“Then they wouldn’t call it sunrise rites, would they?”
Tugging on her arm, Luzie coaxed her into a seated position. Her stiff muscles protested, and her scar pulsed faintly.Luzie pressed a water bottle against her back, and warmth suffused her body, making her groggy, and her head sagged forward into her chest. Just a few more minutes of sleep…
With a clatter, Luzie set down Liane’s breakfast tray on her lap, and her eyes snapped back open. The plain oatmeal, crusty bread, and sliced apricots weren’t appetizing, but eating was the last thing on her mind when her back ached. Rest improved her condition, but that also meant admitting she wasn’t feeling well. Which would mean a visit from the Vice Premier and another round of treatments that might leave her bedbound for weeks. Time she had precious little of. She’d already wasted an afternoon searching in vain for Heinrich’s mistress. Because of her outburst at the luncheon, many a court lady had given her the cold shoulder. It was reckless to shout at them, but she still maintained that they deserved it.
Tearing off a small piece of bread, she nibbled upon it, but even small morsels made her stomach churn. If the ladies of court wouldn’t help her, she’d have to find another way to uncover his mistress. But how?
“Are you still in bed?” Mathias bellowed as he barged into her room.
“Keep your voice down; my head is throbbing.” Liane pressed her fingers to her temple. Had he always been this loud, or had military service increased his volume?
Without invitation, he plopped down on the edge of her bed, rocking her breakfast tray. A glob of oatmeal spilled out onto her comforter.
“You’ve been busy. I’ve hardly seen you since the masquerade,” Mathias said as he used her fork to spear a piece of apricot.
“I’ve been busy,” Liane said as she ripped up pieces of bread and dropped them onto her plate. Captain Rosen’s words came back to her, casting doubt upon Mathias as she watched him polish off her apricots.
In previous generations, Mathias would have been the logical successor to the throne, but not long after his birth, Mother had fought to change the law. Mathias had never been the ambitious type, and she couldn’t imagine him betraying Aristea out of greed. She shook her head. Better to cast those sorts of thoughts far from her mind.
“So, who is he?” Mathias said, drawing her attention back to him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Liane frowned, puzzled at the non sequitur.
“Don’t play coy with me. The palace is buzzing with rumors about your mysterious suitor.”
“My suitor?” Liane yelped. The masked stranger at the masquerade. Those damned court ladies had gotten their revenge by helping spread that rumor.
“When is the wedding? If we hurry, you can wed before my leave’s over. I’d love to be in attendance on the happy day.” Mathias gently elbowed her in the ribs, grinning mischievously.
Liane tossed a pillow at his head, which he dodged with ease.
“There is no suitor. I’ll never marry.”
“If that’s what you say,” Mathias drawled.
Brandishing a pillow, she threatened to strike Mathias with it, but he scampered out of the room before she could follow through on her threat. After he left, Liane pushed aside her breakfast tray, giving up on the pretense of eating. Her chamber maids spirited it away while Luzie helped her dress. Dressing was slow and painful because Liane couldn’t raise her arms higher than her shoulders. Too much activity without enough rest had left a toll on her body, and today she paid the price. By the time they were finished, a thin sheen of sweat gleamed on Liane’s forehead. She tried to catch her breath as she leaned on a bedpost, while Luzie looked on with concern.
“Perhaps I should call the Vice Premier…”
“No. I’m fine,” Liane said, standing up straight and rolling her shoulders back. If she couldn’t do something as simple as attending morning rights, how could she hope to expose Heinrich’s treason?
Composed again, Liane stepped out into the hall and exhaled with relief when she saw Isaak on duty as her morning guard. She’d managed to dodge Ludwig the previous day, but she couldn’t avoid him forever. The longer she kept this secret, the more the truth burned in her chest. Putting aside secrets for now, Liane headed down the hall, but as she rounded a corner, she discovered her father pacing. Normally, he’d be with Mother as her escort.
When he saw Liane, a smile illuminated his face, and he strode over. “Morning, my starlight. Did you sleep well?”
“I did...”Liane studied him for a moment; he was acting suspiciously. Why come greet her when they’d meet in the courtyard with the rest of the family, and why had Mathias come to her bedroom early in the morning, for that matter? Liane frowned.
“Why the sour face? Can’t I escort my beloved second-born?”
“This is about the suitor rumor, isn’t it?”
Father cleared his throat. “I might have heard something about that, yes.”
Was there nothing else to keep wagging tongues occupied? She groaned to think of the whispers and stares of the courtiers when she entered the temple. Then sudden panic gripped her.
“Does Mother know?”
If her mother caught wind, she’d take it too far and start planning a wedding.
