Alekko rubbed at his jaw. “There’s no way we could have known. No way wecanknow without sowing fear amongst the barons, to our seer’s point.” He looked at me, our conversation from earlier passing between us. “I refuse to believe the apostai have corrupted our people. Helene very well could have acted alone.”
Maryn rubbed her temple. “I still want them questioned, Commander, but… perhaps the seer is right. We will not subject them to Blood Sight. It is a fragile time right now. They know that other territories seek to rule us through a marriage decree. I want the barons to know that I—we—are on their side and will fight for our sovereignty. And to do so, we must show we trust them. And to the other territories, we must present a united front.”
I was no expert in marital discourse, but I found it highly unlikely that Baron Ionis could be so oblivious to his wife’s beliefs. I stepped forward, wanting to voice such a thought. “We should at least take extra caution with?—”
“How about,” Maryn snapped, “you guardians simply do your job and stop trouble before it gets to such a calamitous point. And you, Seer,seeit before it even happens!” With a prolonged sigh, Maryn dismissed Felaf and me. “Leave.Iwill discuss with the commander and seer any subsequent action. You have no further purpose here.”
Chapter 11
Rahzlyn
Training to danceunder strict instructions proved more difficult than I’d anticipated. I always enjoyed dancing, but that was without someone watching my every move, making me second-guess everything.
I’d spent the night prior with Kole, wanting to prolong my return home for as long as possible before facing the news of my betrothal. As soon as the sun rose, I’d raced back to Serpentine and used the matron’s coins for reentry.
It irked me how she refused to share her name, as though I were beneath her. Too unworthy to know it.Kolelikely knew it, though we hadn’t said much back at his place. He seemed almost as excited as I was about this new opportunity, unable to keep his hands off me and my hair.
He’d always had a strange fixation with it.
“See how I did this?” Yarah prompted me from an upside-down arch. Long, dark curls tumbled to the floor. Her jeweled top barely covered her large breasts that aimed up at the cavernous ceiling.
“See? Yes,” I noted with my hands braced on my hips. “Understand? Not even close.”
It was difficult not to question how in the stars I was even remotely qualified to dance in her presence, let alone in her stead.
“Watch again.” Yarah danced atop the main room’s central stage with such fluid grace that I couldn’t help but gawk in admiration. I’d spent more timeoglingthe poor woman these past few hours than studying her movements. Her isolated hip circles, drops, and shimmies were so precise and effortless.
Serpentine’s main hall had been cleared of customers save for its workers who all wore white garments, masks, and the creepy-eyed bracelets required for everyone. Soft music and distant voices sounded from the tunnels that led to other chambers where Serpentine remained in operation. With no windows to track the time, patrons could live here indefinitely.
“You can bend your knees slightly, but you’ll need to work on strengthening your stomach.” Yarah gracefully unwound herself from a backwards arch. Turning to me, she patted her long, bare torso. “This will do all the work for you. I’ll show you some movements you can practice at home.”
“Thank you,” I said, my heart hopeful. I could do this. Iwoulddo this.
“Don’t thank me yet. The matron demands absolute perfection for this role.”
“Right. The matron.”
Detecting my ire, she said, “She’s harsh because this routine is a large draw for most of those who find their way into Serpentine. We’re renowned across the realm, not just in Gemini.”
“We?”
“You signed a contract, right?” Yarah cocked her head. “Didn’t you read it?”
“Not thoroughly enough, it seems,” I mumbled. “What arewecalled?”
Yarah’s mouth moved, yet she didn’t make a sound. She touched her throat and pursed her lips in concern. “You should have read that contract more carefully, though I supposed even in writing they wouldn’t be able to say outright what we’re called… assuming they didn’t demand anything in return from you? Or force anything on you?”
“Besides a signature on a contract? No.”
Yarah peered at my bare feet. “Strange, they haven’t left their mark on you yet. I suppose it’s only a matter of time. For both of us.”
“What does that mean?”
“How did they rope you into all this?”
“Rope me?” I shook my head. “They offered me a dancing job, and I took it. What about you?”
Yarah’s eyes narrowed on my hair. “The matron found me in Leo’s royal city working a private… gathering for some nobles. She recruited me to dance at Leo’s Serpentine. When I proved myself, she sent me here.”
