The Pyramid Waltz (41 page)

“If…” Starbride said, “if my mother tries to take advantage of you, please forgive her.”

“What?”

“Once she hears that I’m your consort, she’ll start asking for things, and you’ll have to let me tell her no and promise to forgive her.”

Katya’s heart thudded for a few more seconds before she realized she’d been holding her breath, too. It was all she could do not to take Starbride’s face and kiss the soft lips. In another half second, she decided it was worth it. They’d barely begun when Ma cleared her throat.

“People are always clearing their throats around us,” Katya said.

Starbride hid her laugh behind a cough. “Will I…see you later?” Her eyes were hidden behind her downturned lashes.

Heat billowed through Katya’s insides, making her hyperaware of Starbride’s smooth skin. The thought led her to images of that skin unclothed, and her breath caught as she said, “Oh yes.”

Starbride bade them all good night shortly afterward, her eyes on Katya holding a promise of the evening to come. Katya used all her determination to stay rooted to the spot. Once Starbride departed, Katya’s family turned to her, their expression carrying curiosity mixed with a multitude of feelings.

“You asked her after all, didn’t you?” Reinholt asked. “Sly one.”

Maia looked back and forth between them. “Asked her what?”

“To be her consort!” Reinholt said.

“Brilliant!” Maia said.

Ma stiffened, and Katya gave her brother a dark look. Her mother didn’t like surprises, much less surprises delivered amongst a group. “She’s seen the Fiend. She knows my secrets, Ma, even the Order. All I was waiting for was your approval.” The last part was half-true, and it seemed to mollify her mother a bit, but Ma’s expression warned that there would be words between them later.

“Well done, my girl!” Da kissed her temple and gave her a wink and a nudge as if they were two old dogs. The rest of them grilled her on Starbride, and she put them off as best she could. When she was more than ready to go, she hugged them all again, leaving her mother for last.

Katya kissed her mother’s cheek. “Thank you, Ma.”

“Go on, rascal.”

Katya nearly whooped as she left them. She’d send Starbride a note inviting her to come over, and then she’d light some candles, scented ones, maybe… Deep in plans, she opened the door to her apartment and stopped as Averie and Dawnmother rose from the table. “What’s this?”

Averie pointed toward the bedroom door. Well, if Dawnmother was in the sitting room… It was better than any plan Katya could have made. She strode past the maids without another word.

In the bedroom, candles shone from every surface, making it seem as if the stars from the ceiling mural had descended to hover about the room. Starbride lay on her stomach, her head propped on one hand, the other toying with a strand of her loose hair.

“What kept you?” The light played over her bare curves as she moved her legs up and back, her ankles crossed.

Katya willed her feet to overcome her awe. She moved forward, unbuttoning her coat as she walked. “I don’t know. Right now, I can’t remember anything outside of this room.”

Starbride chuckled, another throaty sound that traveled along Katya’s body like a caress. When she reached the bed, Starbride sat up, taking Katya’s breath away again. She gasped as Starbride grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down, pouncing on her. Katya closed her eyes as their lips met and gave in to passionate intensity. The Order and all her responsibilities dissolved. Time itself became lost, and Katya had never been happier to cast it aside.

Starbride studied the bracelet on her wrist. Made of twisted silver, it resembled strands of ivy, the junctions of the strands set with tiny emeralds. It seemed almost too delicate to be worn.

Averie had delivered it that morning in an antique box, saying, “Crown Princess Brom wore this, and Queen Catirin, and all the men and women who’ve been consorts to the Umbriels.” Starbride had lifted it with reverence and thought all the while that she was lucky the last two wearers had been women. It didn’t need resizing.

Just over four inches long, it clasped about her wrist like a cuff, and the illusion of a manacle wasn’t lost on her. Better a beautiful manacle than a plain one, though. She turned it in the light and watched the tiny emeralds sparkle. The accompanying note had simply said,
My consort, I love you. K.

Dawnmother slipped into their room, her spine so stiff with pride it was a wonder she didn’t lift from the ground. “News of your consortship has flown on the wings of gossip.”

“The princess consort looks no different from Starbride the courtier.”

“Yet the difference is huge. I’ve ordered more Allusian-style outfits, and the tailors have been quicker to answer. Also, the section housekeeper has arranged for a better apartment, so we’d better get hopping. I’ll pack our things.”

“So soon?”

“Well, it’s only fitting. Hurry now, the servants will be coming for the luggage.”

Starbride had to smirk as Dawnmother shepherded servants to and fro and took possession of the keys to Starbride’s quarters with a stately air. Bigger than Lady Hilda’s, the new apartment boasted three rooms, a bedroom and a sitting room, plus a small room for Dawnmother. It was also a skip from Katya’s apartment, Starbride noted. After the servants had departed, she spent an hour knocking on the walls and had nearly given up on secret passageways when she heard a knock from the other side.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Katya’s voice said.

“Come in.” Dawnmother retreated to her room as a small section of wall swung out, and Katya stepped through. “Let me guess,” Starbride said, “that leads to your apartment?”

“More or less. Take the wrong turn and you’ll end up in my parents’ bedroom.”

“Kiss me hello, and later you can show me the way.”

“Ah, but it’s
my
job to visit you in the middle of the night, to sweep in unannounced and catch you in your nightie.”

“I don’t have a nightie, and you can’t sweep in unannounced if you knock.”

“I’m a considerate seducer.”

Starbride pointed to the table where her newest mound of invitations and gifts lay. “And I’m going to be busy for the next five years.”

“Ignore most of them, send a polite decline to others, and only accept those from people who interest you or can aid you.”

“Aid me?”

“It’s not always a bad thing. Everyone comes to court in order to make connections. If you meet someone who can aid you in some way, and you can aid them in turn, then make that connection. The people you have to be wary of are those who want something from you but have nothing to offer.”

“No wonder you get surly sometimes. They all want something from
you
, but what can they offer?”

“Not much.” Her lips brushed Starbride’s cheek. “Remember, a hand that claims to be extended in friendship and yet grabs for everything it can reach is not a friendly hand.”

Starbride caressed Katya’s chin with her thumb, and the bracelet glinted on her wrist. “My hands are friendly.”

“And I’m eternally grateful for that, Miss Meringue.”

“That’s Princess Consort Meringue to you.”

“Are you ready for tonight?”

“I think so. It’ll certainly be different from my first ball.” She tried not to let all the recent changes overtake her thoughts. “My first official function by your side.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t leave you alone for Lady Hilda to poison.”

Starbride flashed back on Countess Nadia’s words and repressed a shiver. “I should eat before I go. Then I won’t be tempted by anything anyone gives me.”

Katya shook her head, her expression as serious as Starbride had ever seen. “Don’t take anything that isn’t given to you by Dawnmother, Averie, me, or my family’s personal servants.”

“Why?”

“The royal party is only served by our trusted servants. It’s always been that way.”

Starbride’s fingers curled around the bracelet. She thought her world was dangerous before, but now she could take her food and drink from only a handful of people? “I didn’t know Dawnmother could come.”

“Definitely. She’ll hover in the background with Averie.”

Relief trickled over the wall of ice in Starbride’s belly. “She’ll like that. Good. I won’t have to worry, then. Dawnmother will probably taste everything if she’s not in the kitchen cooking it herself.” She put on a brighter smile. “Will you be wearing your blue coat?”

“Not if you’re wearing blue. I don’t want everyone cooing over how we match all night. I’ll wear the black.”

Starbride snuggled into Katya’s shoulder. “I like the black.”

Dressmakers had been working for two days on Starbride’s ball gown, a blend of Allusian and Farradain style. The cobalt-blue fabric was embroidered with silver thread and tiny crystal beads. It had a scoop-necked, fitted, Allusian bodice, with the same flared sleeves attached at the shoulders. Instead of a long shirt over pants, though, a sleek flaring skirt began under the bodice’s hem and hung to the floor, held out by a petticoat with not a flounce in sight.

The ball was a hidden pocket of sound in the next room. Starbride clutched Katya’s arm. Katya’s fitted coat flared at the waist and then continued to the knee over tight white trousers. Bright gold buttons ran down the middle, and the same braid as on her welcoming coat adorned her shoulders. Her diadem glittered at her brow, and the butterfly pin she’d made from Starbride’s old hairclip rested on her breast, near her heart. She was a gorgeous painting brought to life.

It was stuffy in the small waiting room, and Starbride was glad she’d worn her hair piled on her head in one of Dawnmother’s artful creations. She resisted the urge to fidget with her diamond necklace.

In front of her stood Brom and Reinholt and in front of them Queen Catirin and King Einrich. She heard Maia whisper, “Hurry up, hurry up,” behind her and grinned over her shoulder.

Maia smiled back, her hair glowing against her turquoise gown. Starbride had been thrilled to find Brother Brutal acting as her escort. She didn’t know how many bolts of fabric it took, but his coat seemed tight around his shoulders, and he pulled at the high collar as if it choked him. The side of his face was still a little singed from the fire pyramid at the dock warehouse. Whenever he looked down at Maia, though, his frown lifted into a smile. Starbride wondered if Maia’s courage in asking him to the ball had extended to grabbing his head and kissing him, but she thought not.

At some unseen signal, they stepped onto the grand ballroom’s dais to thunderous applause. Starbride gripped Katya’s arm and tried to let the attention of the glittering sea of people wash over her. She’d hated being stared at when she’d first arrived. She thought it would be different being stared at from a position of power, but her tightened muscles wouldn’t loosen. Katya patted her arm as they descended the dais into the ballroom.

As the crowd pushed forward to speak with them, Starbride couldn’t help but compare this party to the Courtiers Ball. At that one, she’d been afforded the same respect one gave to a potted plant. At Reinholt’s ball, she could’ve whipped off her dress and still would’ve been surrounded by sycophants complimenting her undergarments.

Baroness Jacintha pushed by a group of courtiers. “You
must
tell me the name of your jeweler. I never got to ask during our tea.” She said the last part loudly, turning her head for maximum volume.

“My father’s creations,” Starbride replied. “His name is Sunjoyful.”

“They’re lovely.”

“Just what I was going to say, Baroness Jacintha.” Countess Nadia emerged from the crowd to stand beside them, her arm twined through Viscount Lenvis’s. He seemed extremely pleased with himself and maybe a tiny bit nervous. No doubt Countess Nadia had landed him, or nearly had, and he was thinking about what to make of such an opportunity.

Baroness Jacintha blinked as she turned. “Ah, Countess Nadia. Everyone knows you have fine taste.”

“Indeed. I believe you’re wanted by the buffet, Baroness.”

Baroness Jacintha started but covered it by a low curtsy before leaving.

Starbride smiled slyly. “Thank you, Countess. Good evening, Viscount.”

Viscount Lenvis inclined his head. “Princess Consort.” He gazed down at Countess Nadia. “Not a fan of Baroness Jacintha’s, my dear?”

“That woman is as annoying as a talking bird. I can land you a bigger fish, Princess Consort.”

“Landing yourself one as well?”

Countess Nadia winked. “A fine idea.”

“Starbride will meet all the nobles in good time,” Katya drawled. “The crown won’t forget your kindness to the princess consort, Countess. With Starbride as your friend, I’m sure you’ll rise to great heights. Duchess Skelda Van Nispin’s sewing circle, perhaps?”

Countess Nadia shrugged. Starbride leaned closer to her. “Do you really want to be part of a sewing circle, Countess?”

“No, but I would love to have Duchess Skelda and all her friends thinking they should invite me to everything and wondering to what extent I have your ear. I can filter gossip for you while extending my network of intelligence.”