In Her Shadow(16)

"Just because you're to be married doesn't mean you'll want his paws all over you."

"Maybe I will. You don't know."

Weboshi thrust her chin out and squint. "I thought you said he's a bore."

"He is. But that was my first impression. Not fair to judge a man from a first impression. I mean, if you'd seen the look on his face when he found out it was me. . ."

"Don't tell me he's charmed you."

"I don't know. Maybe. He is handsome."

Weboshi's jaw flexed, but she didn't say anything.

"Is something wrong?"

"I've left something cooking down in the kitchen." Weboshi bowed her head, then ducked towards the secret passage. "If you'll excuse me, New Moon."





Chapter 7


Lucius was a quarter way home when he stopped mid-step and turned back towards the abbey. He'd been embarrassed, and walking home was an admission of defeat. He couldn't stand for either. He wasn't some moonstruck young teen, waiting for the woman he pined for to show him favor with a handkerchief or chaste kiss sent on the wind. He was a warrior, a leader, a philosopher, an adult. They could giggle all they wanted – she could giggle all she wanted – but he wouldn't let it get to him. The best response wasn't retreat, but to face the situation head on. What he should have done was stay right where he stood until the sun went down and then knocked again. They'd get the hint he wasn't to be trifled with.

His retreat wasn't the only reason for his embarrassment. He'd considered it his duty to read everything he could get his hands on about the priestesses, their abbey and the city before he arrived. But the sisters of the abbey were as good at hiding details about themselves as they were about hiding their business. It was hard to find information about them beyond the broadest and breeziest of tenets. Still, there was enough in the literature he should have guessed daylight would be taboo to them.

Daylight.

Years of practice kept the laugh buried deep inside his chest, and his mind glossed over the humor before it even consciously registered.

When he made it back to the abbey, he sat on a stump off the side of the path. It was only a few minutes before sunset, but yet he waited, giving the priestesses plenty of time to bath and eat and do whatever ritual acts they needed to start the liturgical day. When the first handful trickled out of the front door, dressed in gauzy dark silks that hinted at the nude mysteries beneath, they seemed surprised to see him sitting there. They passed him by, hands to mouths as they suppressed giggles. Despite his attempt to approach the situation with his dignity intact, they managed to find a reason to laugh at him.

He snatched one of the girls by the upper arm as she passed, pulling her away from the other girls who gathered by the old gate and waited for their companion.

"Why are they laughing at me?" he asked.

"They're not laughing at you, exactly," said the priestess.

"No?"

She shook her head.

"Then what is it?"

"They think it's sweet you've come to see your lady love."

There were a lot of natural emotional responses that could be retrained, dulled through years of practice. Blushing was not one of them, and as his face burst into flame, the blaze only intensified knowing it was exposed for all to see. "I'm here to speak with the Abbess of Night."

"Sure," said the priestess around the faintest trace of a smirk.

"I am."

"Okay."

He let her go before he gripped too tight and hurt her. "What do I do?"

"Knock on the door. No challenge there. You've done it once, am I right?"

"Yes."

"Good then." She started towards the gaggle of priestesses waiting for her.

"I am," said Dux Lucius after her, "here to see the Abbess of Night. Not Britta."

The priestess looked over her shoulder just long enough to flash him a smile. "Okay," she said again, then joined her companions. They all giggled and whispered to each other as she absorbed into the crowd of them.

He knocked for a second time that evening. No one answered. He leaned against the porch railing while he waited. Was Britta here? Was she out with the other priestesses? He might not have spotted her if she were in disguise, much as he hadn't realized it was her who'd answered the door before. No, she couldn't have been with the others. Those were priestess-prostitutes. Though the abbey was a religion of great liars, their New Moon was too valuable to risk on the dirty streets of Ankshara. But then, where was she? Why hadn't anyone answered the door?

He knocked again, louder this time. Half-expecting no one to answer, he began to pace the porch, stepping heel to toe, listening to the sound of his hard-soled boots clack against the worn wood.

"Hello?"

Dux Lucius swiveled around. He hadn't even heard the door creak open. Framed in the doorway stood a beautiful middle aged woman with dark hair and eyes – eyes unlike he'd ever seen in his travels. "Yes," he said. "I'm Dux Lucius. I'm here to see–" Britta's name almost slipped from between his lips. "The Abbess of Night."

"Your business?" the woman asked.

"I just told you: I'm Dux Lucius."