Mask of Shadows (Untitled #1)(75)

I set the roll aside and stirred my tea to pass the time, forcing thoughts of Five and Two from my mind.

No use thinking of what I lacked and what they had. It was over.

“Twenty-Three?”

I jerked, knocking my chair arm into Dimas.

“The Left Hand would like to see you.”

“Sorry I got blood on your floor last night.” I kept pace beside him and studied the little lines crinkled around his eyes. A little older than Maud and me but not by much. Managing so many people and buildings took its toll. “Maud would’ve killed me for it.”

“Thank you, but it was no issue.” His jaw tensed. “Maud is very—”

“Lovely?” I sucked the last bits of food and honey from my teeth and straightened my coat. I helped Rath out enough times to know how this worked. “Trustworthy?”

Dimas stiffened. “Dedicated but avaricious.”

“Who isn’t?” I frowned. Everyone needed money, especially orphans and servants. Wanting wasn’t bad. “Everyone’s got their reasons.”

He glanced at me, losing his calm expression, and rapped on the door. I took a breath.

“Our prodigal auditioner returns.” Ruby’s drawl, all feigned happiness and sarcasm, seeped through the cracked door. “You had a busy night.”

“You would know.” I sat in the only free chair in the little room off the dining hall, small and cramped. “Setting me up and keeping tabs like that.”

“You’re not as adept at hiding your hatred as you think.” Amethyst leaned back in her chair, the tan leather armor with beautiful detailing back today. “But you didn’t give into your anger this time. Mostly.”

I flushed. “I do have some self-control.”

“Hardly,” Ruby said softly. “However, you’re young and learning, and you got Shan de Pau out of the way quietly. He drank too much to remember the whole night, much less what really happened to his business partner.”

That, at least, had worked in my favor.

“In a moment, we will take you to meet Our Queen Marianna da Ignasi.” Emerald lingered over her name, voice dropping. “You will not approach her. You will address her by her title, and you will bow until she bids you to stand. You will not touch her. You will answer her honestly, and you will never turn your back on her. When she dismisses you, you will back out of that room in a bow so low your nose scrapes the floor. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” I nodded, swallowing back the nerves and fear lodged in my throat. “What about our proof? The coin?”

Ruby shifted forward and held out his hand. “Whichever one of you is selected as Opal will formally present Our Queen with proof of your first contract.”

“It will serve as your oath of loyalty.” Emerald leaned her elbows on the table, resting her chin on laced fingers. “Any other questions?”

“If it’s Two,” I said carefully, “what happens to me?”

None of them looked at each other, but I could feel their eyes raking over me and glancing toward each other.

“You’re free to go.” Ruby spread his hands out in front of him, dropping them to his chair, and a muffled, tinkling laughter leaked from behind his mask. “Provided Our Queen doesn’t take issue with your alternative agenda, you will be given an invitation for the next audition and compensated for your assignment.”

“Enough to buy your uniform.” Amethyst rose and held out her hand. “Come. Our Queen waits.”

Lady, give me this. I’d repay the blood I’d spilled with my own. Let me have this life.

I took Amethyst’s hand.

“Calm down.” Amethyst led me to a plain-looking door guarded by soldiers too grim-faced to be real. She knocked twice—once with two slow beats and once again with two quick ones. “We’ll be watching but not listening. It will be fine.”

“Thank you,” I tried to say, but my fear twisted the words into a whimper.

Amethyst laughed and opened the door. I glanced up, trying to get far enough from the door to bow fully, and my breath stuck in my throat.

I knew why those who’d worshipped The Lady had rebuilt their temples to honor Our Queen. She was power trapped in mortal form. I dropped into a bow to keep from staring.

“And you are Twenty-Three.” Her voice drew out my name and rang in my ears. Silk and velvet rustled, and her nails clinked against the chair. “Come sit.”

I rose, head still bowed, and folded myself into the chair at her feet. Her seat was undecorated but raised, set on a platform rising out of the ground and placing her a full head above me. She crossed her ankles, feet vanishing beneath her dark-blue gown.

“Now let’s start at the beginning.” She leaned forward, black eyes flashing, and the storm-gray chemise slid down her left shoulder. The lightning—twists of dark-brown scars against her warm, deep skin—curled around her neck. It was like everyone said, crawling up her flesh where the magic had left her body. She’d channeled all the magic of The Lady through her flesh and only been left with brittle hair and scars. “Who are you?”

“Sallot Leon, Our Queen.” I glanced at her face and looked away.

“From Nacea.” She’d salt-flecked eyes like Rath. The old runes, still dark as the day they’d been inked into her skin, lined her left eye and curled around her ear. They wrinkled with each word and blink, giving the illusion they still moved beneath her skin. “How many people have you killed and who?”