Chapter Seventeen
Phoebe
I’d totally forgotten that I told Polaris to watch from the closet. She just quietly stayed there all night and all morning and then tidied up the room after we left like she always did. While she was getting me ready for the du Barien party, she said, “Would you like your report?”
“Oh! Yeah. Please.”
“Sir Forrest was uncomfortable throughout the—“
“Actually, just skip him. What about Niko? You said his heart beats faster when he’s around me, but once it was over he was out of there fast. Is he usually like that?”
“His heart does beat faster, my lady, that remains true. I think he, too, became anxious around the time when you transformed. There was a strong sense of power and confidence radiating from you that had an effect on him.”
“Anxious?”
“Agitated,” she said as she put my hair up with some jeweled combs and strings of pearls. “He displayed signs of intense arousal but seemed to be attempting to calm himself down. I believe he left when he was unable to do so. Is that helpful?”
“That was totally helpful.” Hmm. So Niko wasn’t as comfortable with this as he seemed. But I had a feeling his reasons were different. He didn’t care about having the other guys there, and he didn’t have another lover. He’s afraid of his feelings for me… “You’re really good at telling what people think.”
“That is the main purpose I was created for,” she said. “To observe people and report on their emotional responses. When I was first created I wasn’t very good at it, and my creator sold me for very little to Master Niko…but I’ve been trying hard and I think I’ve been improving.” She looked at me in the mirror with what could only be described as a shy smile.
“Aw, you’re adorable,” I said. “I’m sorry I thought you were creepy before.”
“It’s a very common response,” she said. “Do you like your hair? Are you ready for the gown?”
The hair was a bit messy but I knew Gilbert would probably take it down and redo the whole thing in the carriage anyway. “Oh, yes.”
Niko had just brought in the gown a few hours ago and draped it across the chair. Any irritation I felt at not being allowed to choose for myself quickly evaporated. The gown was a confection of net and froth, cream and lavender fabric with pearls adorning the skirt. The gown was made by one of the great designers in Capamere, Cellan White. The gown fit me like a dream when I tested it. The gown—
“I think your cat may have peed onto the gown.”
“No way, that’s impossible. How did she get in here?”
“She came in with the Master while he was getting ready.”
“Nooooooooo!”
Seconds after my scream, the guys all came rushing in. Forrest actually drew his damn sword. “What’s wrong? Has someone hurt you, Phoebe?”
…well.
Gown B it was then.
“She was only trying to get our attention,” Niko said—again—as we rode over. “But this is unfortunate, considering how much Emmaline du Barien likes her fashion designers. She’s going to know this isn’t up to par.”
Gown B was kind of simple and white and almost didn’t fit me, but was close enough. I was feeling pretty defeated over the whole thing before we even arrived.
“Just to make sure we’re all on the same page,” Niko said, “What are your jobs tonight?”
“To protect Phoebe and ignore everyone else,” Forrest said.
“Close enough.”
“To support the mission,” Gilbert said. “With my usual charm and beauty.”
“Just like the good old days. Phoebe?”
“To win the favor of Emmaline du Barien by looking pretty and never mentioning Pizazz.”
“I feel like none of you are taking this entirely seriously,” Niko said. “What if I told you Emmaline du Barien is also the biggest dealer in poison in the entire city?”
“She is?” Forrest immediately became more alert.
“No…,” Niko drawled back. “But that’s how serious I want you to be. She’s a society woman, it’s true, but she can open doors that lead to power, and she’s our best chance. We can’t get straight to Corian without making it through her first. You have to approach this party like it’s a battleground.”
He wasn’t kidding. I imagined a battle did feel a little like this—noise, chaos, people everywhere who might kill you. Not literally, of course, but—adrenaline was coursing through me from the moment we walked in because everyone looked so rich and they were all staring at us. It was obvious Forrest didn’t fit in at all. We probably should have left him home after all. Niko tried to dress him up and he had even given himself a clean shave, but…he never looked clean in the right way. It was as if you could see the echoes of blood on his hands.
Niko, meanwhile, was the perfect interloper. He didn’t quite fit in either—some level of ruffian still clung to him. But when his golden eyes met anyone else’s and he smiled at them, it provoked a mixture of intrigue and fear. Whispers followed in our wake.
Gilbert, of course, was doing great. Within five minutes we lost him to an old lady who had seen him play once before.
“What do we actually do here?” Forrest asked in a low tone. “It looks like no one’s doing anything.”
“You’ve never been to a party?” Niko asked. “They’re doing something called ‘making conversation with other people’. Mingling.”
“Yeah, this one’s not good at that,” I said, giving Forrest a friendly jab.
Forrest crossed his arms.
“Let’s get you a drink,” Niko said.
“What if someone poisons them?” I couldn’t help but succumb to a little paranoia. Poison had come up in conversation way too often.
“I’m sure it’s fine,” Niko said. He took out his dice, as a secondary measure. “Twelve on the drinks.”
“Isn’t twelve like, fate?”
“Yes,” he said. “It’s a good thing. It means, if something’s going to happen, it will happen, so go ahead and drink.”
I think the fashions had already changed since I first arrived in the capital. The women all looked rather like birds with feather headdresses and short capes that pointed like wings behind them. The house, meanwhile, was expansive but felt very old. The walls were made of thick old stones and the staircase was heavy wood that led up to a gallery floor overlooking the main hall. Even with hundreds of candles burning everywhere, it seemed very dark inside.
I had to admit, I had zero idea how to show up somewhere and mingle, without being introduced first as the musical act for the evening. Forrest and I ended up talking to each other about what Gilbert was doing.
Niko left us behind. He was probably better off tackling Emmaline on his own.
I saw a pale figure in black move out onto the upper gallery. One of her bodyguards was in the shadows behind her.
“It’s Priscilla again,” I said.
“The one Niko told you not to talk to,” Forrest said, but more as an observation than a warning.
“Yeah… I wonder why?” I asked, just as Priscilla’s eyes flew down to something in the hall below. Or someone. She looked pale. I followed her line of sight to…Gilbert?
Gilbert was talking to several other younger partygoers and seemed to be having a good time. I envied his ability to fit in so well without being surrounded by friends. He seemed oblivious to Priscilla’s intense stare.
“That’s the same weird look she gave me at the party,” I said. “I want to talk to her. I think she knows something.”
“Fine by me,” Forrest said.
I picked up my skirts and started taking the stairs. Forrest followed close behind me.
Priscilla saw us and turned away from the balcony. She said something to one of her bodyguards and two of them started walking forward to block us.
“You know, Forrest,” I said. “I think we need Gilbert.”
Chapter Eighteen
Gilbert
>
The party was the perfect place to slip in a little bardic magic and get a feel for what was going on in the city. Everyone was mostly talking about the emperor and Princess Himika.
“I think it would be wonderful if he married her,” a plump society matron told me solemnly. “He’s gone too long without a bride, and I think he really loves her. It would help ease the bad blood with the Gaermoni.”
“Do you think she could possibly love him? Poor girl. He’s responsible for the death of her father.”
“Who knows how close any princess really is with her father. Usually they’re so busy and the nursemaids raise them, you know. I’ve heard he poisoned her all her life.”
Forrest interrupted me with a not-very-subtle poke to my back. “I need you.”
I turned, annoyed. Phoebe grimaced at me like, Sorry.
“I’m getting good intel here,” I said.
“We want to talk to Priscilla du Barien and she was just glaring down at your back from the balcony,” Phoebe said.
“She was?” I was a little flattered. I mean, they did say Priscilla du Barien had good taste in men. I wouldn’t have thought I was her type, though, and of course I wasn’t interested, but it was hard to turn off the sense that I needed patrons, even though I didn’t. I squeezed the old woman’s hand. “Excuse me a moment, love.”
“You’re really gaying it up with the old ladies,” Forrest said.
“Because old ladies love that. Is there a problem?”
“I guess not.” He shrugged.
“Where is Priscilla?”
“She was up there.” Phoebe pointed. “Her bodyguards blocked the way, but you can use your bard magic, right?”
“I can try.”
We climbed the staircase, which curved attractively toward a balcony space lined with old paintings. This house was just stunning, probably one of the oldest in the entire city. The wood had so many beautiful touches of carving, like the detailing that framed out the balcony with little carved griffons keeping watch over the guests below. When we were up on the gallery, our view was of a colorful sea of people framed like a picture by the arched overhang and the ornamental rail, with a colossal chandelier of candles hanging over everything and casting a vivid light.
A few people were up here having more private conversations, but I didn’t see Priscilla or her bodyguards.
“This way,” Forrest said, waving me on.
We walked down a hallway, following the sound of anxious conversation. It came from behind a closed door. I peered in the keyhole and saw part of Priscilla’s gesturing arm.
“…the priestess,” she was saying.
Forrest had his ear against the door.
“He said this would happen,” Priscilla said insistently. “That it would all circle back around.”
“Do you want to talk to them, mistress?”
“Why would I help anyone I know is marked for death? It’s useless. And that means he’s just the son of a whore.”
I stiffened, always touchy at the word ‘whore’. Some fifteen years had gone by since my mother died, and I still couldn’t stomach the thought that the woman I remembered as so dignified and kind was so looked down upon, and never had a chance to redeem herself. If only you had lived, I would have rescued you from all of that…
“What is she talking about?” Forrest murmured. “Are you the son of the whore?”
My eyes shot arrows at him.
“Forrest!” Phoebe hissed.
“I’m sorry. Her words, not mine,” he said. “No need to be sensitive. It’s an honorable enough profession.” He pounded on the door, making me jump. I should’ve remembered Forrest went right for the door banging. Gods forbid he let the conversation proceed a bit.
“Miss du Barien,” he said. “I would be honored to have a word with you.”
There was a pause and a rustle and then one of the bodyguards said, “No. Go away.”
“Please—you know something about the priestess?” I pressed.
Another pause. “No. The Lady du Barien is not interested in dredging up painful memories.”
“Lady du Barien!” Phoebe called. “Please, we’re all in danger. If you know something—“
“May the old gods have mercy on your souls,” Priscilla said, her voice closer to the door. “It’s hopeless. You need to give up on your quest to restore the priestess to the gate. It’ll kill you.”
“Please open the door.” I threw my magic into it now. It worked better with eye contact, but if they were already wavering, that should be enough. “My lady, it sounds like you have answers to our questions.”
“We could open the door…,” one of her guards said, falling under my spell.
“No!” she screeched. “No, I will not speak to you. Let the past die. What did Leonidas tell you?”
“He told us to leave the city and go to Gaermon,” Phoebe said. “But I can’t give up!”
“You should definitely take his advice and be grateful he is letting you live.”
“Let us in,” I commanded, throwing the full weight of my powers into my voice, but even as I spoke I heard her cry, “Cover your ears! Don’t listen to him!”
Forrest pounded the door and then looked at the lock.
I stayed his hand. “Don’t pick it. She’s not going to cooperate.”
“Why not?” he growled. “I just want to know what she knows!”
“There probably isn’t any benefit to her. We’d be putting her in danger and what if she tells her cousin not to help us and we wreck Niko’s plans with Emmaline?”
“Damn it, there’s nothing I despise more than all this maneuvering and conniving,” Forrest said.
“I know. You’ve only said that ten times already, in some variation. But Niko’s right. We can’t just rush into this without information and we can’t hold a knife to Priscilla du Barien’s throat and make her tell us what she knows. We should go back to the party and ask about her and see if we can find a reason to convince her to talk to us.”
“Ugh.”
“Then just go have a drink or something.” I spotted a woman I had spoken to when I first came in. Lady Minmar, financial sponsor of the bardic college, whom I had just thanked for her generosity and regaled with some of my best stories of the bardic college I never attended. It wasn’t like she’d know.
I gave her faint sheepish shrug like she was in on something with me.
“What?” she said, leaning close as I approached.
“I thought I’d say hello to Priscilla du Barien but she has locked herself in a room upstairs. Poor woman. Do crowds make her nervous?”
“Oh, dear, she’s just batty,” Lady Minmar said. “I could have told you not to bother.”
“That bad? Has it always been that way?”
“Since Percival died. I guess, of course you wouldn’t remember, you’re just a youngun. She had an older brother. He had a heart attack or something while he was out riding. She followed him around like a puppy and when he died she was shattered. It’s no wonder she didn’t want to talk to you, actually, you look a little like him.”
Of course.
Everything suddenly clicked into my head at once.
“When was this?” I asked, unable to hide my sudden urgency.
“Oh my, that was…let’s see…twenty-three years ago.”
The year I was born. Forrest was right from the start. I was the ‘son of a whore’. Percival du Barien was a guardian—and my father.
Margaret, Roderick, and Percival. We were related to the priestess and guardians past, and now all the gaps were filled in. It felt like a glorious bit of information, and yet—I’m not sure how it would help us at all. They were all dead.
I excused myself from Lady Minmar and looked back. I thought Forrest and Phoebe were right behind me, but they were already back at the drinks looking discouraged. Really—Forrest was a bad influence at parties. Phoebe should’ve stuck with me.
“Never mind propriety,” I said. “I do ne
ed to talk to Priscilla, right now. I think she’s my aunt.”
“Oh, I thought you had already assumed that,” Forrest said. “I mean, she looks kind of like you.”
“I don’t jump to conclusions, but her brother died the year I was born. Did your great-uncle die twenty-three years ago?”
Forrest nodded.
“What?” Phoebe said. “Oh my gosh. We definitely should talk to her. Maybe she knew Margaret.”
We had just gotten to the top of the stairs again when Niko suddenly came storming up, and I knew that look on his face. I used to be afraid of it. Once, Niko was my protector, but if I defied his fortune, I might get a slap to the face and the cold shoulder. It’s a matter of survival, he would say.
But I wasn’t a kid anymore, and if my father was a guardian and a du Barien, I needed to know, damn the fortunes.
Chapter Nineteen
Phoebe
“I rolled the dice for Priscilla and it came up sixes! Stay away from six people.”
“Do you know how ridiculous you sound?” Forrest crossed his arms. “‘Six people’? Your dice also said I shouldn’t trade the Monster Cleaver for Phoebe, but where would we be if I hadn’t done that?”
“It’s impossible to say where we would be, because you didn’t listen. But I would venture a guess that Abel might have given Phoebe back to us anyway, to protect her and himself from Leonidas. Who knows? I don’t question.” Niko narrowed his eyes. “You can’t see it now, but you’re building us up toward a perilous outcome. I believe in this magic.” He flashed the dice at us and then lifted his chin toward the bodyguards, who were now standing at the top of the stairs watching us. “I don’t think Priscilla Carhill wants to talk to you anyway.” He took my hand. “Come with me. I’ve been setting the stage for Emmaline to help you. That is the reason we’re here.”
Priestess Bound: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (Guardians of Sky and Shadow Book 2) Page 13
