the menfolk.”
“I’m afraid my secret is more shocking than that. I hope you will understand. I have only ever wanted to protect us.”
“Of course. You know how much I trust you.”
“I’m grateful for that. I need all of your trust now.” Cassia took a deep breath. “You know that last winter, we were the first to find out that the supposedly Tenebran royal mage was actually the Cordian war mage Dalos in disguise. I have you and Callen to thank for alerting me.”
Perita nodded, her frown deepening.
“When the two of you told me,” Cassia went on, “I was very afraid for us. No good could come of a Cordian mage deceiving everyone.”
“And right you were!”
“I set out to discover his intentions. I shall not tell you how, but I learned of his assassination plan before he attempted it.”
Perita gasped. “You knew?”
“I did. And I can tell you with certainty the Hesperines were not his only targets. Cordium sent him to sabotage the Equinox Summit by assassinating the Hesperine embassy, but also to eliminate the free lords who are hostile to Tenebra’s alliance with the Mage Orders.”
