The Cogsmith's Daughter (Desertera #1)(44)

“Then it is settled. I shall come to Lord Varick’s estate and retrieve you after your morning meal.”

Aya bowed her head. “Very well.”

King Archon stopped their dance and took both of Aya’s hands in his own. “For now, I should return to my station. I shall see you tomorrow.”

As she had done with Willem, Aya stretched up on her toes to place a soft kiss on the king’s mask, on the lion’s whiskers. Of course, unlike with Willem, the act and the glittering result it produced in King Archon’s eyes made bile rise in her throat.

When she pulled away, Aya noticed the gazes of several nobles studiously avoiding her and the king. The kiss was a bold move, but a polite kiss on the cheek was not scandalous. A young woman could show innocent affection to an older man, a patriarchal figure, after he showed her a kindness. And even if such a thing were taboo in the palace, how was Aya to know? She was merely an uneducated ward.

“Tomorrow,” Aya said.

This time, it was her turn to disappear into the crowd.





CHAPTER TWELVE


As Aya weaved her way through the crowd of socializing nobles, she scanned it for signs of Willem’s golden frog mask or Lord Varick’s dark goggles. She did not see either of them. Her head throbbed from the rising volume of the orchestra, and she felt dizzy from the drinking and twirling. Deciding it best to call it a night, Aya headed to the exit. As she departed, the bishop gave Aya a stiff bow, but otherwise, she left undisturbed.

Aya followed the long hallway back toward Lord Varick’s estate at the stern. As she walked away from the ballroom, the music became fainter, and she felt her head depressurize with every step. After a few minutes of walking, she saw the end of the hallway with the statue of Queen Hildegard. However, the statue was not the only queen waiting for her. Standing directly in front of the statue, right in the center of the hallway’s fork, was Queen Zedara. She had removed her rabbit mask and held her hands on her hips as Aya walked toward her.

Aya made a conscious effort not to slow her gait. To change her speed in any manner would be to imply her guilt. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and strolled directly up to the queen. “Your Highness.” Aya did a small curtsy. “Did you have enough of the merrymaking as well?”

Queen Zedara crossed her arms. In the dimly lit hallway, her pale skin glowed the same color as desert sand in moonlight. “I had enough of watching you dance with my husband.”

Aya shifted her eyes around the area, ensuring no one else was present. She did not need any other nobles, or worse, the queen’s guards, hearing this conversation. “I’m terribly sorry. I was simply following the whims of my king. If I would have known you desired time with him on the dance floor, I gladly would have surrendered my position.”

Queen Zedara shook her head. She turned around and looked up at the statue of Queen Hildegard, both women’s eyes fierce and unblinking. As she stood at Queen Zedara’s side, the hairs on Aya’s arms struggled to rise against the fabric of her sleeves.

“It’s not that.” Queen Zedara turned her gaze to Aya. “I know what you’re doing.”

Aya’s body went rigid. “Excuse me, Your Highness?”

“Don’t play the innocent little ward with me.” Queen Zedara rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re doing.”

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Aya stammered. “I really do not know what you’re referring to.”

“You’re trying to seduce my husband so he will want to get rid of me.”

Now Aya truly wished that her mask covered her entire face. She felt the blood rising to flush her chest and neck, and she placed a hand at the base of her throat, hoping the queen would take her actions as signs of her shock, not guilt. “I’m doing no such thing!”

“Yes, you are,” Queen Zedara huffed. “And frankly, you’re not doing a good enough job.”

Aya’s heart skipped a beat, her entire body freezing, as if she had died for a split second. “Pardon?”

“Aya, I know.” Queen Zedara put her hands on her hips again. “I helped Lord Varick come up with this whole scheme, for goodness sake.”

Aya glanced around, making sure that no one was lurking in the three corridors. When she was certain the coast was clear, she addressed the queen openly. “Explain. Help me understand.”

This time, Queen Zedara also scanned the room, shuffling her feet ever so slightly. She motioned for Aya to come in closer so they could pretend to admire Queen Hildegard’s statue together. Aya scooted in until her shoulder touched the queen’s. Queen Zedara did not speak directly to Aya but rather toward the statue. “The late Queen Isadona, Lord Varick’s daughter, was my best friend. She was my world. I was closer to her than anyone, even my own sisters. Do you know what that is like?”

Aya thought of Dellwyn, who was probably wrapped around a drunken nobleman at that moment, and nodded.

“Isadona didn’t intend to attract the attention of King Archon. She was in love with—” The queen paused, touching the locket hanging around her neck. “Isadona loved someone else. But Lord Varick, he didn’t care who she loved. He wanted her to be queen and himself to have the prestige and power of being the king’s father-in-law. He pushed her on King Archon, and eventually, the king took the bait.”