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Leave the Midtown festival. Go to Rivertown’s barges. Stay indoors. Don’t eat the food from the palace. Don’t trust the dead or you’ll join them. Hide!
The last word was torn from my throat as frigid arms embraced me and we fell together, tears and sweat mixing on my face.
“I’m sorry you faced that alone,” Lumi said.
“I didn’t. You were there.”
I squeezed her back with trembling muscles.
Too-pale faces and wide eyes faced us, many frozen in the dance I had led.
Unflinchingly, Lumi met their stares. “Did you not hear my sister?Hide!”
And they did. People streamed out of the Grove and onto the streets, hopefully not slowing until they reached homes and barges.
When I had recovered enough strength to stand on my own, only Popova and three men stood between the pale trees.
“It seems you’ve reached the point where no one can refuse you. You better charge well for your services when this is over, girl. If you don’t become powerful in your own right, you’ll be another’s weapon. I once offered your mother to marry you both to my grandsons. They’re all taken now but let me know and I’ll make one available again.”
I blinked in confusion. “Marry?”
Popova made a dismissive gesture as if it was nothing, though a marriage offer from the foremost matchmaker in Lowtown wouldonce have been more than I could wish for. But tonight, only one wedding mattered.
“Orso, I did not expect to see you here,” Lumi said, redirecting my attention to the middle-aged man at Popova’s side.
“So, this is the pretty sister,” he said before turning a wide smile at Lumi. “You always said I would only meet her over your dead body.”
“I should have said over yours.” My sister radiated amusement and trust I would not have believed her capable of.
“How will you help us get into the palace?” I asked.
“Orso”—Lumi smiled at the man—“was one of the best safe builders in the city until a noble woman accused him of stealing. There wasn’t any proof, so they let him go but he lost his shop. He’s the one who taught me how to pick locks.”
“I heard enough of the plan to figure you could use someone of my skills to tease open a door or two.” He radiated iron-hard determination despite the casual tone. “From what I just heard in my head, tonight is the time to step up. Or were you just tugging at my heartstrings?”
My own lips twitched. I understood why my sister liked him.
“And you?” I asked the other two.
The rightmost one, a classically handsome, middle-aged bearded man dressed as well as any lord, kissed Popova on the cheek before offering me a polite bow.
“At your service, for tonight or any other.”
“What?”
“This is my first husband. He goes by Pyre now I hear.” Her disdain came clear and thick. “I would not trust him with anyone’s virtue, but he loves Tal. Not too long ago that boy king of yours judged a trial in place of his father, the accused was a man whoshould have known to hold his tongue—Fyodor was ever such an incautious son. If anyone else had been there that day, our son would have hanged—and longer than you did. Pyre and I might not agree on much, but this we do. We’ll help your king, for even if he doesn’t know it, we owe him a personal debt.”
Pyre twisted his hand in the air and flames enveloped it. Popova had brought a fire bearer.
“If you don’t take her up on the marriage proposal, let me know.” He winked.
“What’s the sudden interest in my marriage status?” I said, while turning over what they had told me about Dimitri.
Popova smiled sadly. “That’s power, my dear. It attracts likes. Live long enough and you’ll see what being a heart turner means. You don’t have to stay hidden like your sister.”
“And you?” I asked the last, lanky, bespectacled man my own age.
“Maksim. One of her grandsons and a sigil crafter. I understood there might be some to interpret. I’ve studied a few obscure ones. The family thought I might be of use.” He shrugged as if claiming a magic forbidden to anyone outside the Guild was of little import.
