“You’re right. I don’t know what I ever saw in him.” She paused. “Though he did give me a bolt of exquisite silk.”
“I’ll give you a warehouse full of silk.”
“Don’t the Ferrinis control the silk trade?”
Velario almost laughed. No wonder he had believed Reyn to be empty-headed for so long. She knew exactly how to give the right—or wrong—impression, even as she demonstrated her own knowledge. He could picture the look she would be giving Enzi just then, her head tilted slightly to the side, her lips pursed in what might be concentration, but was really an excuse to draw attention to them.
Enzi’s voice went low. “They won’t be controlling anything soon.”
“But the king is a Ferrini. And Velario will be next on the throne.”
“Is that what he told you?”
“Well, no, but wouldn’t he inherit? He is his father’s heir.”
“In Lhanaperi, the Electors pick the next king. And they won’t choose Velario. I doubt they’ll even let King Stavo keep his crown for much longer.”
“Why?” Only one word, but the power in it was enough that everyone in the library eavesdropping on the conversation reacted.
Lords Medio and Sablon took a step forward before catching themselves. Everyone else leaned closer to the door. Velario curled his fingers and dug his nails into his palm to keep himself from bursting through the door.
Enzi didn’t stand a chance.
“The Cabinet will soon discover that there is a counterfeiter running loose in Tryn. Not only will Velario take the blame for failing to protect the banks, but when they trace the fake banknotes back to the source, they’ll be led back to Family Ferrini.”
“How did you manage that?”
“All the Elector Families own a stake in the banks. I stole one of the engraved plates and a sample of the dye and hired someone to replicate it. Then Father found someone at a Ferrini warehouse open to bribery. Of course, I also spent a few of the fakes myself.” Enzi chuckled. “You want gifts, Lady Reyn? I’ll buy you whatever you want.”
The gasps and shuffling as Velario’s witnesses reacted to this confession forced him to pull his attention away from Reyn and Enzi. He turned and saw Lords Medio and Geratisi flanking Lord Sablon. Ladies Dachsi and Jianna faced him with hands on hips. Faced with their wrath, Lord Sablon did not even speak. He backed out of the library silently, the other four surrounding him like guards.
Velario let them all go without him.
Enzi had not heard the brief commotion as he revealed his treason—he had not even realized how much he had admitted to Reyn. Velario was not about to leave them alone. He pressed closer to the door, daring to push it slightly farther and peek into the parlor.
Enzi stood in the sliver of the room revealed to him, his back to the door where Velario stood. Reyn stood facing Enzi, but the lord’s body blocked most of her from view.
Velario couldn’t see her face to read her expression, but he heard the change in her voice. She sounded more brisk suddenly, and he’d have bet his entire stake in the bank that she had just eliminated the lure from her voice. “Enzi.”
The lack of magic did not deflect Enzi’s attraction to Reyn. He stepped closer to her.
“I hope you didn’t get the wrong impression when I came in here with you,” Reyn chided. “I wanted to speak to you without seeing Velario every time I looked up, but that is all.”
“I’m sure I can change your mind about that. Give me a chance, and you’ll never think of Velario again.”
“But don’t you see? If I act too soon, I will always wonder if my motivation is wanting you, or not wanting him. We must wait, Enzi. Give me a few more days to push Velario from my thoughts completely.”
Velario pushed the door open all the way.
Enzi spun around.
Reyn put her hands on her hips. “I was handling it.”
Velario crossed to her side in three long strides. “I know you were, but I didn’t want to watch anymore.”
Enzi spluttered. “What’s going on here? Is this a joke?”
“No, this was all quite serious,” Velario informed him.
