Mask of Shadows (Untitled #1)(66)

I bowed my head to her. The tables had been rearranged, pushed together to form one long table with three chairs on each side. I was facing Amethyst, and Two was one seat over. I’d be next to Five.

Dammit.

“Abel, a drink.” Amethyst, radiant in a midnight-blue gown with a copper-ribbed corset, beckoned her servant, and he poured me a glass of watered-down wine. The taunt lines of Amethyst’s bare muscles were beauty alone.

I grinned. “Thank you.”

“We’re only waiting on Five.” Ruby leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, the very image of bored relaxation. “We’ll begin when he arrives.”

A power play. From Five. How unexpected. I’d be unsurprised if he didn’t march in here and salute.

Two shifted. Her perfectly tailored, fiery outfit showed off the lean strength in her body from feet to fingertips. The leather vest was old, well worn, and dyed red with flames devouring the arrows burned into the sides. A patchwork of red and orange silk twisted like flames covered her arms.

Before Our Queen devoured the magic in the land, the Carnival of Cheats appeared from the void wreathed in fire and was full of people boasting feats of marksmanship, strength, and bravery without magic—the only rune writers were for show. Two had no magic inked into her skin.

These days, they appeared overnight instead of by magic. I’d seen them once, from afar. An acrobat had walked a high wire strung between two buildings during market day in Kursk, and she’d juggled swords over gawkers’ heads without missing a beat. Two would be as in control of her body as that acrobat had been.

“You didn’t have to dress up to impress us.” Emerald leaned forward, chin balanced on her fingers. She said it in a way that made it clear we should’ve dressed up and hadn’t yet passed her inspection. Her wineglass was empty, but I hadn’t caught her drinking. “Don’t worry—we’ve been watching and already have our opinions about you.”

“Though your origins and senses of fashion are interesting.” Ruby raised his now-full wineglass.

Their sleight of hand was impressive.

“Mostly,” said Amethyst. “White’s an optimistic choice.”

“I’m am optimistic person.” They kept talking like they knew everything about us. Should I play all my cards or only part of them? They’d people like Nicolas del Contes spying on us. Couldn’t hurt to let them know I was returning the favor. “Two and Five were dressed so nice, I didn’t want to be left out.”

Two’s head cocked toward me. So she hadn’t been spying on us like I’d been on her.

Amethyst nodded. We were sharing half our hands then. If only I could see their faces.

“I’ve always wanted to see the Carnival of Cheats again.” Ruby leaned toward Two, voice low and measured. “But three members down must have left them scrambling for new acts. Well, at least they knew you were leaving soon.”

Two stiffened. “We had apprentices ready to step into our roles. We won’t be missed.”

“You must be looking forward to court, Twenty-Three.” Emerald raised her glass to me. “You’ve robbed half of them and all their merchants and business partners.”

“Only have to learn their names now.” I didn’t drink the wine. No accounting for what they’d do since I missed the second-round test.

The door opened and Five’s heels clicked behind me. Whenever he stopped to bow, he snapped his boots together. Light from the pins on his chest flickered around the wall opposite of me. He’d commanded people before, and now he was auditioning to kill them.

“And Five makes three.” Ruby waved to the chair across from him and next to me. “We were discussing fashion and murder. Join in.”

Five sat stiff and rigid. He crossed his right ankle over his left knee, wearing thick woolen pants made for far colder lands, and took up all my space. I stretched my legs out till our knees touched. He jerked away.

Typical.

“It’s rare that officers respond to our invitations.” Amethyst nodded to Five, dress slipping off her shoulder to reveal a deep scar gouged over her heart. She had to have been a soldier. They’d scars like that to spare. “Their training is typically antithetical to ours.”

I’d never wondered what officers were taught. If he was really Fernando de Lukan and Dimas knew it, Nicolas del Contes definitely knew. Why’d they invite him?

“I thought my talents were better suited elsewhere.” Five’s voice was rough tonight. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and his gaze focused solely on Ruby. “And your invitation suggested the same.”

“I doubt the invitation suggested much,” said Ruby. “We were mostly impressed with your ability to stay alive. It’s rare anyone survives an attack from Lord del Weylin. Not even our dear departed Opal did. The rest of your history was less than satisfactory.”

Five stiffened.

Weylin—he was surely one of my secret names. He would never have stationed soldiers in Nacea—too far, too foreign, and too odd—but he’d have supported a withdrawal of troops to save Erlend lives. He hated anything farther south than his borders.

His lands were a maze of icy mountain passes and avalanche traps. He was the last major holdout against Igna and Our Queen, and attacking him was impossible. Our Queen could only keep the border well guarded with soldiers and wait for news. No idea how he kept his army and lands supplied, but he did it.