“Do you know theKyzaire?” she questioned me immediately, the question identical to Hanno’s.
“No, of course not,” I said, my hands trembling at my sides, so I pinched the soft material of my pants. “I saw him out in the courtyard when he arrived, but I’ve never spoken to him before now.”
Lesana huffed. A Kylorr sigh.
“Is Hanno in with Kian?” I asked when the pause lasted too long.
“What?” she asked. “Oh. Oh. Yes, he is.”
“And…Grace came down?”
“Yes.” Her gaze flickered between my eyes. “On second thought, I think that I should serve theKyzairesthis evening. What did they request?”
I wouldn’t deny that I was a little relieved by her words, even though I worried I’d done something wrong.
“K10092 oflore. Two brews for Kaldur and Thaine—anything from the South, they said. And Kythel will continue with his wine. I think Illaira must’ve served him R-09 or R-10, but you might want to verify that. Oh, and they wanted something to eat from the kitchens.”
“Yourkannotarts will be done soon?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Then get back in there. After they’re done, why don’t you take the rest of the night off. You deserve a break, Millicent. You look tired.”
“No,” I said quickly. Then I bit my lip, embarrassed. “I—I need the credits. From a full night’s work.”
“And you’ll have them,” Lesana said, reaching out to smooth her fingers over my cheek.
It embarrassed me that I soaked up her kind touch like a sponge and savored it like a steam cake, which melted on the tongue and was gone much too soon. It made tears prickle the backs of my eyes, and I thought that I should tell her about Grace, about what I’d discovered earlier. Lesana valued loyalty over anything.
Yet…my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. The words never came. Grace’s secret was safe. And I knew that I’d never tell.
“You did enough tonight. Get the tarts ready, and then get some rest.”
Hesitantly, I said, “If you’re sure.”
“I am,” she said, taking her hand away. “Oh…and Millicent?”
“Yes?”
“Stay away from the lounge tonight,” Lesana told me, her lips pressed together in a slim line.
Uncertain, I nodded.
“Good,” she said.
Then Lesana grinned, whatever concern I saw in her eyes wiped away. It felt like relief to me.
“Good,” she said again, exhaling a sharp breath.
Still, I felt her yellow eyes follow me as I made my way into the depths of RaanaDyaan.
CHAPTER4
KYTHEL
“What was that?” Kaldur growled softly, pinning me with a hard stare from across the table.
Turmoil was building inside my chest, tight and hard. An awareness, an energy was thrumming through me as I dragged in lungfuls of smoky air, trying to dispel the human woman’s scent in my nostrils. It didn’t work. I could taste her floating softly over my tongue before I swallowed her down. Deeper and deeper inside me she burrowed.
