Total pages in book: 222
Estimated words: 210715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1054(@200wpm)___ 843(@250wpm)___ 702(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 210715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1054(@200wpm)___ 843(@250wpm)___ 702(@300wpm)
“She is here because she was invited,” Lady Bors repeated.
“By the king,” a taller woman on her left added. “Imagine that.”
“Isn’t that why all of us are here?” the shorter woman asked. “Unless Lady Eliarde somehow snuck in? Could it be that you didn’t receive an invitation?”
“This doesn’t concern you, Magrefondretta,” Eliarde snarled.
Hurry up, Solentine.
“Why can’t we take an interest? It is so amusing to watch,” Lady Bors said. “I can’t wait to see how you will embarrass yourself further. Perhaps you should throw her to the ground to vent your ire.”
The two women behind her chuckled softly.
This was not helping. Eliarde couldn’t attack Ilandra Bors directly, not without issuing a formal challenge and disrupting the joedurar, which would bring Sauven’s wrath down on her head, but she sure as hell could attack me. As far as she was concerned, I was a nobody.
Eliarde pivoted to me.
Yep, just as I thought.
“You still haven’t answered my question.” Every word dripped with menace. “Who—”
“Lady Maggie,” a deep rumbling voice said behind her.
Eliarde spun out of the way. Lord Bellen looked at me. His colors were blue and white, and his clothes were cut like Everard’s, armor replicated in cloth and leather with exquisite detail. His white doublet clasped his frame, widening already huge shoulders. A stunning inlay of pale blue curved across his chest, accented with gold. His sky-blue cloak dripped from his left shoulder. He looked enormous, his blond hair nearly glowing in the light of the enchanted chandeliers.
Everyone stared at us. Suddenly we were the focal point of the room.
“Lord Arvel,” Eliarde gasped.
Please no. No, no, no . . .
He was looking at me. “My lady, you’ve made me the happiest man in Rellas by accepting my invitation.”
Some woman behind Eliarde made a choking noise.
You have got to be kidding me. What the actual fuck?
Arvel leveled a stare at Eliarde. It was flat, heavy, and cold. She took two steps back. He turned to me.
“I have been so looking forward to our reunion.”
I needed morr beads. Or a drezmur. I needed to not be here.
He bowed. Bellen—Arvel—was bowing to me.
Eliarde’s eyes were as big as saucers. Lady Bors would need a crane to lift her jaw off the floor.
“Will you grant me the honor of a dance?”
Oh fuck me.
He held out his hand.
All around us people went quiet. I had no choice. None at all.
“The honor is mine, my lord.”
I rested my fingers on his. His hand swallowed mine, and he led me onto the dance floor.
The first notes of a polhe floated in the air. I took up the position, moving on autopilot. Thank you, Erodel.
Arvel was looking at me like I was a delicious snack.
Twice. Kair Toren had done this to me twice. First, Everard, then him.
We stepped forward in unison, beginning the first set of movements.
“You sent me the invitation.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Over the wall. Attached to an arrow.”
“I thought of that myself. That was my idea. Added a bit of excitement and mystery.”
“Anxiety, my lord. It added a great deal of anxiety. I had no idea who it came from.”
He beamed at me. The man looked ridiculously pleased with himself.
“Wouldn’t it be simpler to deliver the invitation by courier?”
“You deserve the extra effort.”
That was neither here nor there. “You lied to me about who you were.”
“I did not. I am Earl Bellen on my mother’s side.”
“Your knight lied to me, also.”
“Oh?”
“When I visited the Citadel, I saw a knight in beautiful armor at the top of the stairs. I asked my escort if he was you and he said he was.”
“Felidor is an accomplished liar. A rather useful talent.”
“You are completely unrepentant.”
“It was a bit of harmless deception,” he said. “Should I beg forgiveness?”
Arvel and beg in the same sentence. Let me off this train . . . “Not at all, my lord. Although putting you and harmless in the same sentence is a crime.”
“Have no fear, my lady. No harm will come to you in my presence. From me or anyone else.”
We started the second set of movements.
“You look exquisite tonight,” he said.
“My lord, I have to ask, what is it about me that ignited your interest? Was it because I warned you about harm to your cousin?”
“It was the way you spoke of the war,” he said. “Of what happens to those mangled by what their duty requires them to do.”
“I do not recall . . .” Berengur’s bodyguard. The giant man in the full helmet. “You were Lord Berengur’s escort?”
He nodded. “He has returned to the Citadel. You will be relieved to know that he did not disturb his brother’s quest for inner peace. His conversation with the abbot was fruitful and his hope for an eventual reunion is renewed.”
Yes. Excellent. I smiled without realizing it. He tilted his head, looking at me. I remembered where I was and killed the smile.