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As always, it didn’t show. The usual people bowed and smiled with their typical insincerity. Most of these nobles weren’t his friends, nor would they ever be. Not when Tes ascended the throne and the worst miscreants were purged from rulership for their crimes. He would never, under any circumstances, allow them to see his heart on any matter.
“Where is she?” Ryenil muttered, drawing Ber’s attention.
His heart thudded with alarm, but the avaricious look in the king’s gaze calmed the surge of fear. There would have been anger if the man had sensed Tes. “Who, Father?”
Ryenil shot him an incredulous look. “Lady Selesta, of course.”
“Ah, I should have considered.” Ber smiled sheepishly. “I’m afraid she already left my thoughts. Well, she does seem to be a delicate lady. Perhaps she was overwhelmed by the crowd since she is new to court. Do you see Duke Aony?”
It only took a moment for them both to spot the duke on the other side of the room, but there was no sign of the lady amidst those who surrounded him. Ber’s gaze swept the crowd,searching not only for Selesta but for Tes, too. Surely, his wife wouldn’t have confronted the lady. She had to be spying as she sometimes did.
On the far wall, the door to the ladies’ retiring room opened, and Lady Selesta swept out. He caught a glimpse of someone behind her, just a hint, as the door closed. But it was enough. A woman in servant’s clothes in the same area where he sensed his wife’s presence the strongest—it had to be Tes. What was she playing at? She never risked herself so boldly.
It would no doubt make for an interesting story later.
Selesta brushed at her skirt, then eased back into the nearest group of nobles with an awkward smile. The king noticed at once, and his steps turned to follow his interest. Dutifully, Ber kept pace with Ryenil, though a slight bit behind. He was careful to keep his expression bored and his gaze drifting the crowd as they finally met up with the lady. The less interest—of any type—that he showed her, the better for them all.
Bows and curtsies met their halt. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, you honor us with your presence,” Lady Mergoe trilled.
The fakeness of her welcome was only surpassed by the falseness of her wide smile. Both were lost on the king, whose sole focus was on Lady Selesta.
Ber did his best to study the young woman without appearing to do so. The depth and curve of her curtsy were flawless, down to the placement of her fingers on her skirt. Her expression oozed meekness. But the slight tightness to her jaw gave away her clenched teeth, and the ever-present fan at her wrist had started to sway.
“I had begun to fear you’d fled,” King Ryenil said to Selesta, ignoring Lady Mergoe entirely. “I do hope that all here have been pleasant and welcoming.”
The comment nearly made Ber shake his head. Only a fool would have been rude to the lady after morning court, and most ofthosehad died for their stupidity long before. But of course, Lady Selesta offered a polite smile and murmured, “They have, Your Majesty. At least the ones I have met.”
“You’ll take a turn about the room with me, and I’ll ensure you are greeted by the rest,” Ryenil said.
It wasn’t a gentleman’s request, and the lady was at least smart enough not to pretend it was. “You are kindness itself, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
After a sharp glance in Ber’s direction, the king led Selesta away. Ber merely nodded and engaged one of the nearby nobles in an inane conversation. There was no telling how long it would take Ryenil to believe in Ber’s disinterest, a complication he would rather not have to deal with. Or in this case, an annoyance. He had to pretend interest in some lord’s choice of shoe color for far longer than he’d rather.
The retiring room door opened, and a servant carrying a tray of cakes slipped out. She looked nothing like Tes, not without deep study, but he could feel in his bones that it was her. Ber excused himself as quickly as he could, though by the time he’d managed it, his wife had returned to offering cakes at the edge of the crowd.
She followed the edges as she circled toward the servants’ door—or at least he assumed that was her destination. He caught her gaze flicking toward the king more than once as he introduced Selesta to another group of nobles on the opposite corner of the room. No matter why she’d come here, she no doubt wanted to avoid her father.
Ber reached her just as she slipped between two clumps of nobles near the exit. “You,” he snapped, halting her steps. “Will you not offer your prince a plate?”
Tes’s shoulders stiffened for only a heartbeat before she turned. She dipped into an immediate curtsy and smiled politely, her eyes downcast, but at the contrasting annoyance he could feel through their link, his lips twitched. She either hadn’t expected him to spot her, or she’d hoped he wouldn’t approach.
“Please forgive me, Your Highness.” She lifted the tray higher. “I was in a hurry and didn’t see you.”
He leaned close as though studying the slices of cake. “What are you doing?” he breathed.
Her voice crashed into his mind.“Did you forget how easy telepathy is between us now? What are you doing drawing so much attention to me?”
Unfortunately, she had a good point. He selected one of the tiny plates and offered her an instinctive nod of thanks. “I will ignore the lapse this time, but do recall that the servants allowed entry in this hall must always remain attentive.”
“I’ll do my best, Your Highness,” she said softly. “Thank you for your mercy.”
Although he longed to sweep his wife away from this terrible place, one where both servant and princess alike couldn’t count on mercy as a right, Ber could do nothing except pivot away and stride off. He didn’t dare show more interest than that. Not in this wretched palace.
“I wanted to take her measure,”Tes sent.“Brace yourself and don’t react, but…she recognized me.”
Thank the gods for Tes’s warning. Even with it, his steps slowed, and his grip tightened on the plate until he feared it would shatter.“What?”
“Lady Selesta is smarter than she seems.”Admiration mixed into Tes’s mental voice.“She saw me sneaking around her family estate when we visited once and recognized me again in this disguise. She claims she wants to help me become queen if I’ll name her the Duchess of Aony.”
