And the crowd will roar when she does it.That’s the worst part of this, not just knowing Selene’s plan, but knowing how well it will succeed if we do nothing.But whatcanwe do?We’re building support, but not fast enough.Alaric’s resistance has been hit hard, taking away their usual tactics to fight back.Marcus is limited in what he can do without Selene finding out he’s working against her.
And whatever we do, the Grand Tournament is going ahead.The whole city is rushing towards it, and it will give Seleneeverythingshe wants if we don’t find a way to fight back.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“There’s a party being held in the grounds of the palace tonight,” Marcus says, as I look out over the city from one of the villa’s balconies in the morning sunlight.“Selene won’t be attending, but Olivia is throwing it.”
“Justa party?”I ask.
Olivia’s parties are known to be wild, hedonistic affairs, where those attending seem happy to indulge in every pleasure they can think of, and Olivia is more than happy to provide them with the means to do so.
“There are limits to what she can get away with in the grounds of the palace,” Marcus says.He sighs.“Although those limits are widening day by day.As one of Selene’s closest allies, she’s benefiting as Selene expands her control over the senate.I need to go to counter that, and I can’t ignore an invitation that so obviously has Selene’s hand behind it.”
He sounds worried, as if he’s holding something back.
“What is it you’re not telling me?”I ask.
Marcus hesitates a moment longer.“The invitation mentions you, specifically.I’m invited to bring you along.”
I can see the tension on his face and feel a similar knot of worry rising in my stomach.
“Why invite me?”I ask.
“To have the opportunity to torment you, most likely,” Marcus says.“Perhaps to claim that you’re acting in ways that require punishment, or to goad you into reacting.I don’t think you should go.”
There’s another note of hesitation in his voice.
“But?”I say.
“But if Idon’tbring you, I’m ignoring the invitation,” Marcus says.“I know this party is really because Selene wants it.If I ignore a suggestion to bring you that comes from her, I risk angering her.”
And being seen to pull away from her.I shake my head.
“You can’t do that.I have to go, even if it’s a risk.”
“Toomuchof a risk,” Marcus insists, but I put a finger to his lips to stop him from arguing.Somehow, that casual movement seems almost natural.
“Not if we do this right,” I say.“Selene and Olivia want to show off that I’ve been defeated, but that also gives us an opportunity to learn more about who’s on their side.It givesyouan opportunity to persuade some of them.I need to go with you, Marcus.”
Marcus sighs.“You’re right.I hate that you’re right, but you are.”He looks me up and down.“The only question now is what you’re going to wear.”
It's a more complex question than it sounds.If I wear one of the old dresses I used to wear, it will be too obvious that Marcus is taking it easy on me as my captor.If I go dressed as his servant, not only will that not fit the grandeur of the party, but it will encourage others to think of me as something to command, and I don't want to imagine the commands Olivia might try to give me.
In the end, the solution we come to is to adorn me even more.The dress Marcus finds for me is a shifting thing of green and silver that seems to show as much flesh as it covers.My sandals are laced with silver strands halfway up my calves.Marcus sets pieces of jewelry on me until I suspect I’ll be wearing more than even Olivia: rings, bracelets, a silver torc set with emeralds that’s uncomfortably reminiscent of the iron collar I wore as a slave gladiator.Marcus’ servants have braided my hair with strands of silver until I gleam like the slivers of moonlight falling through the window.I look like the shining plaything of a noble.
LikeMarcus’plaything.
"I hope this is enough," he says, as we board his silk-lined palanquin to head to the palace.
It has to be.I have to look both like I’m nothing to him and like he’s claimed me as his own so utterly that no one else will dare try anything.I sit in silence on the way there.I’m going to have to be careful what I say and do tonight.This party is every bit as dangerous as the sands of the colosseum ever were.
The palanquin’s bearers set it down as we reach the gates of the former imperial palace.The gardens glow with light, thanks to the magical globes set at intervals.The less dangerous animals are still roaming the grounds, so that one guest holds out her hand for a night moth that glows with hints of magical power to alight upon it.
There are senators there, albeit not in their togas for once.There are nobles.There are members of Aetheria’s military.How many of the people here have pledged their loyalty to Selene?How many will, before the night is through?
I move through the gardens with Marcus’ hand clasped around my wrist.We can’t move arm in arm, since that would make us look too much like equals, but he doesn’t want to leave me to walk alone.
“Remember,” Marcus whispers to me.“Everything we do or say here carries a message people will interpret.”
