The relaxed atmosphere was gone, replaced by a tension unlike any Leyna had ever felt in Thade’s presence before. “Then how did your mother come into possession of the Queen’s copy of the birth record? You do realize this is the reason why Prince Enaes has been unable to verify your identity…”
“I was nine years old when my mother was murdered. All I was thinking about at that time was how to get away from the sword-wielding psychopath who was chasing me through the house,” she sighed. “I have no means of knowing anything about this document.” Frustrated, she started to turn away from Thade, his hand reaching out to her arm, holding her in place.
“You saw the man that was chasing you?”
“Yes,” she breathed, staring down at Thade’s hand gripping her arm tightly. “It is the same man who put the scars on my back. It also happens to be the same man who now is blackmailing me into trying to seduce you.”
“Kyros? You are certain of it?”
“He still bears the scar left from the blow which rendered him unconscious long enough for me to escape with Reina.”
Thade’s grip loosened on her arm at the admission. “Who is Reina? The child from the orphanage you mentioned that night at Malic’s? Your sister?”
“She is not really my sister,” Leyna laughed, hanging her head. “When my mother and I fled from Damir the night he discovered the truth about me, she took us to Aviden for help. He arranged for us to come to Mialan to stay with a friend of his, Rohan. I was young, but I recall him saying something about Rohan’s wife having passed away, leaving him with two children to raise on his own. This man was supposed to help us hide from Damir in exchange for my mother helping him with them. Reina was one of his children. Nasha the other. My mother, Rohan, and Nasha were all killed the night those men came for us. I was locked away in a trunk in the closet. Nasha managed to knock Kyros over the head, but she was too wounded. She survived long enough to hand me the coins to make the trip to the mainland. Reina’s care was left up to me.”
“And you had to leave Reina at the orphanage in order to come to Siscal.”
“Yes. We did not have enough money to pay for our room and I was too young to be employed anywhere in town. I was supposed to join the military to save money and return to Carpaen. But she ran away.”
“Do you know whatever became of her?”
His question was like a punch in the stomach to her. How could she possibly explain to him that Reina had been the woman caught with Kael the night Leyna returned from Kaipoi? All of the facts were a tangled mess in her own mind. “She works at Malic’s as a barmaid. She recognized me the night I accompanied Oksuva there to meet with Kyros for the first time. Almost ruined my cover.”
“Have you seen her since?”
“I have,” she replied quietly. Averting her eyes from Thade’s, she turned away from him, moving back over to settle herself on the sofa. “When I returned from Kaipoi, she was sharing a bed with my betrothed.”
Thade’s face contorted into a strained grimace, his legs carrying him quickly to sit next to her. “They know who you are.”
“What?”
His statement chilled her through to her very core. It had been nagging at the back of her mind for some time now, but to hear him say it, it became real.
“I think you have suspected, but there is no doubt in my mind, Leyna,” Thade’s voice was calm and quiet, the only sign of unrest coming from the bright glow of his silver eyes gazing into hers. “You told me Kael was doing some kind of work for Kyros. It is no coincidence Kael chose to bed that particular woman. She revealed her link to you – to the woman that Kyros suspected you to be – and he sent Kael to uncover what she knew. I am removing you from the mission. I refuse to sit by and let them kill you.”
“We already went over this, Thade,” she argued. “I was going to leave the mission but Kyros has made it impossible. He will hold Mikel’s death over my head in order to force me –”
“Then we will have to find a way to hide you from him.”
“I will not hide!” she shouted. Her body was trembling uncontrollably. Thade gazed up at her in awe, unsure of how to react to her outburst. “These men killed my family. They intend to attack our Queen and to destroy our people. I refuse to stand by and do nothing like I did before! I will have a hand in their downfall. If I have it my way, that hand will be the one holding the blade which pierces through their hearts.”
A click came from the door to the room, a young woman stepping in, giving a low curtsy to them both without taking her eyes off the floor. Leyna and Thade stared at her in confusion before registering who she was. It had taken the chamber servant that long to arrive? And to appear now. The most inopportune moment. “Is there anything I can get for you, Milady?”
Noticing Thade’s presence, the girl shifted uncomfortably. Leyna couldn’t imagine what they must look like to her. Her dress was still covered in dirt, her hair tangled in a mass atop her head. Thade remained with his usual poise, though the look in his eyes was all it took for anyone to know that he was less than enthused about the interruption. “I believe that is my cue to leave,” he replied, standing up next to Leyna. He turned to face her, pulling her into a careful hug, maintaining an appropriate distance between their bodies. “I understand you seek revenge for what they did to your mother, but you have so much more to live for. To follow that path could ultimately lead to your own demise.”
It was nothing more than a soft whisper in her ear. Inaudible to anyone else. “If someone killed your family, would you not desire revenge more than anything? I have nothing standing in my way. My life has been nothing but a lie since I walked out of the door to that house. I do not even have a husband who would care if I never came home again. All I have is my loyalty to our Queen which surpasses all else, but in avenging my mother, I still serve the Queen, and that makes it the most important thing I have to live for.”
“You have friends who care about you and a new chance at a family with Lady Diah as your sister. I do not blame you for your desire to kill these men who did this to you, but please – do not feel you must face it all alone. Let me help you.”
She felt Thade’s arms pull away before she could respond, his head nodding in a brief farewell. Without a word, he turned from her. She wanted to reach out. To stop him. But that would never be allowed inside the palace walls. The courtiers had likely already begun their incessant whispers about the time they had spent alone.
The moment he was through the door, she motioned for the chamber servant to come closer. “I could use a bath,” she stated quietly, staring down at her soiled clothes. “If you could prepare one for me, I would be much obliged.”
As the woman hurried off, Leyna turned toward the table in front of the sofa, staring down at the piles of letters and documents still resting on the thick fabric of her cloak, half-opened and faded from wear. The certificate! Clutching her head, she let out a moan, flopping down in defeat. Thade still had it.
After the events of the evening, she had no desire to face the questioning stares of the other courtiers too soon, their imaginations still likely running rampant with their assumptions. No. The document would have to remain with Thade for now. She had no intention of leaving her room again for a few days until her presence was required at the party.
Chapter Twenty-One
Another birthday had come. Leyna didn’t know exactly what to think of it. For so many years she’d paid little attention to the coming and going of the date, but today felt different, for some reason. She was far away from all of her problems. No one other than Thade and Feolan knew where she was. She had to assume Maeri had dragged the information out of Feolan somehow, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that this year, it was Leyna’s birthday. Not Eleni’s.
The seamstress dropped off a dress as promised after they had arrived, but Leyna was surprised to wake up that morning to find three more gowns hanging in a row along the closet of her room. All were of impressive design, rivali
ng even the most expensive outfits she’d witnessed the ladies of the Mialan court wearing around the palace. Gems and pearls adorned them, adding a flash that made no attempt at hiding what must have been a great cost. The hardest decision she had to make was which one to wear for the celebration that night. While the party wasn’t actually for her, she considered it to be, determined that she was going to let go of everything and have a good time. She couldn’t even remember what that felt like.
Her corset was of the finest make, solid stays unmoving against her midsection. It required two of the chamber servants to tighten. She wanted it to be perfect. It didn’t matter that it hindered her breathing worse than anything she’d ever experienced. The corsets Oksuva had loaned her were nothing in comparison.
Of the gowns that had been tailored for her, she chose to go with a deep sapphire blue damask accented with silver weaving. Something about the color pulled her in. It was regal. Elegant. Unlike anything she’d worn before, nor did she ever expect to have occasion to wear again. Tonight she would be a princess in her own mind. Pearls accented the seams of the gown, the silver border splitting open at the waist to reveal a lighter hued material underneath. It was incredibly heavy against her body. There were so many pieces that she wondered how the ladies of the court could ever keep them straight.
The bodice of the gown clung tightly against her upper body, accenting her already slender figure with the aid of the corset. She didn’t think it possible to compact her chest any more than it already was. It was no wonder the courtiers were rumored to lead such scandalous lives. Their clothing was an open array of garments designed to flaunt the feminine assets in front of the most powerful men in the country. If the courts in Siscal were anything like it, she could see Teagan looking upon the women as a buffet of unsuspecting victims. Though with the style of dress, perhaps the women were more suspecting than they might let on.
Bustling about the room, the chambermaids meticulously arranged her hair in a mass of shimmering ebon curls forming ringlets along the frame of her face. It hung long around her shoulders. She chose to go without the common headdress the Mialan women would be sure to wear for the party, concealing much of their hair from view under their elaborate hats. Instead, she opted for something that would only accent her hair rather than cover it up. A band of glittering sapphires accentuated by smaller cut diamonds rested like a delicate tiara around the top of her head.
They carefully applied a dark liner around her eyes. In the mirror, she hardly recognized herself under the changes they were making to her features, accenting her high cheekbones, painting her lips in a deep crimson to contrast her pale complexion. The final touches came in various adornments for her ears and wrists, complimenting her long, slender neck with a high-resting choker of silver and sapphires dangling down to splay out over her collarbone.
With a final glance over her reflection, she nodded in approval, content that her scars were concealed under the layers of fabric and fine jewels. It was all far too much. She felt guilty for having accepted the gifts, knowing they had been bestowed upon her by Thade in his attempts to shower her with attention for her birthday. She would have to make sure they were all returned to him before they left for Siscal.
Pearls even adorned the heeled slippers the servants provided as the last remaining piece to the outfit. They matched the gown perfectly. Thade spared no expense in the design of this wardrobe. But tonight wasn’t supposed to be about him. Tonight she intended to keep her eyes open. She couldn’t be with Thade for more reasons than she could keep straight, so it seemed only sensible to avoid paining her heart with the truth on her birthday.
No one would recognize her from the ragged girl they’d seen wandering the halls her first night in the palace. Since then, she had kept herself locked away. They would need some time to forget about her presence if she had any hope of being accepted among them at the party.
And tonight she looked like she belonged. She felt like royalty making her way down the hallway to the ballroom, the heavy fabric gown trailing elegantly along the ground behind her with every step. The corset worked well in keeping her posture straight, chin held high as she passed the other courtiers still lingering in the halls. She couldn’t help but smile to notice the glances of the men, staring at her curiously as she moved by them, an air of mystery surrounding her. This was going to be a fun night. She could sense it.
Tables lined the sides of the grand ballroom, already filled with exquisitely dressed courtiers, lost in conversation. At the head of the room she could see the main table prepared for the host and hostess. They were unmistakable in their position overlooking the room, faces calm and serene underneath finely crafted crowns of sparkling gems and precious metals.
King Osias and Queen Adalyn. They were a sight to behold. He was a broad man, his figure widened by the golden epaulets accenting the shoulders of his finely tailored jacket. His wife complimented him perfectly in her matching gown of gold and white brocade. They looked older, though still young by Mialan standards. Queen Adalyn was set apart from her husband by her long, rich, auburn hair next to his shorter blackened locks. Not quite as awe inspiring as Queen Vorsila had been when Leyna first saw her at the masque, but still impressive.
Her eyes were drawn to the familiar outline of Thade standing behind the table where the King and Queen were seated, engrossed in what appeared to be a very deep conversation with a pretty young woman. Mialan in descent, but undeniably beautiful in her own right. Her auburn hair was worn in an upswept mass of curls which hung gracefully down over her bare shoulders. Her figure was enhanced by the tightly laced bodice holding her in place, delicate golden silk shimmered under the light of the chandeliers dangling overhead, catching the diamonds of the crown on her head with a brilliant flash.
Leyna didn’t realize she’d paused to stare until she noticed Thade’s eyes glance over to her idly, starting to shift away before quickly turning back in an undisguised look of awe. Content that she had drawn his attention, she averted her eyes casually, smiling her most charming smile at the group of men standing near the wall where she entered.
They greeted her warmly. Not that she expected them to react any differently. Their names held no meaning as they introduced themselves, recalling stories of heroic hunting excursions in attempts to impress her with their displays of overt masculinity. She found it comical the way they behaved. Nothing more than the common soldiers she had served beside in the war, only dressed in clothing worth more than the annual salary of a military man.
It was surprising how much her popularity grew with every dance she accepted. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed and carried on the way she found herself doing. But it all felt empty. Hollow. This wasn’t her. It was like an elaborate production to make her seem more worthy of the attention of these men who had never experienced life outside the politics of court. They didn’t know what it was like to wonder how they were going to afford rent or put food on the table. And yet she laughed along with them, pretending she was just like the other frail ladies, staring daggers at her from their seats, devoid of any attention. She’d developed quite a crowd around her.
“If you gentlemen would excuse us, I am going to steal this young woman away from you,” an airy, feminine voice announced from somewhere nearby. At the sound, the men split apart to form a path, revealing the elegant form of the woman Leyna had seen speaking with Thade when she arrived.
Respectfully, Leyna dipped down into a formal curtsy, unsure of who the woman was, but certain her rank was well above that which Leyna held. In customary fashion for a woman of high standing, she lowered her head, making sure not to bend down more than Leyna. It was a symbol of rank that one never bowed lower than those who bowed down before you. “I am led to believe you are the legendary Leyna that Queen Vorsila’s Consul has been speaking so highly of since he arrived.”
Ah, even more embarrassing than she thought! This woman knew of her and yet Leyna could recall no name to id
entify her. “I must admit, I am regretfully lacking in my knowledge of the court. I… I am unsure who you are.”
She was laughing. A soft, silvery sound that came like chimes on a gentle breeze. It seemed a good sign, at the very least. She wasn’t angered by Leyna’s ignorance. “I am Princess Chlora Therborin. You have been a guest in my parents’ home since you arrived to Avataio.”
Princess? Leyna was absolutely mortified to think that she had been so disrespectful. Lowering her eyes to the floor, she sank down to her knee, directing her words away from the woman in fear of adding to her already irreparable blunder. “Your Highness,” she breathed. “I am so sorry. Please forgive me –”
“Oh, there is no need for that,” Chlora smiled, motioning for Leyna to stand. “The Consul tells me it is your birthday this evening. I came over to extend to you my family’s blessing on the occasion. You will have to entertain us with a dance before the night becomes too late. Something of the Tanispan court. I have always so loved the gracefulness of their movements.”
“I could not possibly,” Leyna blushed. “This celebration is for your family. I would not feel right taking the attention away.”
“Nonsense. It would be an excuse to get the Consul out of his seat. I doubt any of these other men would know the steps.”
Leyna couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of dancing with Thade. “I am not certain how that would work. I have never seen the Consul dance before. I wonder sometimes if he really truly does know how.”
Catching sight of Thade’s eyes slowly looking over to them from across the room, Leyna waggled her fingers in a playful wave. He lifted his hand to wave back, the motion short and hesitant, as if he was unsure of whether or not she was actually directing the gesture at him.
The Myatheira Chronicles: The Vor'shai: From the Ashes (Volume 1) Page 66
