The Shadows Between Us

by Tricia Levenseller

  Good boy.

  I can’t believe how well the king has already delivered on his promise. Those letters in my room are a result of dancing with me, of speaking to me where we could be seen in the orchards. And after his announcement today? I can’t even imagine what doors he’s opened for me now.

  “Do you suppose all the women will be wearing purple tomorrow?” I ask, before turning my attention to my food.

  “I suspect they’ll try to pay off your maids to tell them what color you put on in the mornings.”

  At that, my eyes narrow. “Is that what you did?” I look meaningfully at his attire that matches my own. “Or did you simply peer through the wall into my bedroom to take a look for yourself?”

  Those teeth flash in the widest grin yet. “I promise it’s been years since I peeked in on ladies dressing. I’m not twelve anymore.”

  I sample my own dish. It’s just as delicious as last night’s supper. “Were you caught?”

  “Oh, yes. When Lady Kalfas spotted me, she ratted me out to my mother, who gave me such a scolding that I was never even tempted to try again.”

  “What words could have possibly persuaded you not to try again?”

  “She told me that if I persisted in looking, it was as far as I would ever get with the ladies. And she said no one would ever respect me if I didn’t respect them.”

  I smile into my bowl. “And was it the idea of never getting respect or never getting to do more than look that did it for you?”

  “Both,” he admits. “As well as the idea of ever having to discuss such things with my mother again.”

  I laugh gently at that. Though part of me can’t help but wonder if he ever did get to do more than look. Intimate relations would be impossible when the law forbids anyone from touching him, wouldn’t they?

  After a break in the conversation, I say, “Your council is watching us closely.”

  It’s true, though they’re being more subtle about it than those seated at our own table.

  “They’re put out because I forbade them from sitting with me during mealtimes. I have to talk politics all day, but I refuse to have it grace the luncheon table.”

  “There are ladies on your council?” I say it like a question. I’d assumed they were part of the council, but I realize now that they could simply be the wives of the men. These are modern times, and ladies have more rights and liberties than ever before. Still, the monarchy tends to be slower to adapt than everyone else.

  “Yes, Lady Desma Terzi is the royal treasurer. I’ve never met anyone better with numbers. And then Lady Tasoula Mangas is my liaison with the common folk here in the city. She keeps tabs on the merchants and the economy, apprising me of anything noteworthy.”

  “And the other two gentlemen? I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Vasco.” If I’m to run the kingdom one day, I will need to know the names of all those on the council.

  “Lord Vasco can be protective. He was an old friend of my father’s. He’s the most well-connected man in the kingdom. If there’s a problem I need solving, he’s the first to have a solution. Then there’s Kaiser, the general over the men stationed here in the city. And lastly, Ampelios. He … gets things done.”

  “Assassin?” I guess immediately.

  Kallias takes a sip of his drink. “Among other things.”

  We both watch as Ampelios takes a sharp knife to the meat in front of him, slicing the steak into even pieces and stabbing them with the point to place a morsel on his tongue.

  “Those are the five individuals you are putting on a show for,” Kallias adds.

  “I’ve been told I would have made an excellent actress were it not for my noble birth.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” Kallias sweeps his eyes over the guests seated at our table. “I’ve placed at my own table those closer to my age. Not that it matters much with the distance I must maintain from them.”

  I want to ask him why he must maintain such a distance. Why does the law prevent people from touching him? Does it have something to do with his shadows? But I do not know the king well enough to ask such questions yet.

  CHAPTER

  7

  After lunch, I take a look at the schedule I’ve made myself to locate the soonest event. A troupe of performers is attending the Viscount of Christakos’s estate this Friday, and a party of guests has been invited to come watch a performance of The Lovers, a play in which two people find love despite all the obstacles keeping them apart.

  Though Kallias will undoubtedly have received an invitation as well, it would be best to let him know I’m attending, so he may accompany me.

  I pull a piece of parchment from a stack on the desk and select a pen. Knowing the letter will only be for his eyes, I begin.

  Dear Kallias,

  I have received an invitation to attend a play held at the home of the Viscount and Viscountess of Christakos. The performance is supposed to be the story of two lovers coming together despite outstanding odds. Wouldn’t it add credence to our ruse to be seen together at such a performance? I do hope you will accompany me.

  Your friend,

  Alessandra

  It is not even an hour later when a servant finds me with a reply.

  Dearest Alessandra,

  Thank you for your invitation, but I’m afraid I must decline. A new problem has arisen, one that requires me to be in constant meetings all week long. I’ll barely have the time to break for meals over this one.

  But do enjoy the play without me. I’m sure it will be splendid. At least I can work knowing you won’t be bored.

  Your friend,

  Kallias

  I retrieve a fresh piece of paper.

  Kallias,

  What problem? Is there anything I can do?

  Your friend,

  Alessandra

  Alessandra,

  News will spread sooner or later, but it would seem the kingdom has a dangerous bandit on the loose. He’s attacking nobles on the road and stealing their money. Lady Mangas of the council informs me that there’s a sudden surplus in money flow among the peasants, so we can only conclude the bandit is stealing from the titled and giving it to the common folk. Naturally, I can’t have my own people fear traveling. I must put a stop to this at once.

  Thank you for your offer of help, but I’m certain we’ll put this to rest quickly, so long as we can give it our full attention.

  Your friend,

  Kallias

  Who in the world would steal and then not keep the riches for themselves? That’s just bad business. Someone that stupid must surely be caught soon.

  Nevertheless, I should be involved in this. The nobles who were robbed will be paying taxes to me in the future. If Kallias doesn’t solve this problem, it will become mine.

  But how does one catch a thief who doesn’t retain his finds? That makes it far more difficult to track them down. I will have to think on this. It is a situation that must be handled carefully.

  * * *

  ANOTHER LETTER ARRIVES SHORTLY THEREAFTER, again from Kallias. He invites me to join him for dinner. Naturally, I accept.

  However, I decide to keep him waiting. I don’t want him to think me too eager.

  After fifteen minutes pass by, I join the servant waiting outside my rooms. He escorts me to the library once more.

  When I enter, a large furry mass darts for me. Demodocus comes to a halt mere inches away. When he sees that he has my full attention, he flops onto the floor, belly up.

  “I’m so glad you’re happy to see me,” I say as I lift one foot to rub his belly.

  Kallias, who stood at my entrance, says, “You kept him waiting. Belly rubs are the price you must pay.”

  “Forgive me, Demodocus,” I say, as I rub my foot into longer strokes. The dog’s eyes lull back into his skull. “I was working on something and didn’t want to leave it unfinished. Are we even now?”

  I dare to raise my leg, and the dog rolls over and runs for Kallias’s feet before pl
opping down in front of him, panting.

  Kallias waits for me to sit before picking up his silverware and digging in.

  Our supper has already been served. Tonight it’s chicken legs dripping in a brown gravy, peeled vegetables sprinkled with salt, bread sticks dribbled with butter and honey, and chocolate éclairs for dessert, if I’m not mistaken.

  “I took the liberty of arranging the first course for you,” he says, indicating the éclair before me. “I suggest you hurry, however, so the rest of the food doesn’t grow cold.”

  If he’s irritated by my lateness, he doesn’t show any sign of it. Perhaps it’s only my imagination that the shadows are moving about him more swiftly.

  I dip my finger into the whipped cream atop the éclair and bring it to my lips. Forgoing a fork, I grab the delicate pastry in one hand and bite into it. Chocolate fills my mouth. I think to compliment Kallias on his chef, but I’m brought short by the look on his face.

  “Something wrong?” I ask, knowing full well he was distracted by the sensual way in which I sampled my food.

  He clears his throat and ignores the question. “What were you working on?”

  “The first piece of a new outfit,” I say, thinking back to yesterday’s sewing project. “I’m trying out a new style of my own design.”

  “Another scandalous piece, I hope?”

  I grin. “I hardly see how my pieces are considered scandalous. All my skin is covered up.” More or less. “Not an ankle or wrist to be seen.”

  He chews slowly on a bite of chicken as his eyes land on my wrist. “I noticed. Is that for my sake? Or do you prefer to keep your hands covered?”

  I look at his own gloved hands. “I certainly don’t mind gloves. They are a fun accessory to any outfit. But since the law forbids us to touch, it seemed wise for me to keep wearing them when we will be spending quite a lot of time together.”

  “How very self-preserving of you.”

  His expression is unreadable. I can’t tell if he’s toying with me or something else.

  Out of curiosity, I ask, “Would you kill me? If I were to touch you?”

  He keeps his eyes on me as he takes a swallow from his glass. “Why should you ever need to touch me?”

  “It’s not uncommon for friends to touch. Handshakes. Hugs. Playful shoves when one says something irritable. Surely you’ve had friends before? Leandros said you two used to be close.”

  He doesn’t answer, turning his gaze to his food. But I am not to be dismissed so easily.

  “Surely you didn’t need to push your friends away after you became king? You can’t suspect them of killing your parents, can you?”

  “Until my parents’ murderer is rooted out, I trust no one.”

  “But what could they possibly gain from such a horrible scheme?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “Perhaps they thought they were helping by making me king.”

  “If they were truly your friends, they would know you had no desire to see your parents hurt.”

  Kallias swallows the food in his mouth and pauses, as if wondering whether to tell me something.

  “It’s not the only reason I’ve kept them at bay.”

  “What do you mean?”

  His eyes meet mine. “It’s one thing to be tracking down the late king and queen’s murderer. It’s another thing entirely to have an assassin after me while trying to root out my parents’ murderer.”

  “Someone is trying to kill you?” I ask, surprised. “How do you know?”

  He finishes his chicken and starts on a salted cucumber. “They’ve failed once already. Last month, my gloves were laced with a topical poison. When I put them on, my hands felt as though they were on fire. The toxin would have spread to my heart in under a minute, I’m told.”

  I eye the hands hidden behind gloves now. “Are you all right? How did you survive?”

  “I am not so easy to kill. My shadows saved me.”

  I wonder if he also wears his gloves to cover burn marks. Whatever the poison was, it sounds terribly nasty.

  “And you think your friends could have had something to do with it?” I ask.

  “My friends. The council. Anyone of the nobility. A servant in the palace. It could be anyone. I can’t take any chances.”

  I think of Leandros, Petros, and Rhouben. I honestly doubt any of them are capable of murder, especially with the way they look at their once-friend every time Kallias enters a room. They miss him. And what would they have to gain anyway? I suppose Leandros’s uncle is on the council. If there’s no king, Ikaros Vasco will remain in power for far longer. But that doesn’t gain Leandros anything. He can’t obtain the crown. A distant relative of the king would get it first.

  And Petros doesn’t strike me as the power-hungry type. I know little of his family, but he can’t have any claim to the throne. Rhouben wants nothing more than to be free of his betrothed, as far as I can tell.

  But I say none of this. If the king has already decided not to trust anyone, there’s little I can do to convince him otherwise. And doing so would only put me under suspicion.

  “Do you have any ideas as to who’s responsible? Anything more specific than someone currently in the palace?”

  Kallias eyes me suspiciously over the rim of his goblet.

  “You are my ticket to acknowledgment. Remember? Without you I have nothing. No parties or respect.” Until I can gain the latter on my own, of course. “No one is allowed to kill you on my watch. I want to help.”

  He nods, as though satisfied with my answer.

  “I think someone on the council was involved. Simply because if I’m gone, there’s no one in my direct line to pass the crown to. The council would rule my empire indefinitely. Until a new sovereign could be determined. I have many third cousins. They would have to battle for it. And it had to have been a noble or a member of the guard.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because the palace was in a lockdown the night of the late king and queen’s deaths. There was an insurgent group of peasants who were let into the palace, causing havoc. And no one save nobility would have been allowed into the safe room with my parents. When the room was opened, their bodies were found.”

  “Where were you?” I ask.

  “On the other side of the palace. I’d been engaged in a game of sport with other noblemen’s sons. We were taken to another safe room when the shooters were discovered to be within the palace.”

  “But it wasn’t the shooters who got to the king and queen?”

  “No. The intruders were all caught before they made it to the royal suites. It was a distraction. Someone let them in so they could have the opportunity to murder my father and mother.”

  The room goes quiet. Neither Kallias nor I are touching our food any longer.

  “Such a dreary topic,” Kallias says at last. “I don’t wish to burden you with my troubles. I appreciate you wanting to help. But this is not for you to worry about.”

  “If I am to be your friend, surely you’ll wish to share your troubles?”

  He doesn’t answer, as though just the mention of his troubles has his mind thinking of them.

  I’ve lost him, so I say in a bright tone, “The council seems convinced of our ruse.”

  In the time it takes me to blink, the shadows lighten, turning to a mere haze, slowing in their movements. “Yes. They couldn’t stop congratulating me during our meetings today.”

  “Then they approve of me?” Has Lord Ikaros dropped his suspicions of me?

  “At this point, I’m certain they would approve of anything with a womb. They didn’t say a word about your eccentricities.”

  “What eccentricities?”

  “Your clothing,” he says with a smile.

  “That’s hardly fair coming from a man clothed in shadows.”

  “Under my shadows is perfectly normal attire.”

  “Not that anyone would notice. You stand out like a spark in a dark room all on your own. For someone like me? I
have to try to stand out.”

  “Not anymore,” he says. “You are being courted by the king. That fact alone makes you the most popular girl in the world.”

  CHAPTER

  8

  A new slew of letters is delivered to me the next morning. For the most part, they’re additional invitations to luncheons and balls and banquets. But one letter stands out. It’s from Father.

  Dear Alessandra,

  Word has just reached me that the king has publicly announced your courtship. You have my congratulations. I’m proud of you. Though, I admit I’m disappointed that I had to hear the details from Lord Eliades instead of you. (The poor man appears smitten with you. He was quite upset over the news. It would seem we already have an excellent backup plan in place should you fail with the king. Orrin is very rich, after all.)

  I pause in reading to shake off the thought of having to marry Eliades. He’s quite handsome, but I wouldn’t last two minutes alone with the man. Not if he thinks charity and saving kittens are the most interesting topics of conversation. I continue reading.

  Your sister was most glad to hear of your courtship as well. She—

  I skip that paragraph.

  Finally, I should tell you a constable came by the house, accompanied by Faustus Galanis, Baron of Drivas. You remember Lord Drivas, don’t you? I believe you befriended his son, Hektor. Surely you remember the poor lad went missing some three years ago? Lord Drivas is now convinced his son is dead, and he and a Constable Hallas are conducting an investigation. They asked me quite a lot of questions about your relationship with Hektor. I think they’re hoping you might have an idea of where he could have gone after he ran away.

  I’ve told them you saw Hektor only a handful of times when he came by the estate with his father, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they should wish to question you personally. Anything you can tell them about the last time you saw Hektor would probably prove most useful.

  And by the devils, please tell me he was not one of your bedmates. It wouldn’t do at all if that came out during their investigation. Not when you’re making such headway with the king!