The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2)(17)

“Is she, Your Majesty?” I heard myself murmur, struggling to make small talk.

“She broke up a plot of the Faceless against the Yadoshans—an attempt on Lord Besserly’s life, their Grand Duke. Endeared them to us in the process, so we’re in talks for a better trade route. And she was most supportive regarding my son’s engagement. I cannot thank her and you, asha, enough.”

I barely had time to congratulate Princess Inessa before a bevy of handmaidens swept her away to the next group of well-wishers.

Then Prince Kance’s hand grasped mine. With as much sincerity as I could muster, I found myself mouthing platitudes, wishing him all the best in his forthcoming marriage.

He smiled back, and I wondered if I only imagined the faint melancholy lingering at the edges of his mouth. “Thank you, Tea,” he said, “I’m glad you approve.” His kind words dug deeper into my gut. “I only wish that…” He stopped, staring over my shoulder with a puzzled frown.

I turned but saw no one. “Prince Kance?”

He blinked and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’ve been having headaches for the last few days.”

“You must not work yourself too hard, Your Highness.”

“I know, but I’ve had little time to rest, and Lady Altaecia’s herbal teas don’t seem to be working.” His green eyes, worried, met mine. Then he said, “I wanted to tell you sooner. About the engagement. I should have told you sooner. I don’t understand why I didn’t.”

“I thought you didn’t know,” I said, bewildered. “You looked fairly shocked at the announcement.”

“I knew. I just wasn’t expecting Father to issue the proclamation today. And he didn’t…” He stopped, frowning, almost seeming to forget I was there.

“Are you all right, Your Highness?”

“Kance,” Kalen said, materializing behind the prince, “your father wishes to speak to you.”

The prince shook his head and smiled weakly at me again. “I have to go. Thank you again, Lady Tea. Kalen, keep her company for me.”

“I have better things to do.”

“No, you don’t.” The prince’s voice was unnaturally stern. “See to her concerns. I want you to watch over Lady Tea the same way you watch over me. I have some important matters I need to discuss with Father.”

“She can handle herself just fine.”

“Please, Kalen.”

Kalen scowled. Together, we watched the prince leave, but as soon as he was out of sight, I spun around.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Kalen demanded.

“Away.” Kalen was the last person I wanted to see me cry. I took a step toward the door, and he grabbed my hand.

“Listen here, Tea. I know that you’re—”

I whirled back, my eyes glistening. “I thought you had better things to do,” I hissed.

Kalen hesitated, staring at my face. After a moment, he let go.

Fox was waiting for me by the doorway. His face was grim, as he was eager to be off himself. But Polaire caught me as we were leaving. “Come here, Tea,” she commanded. “Stay. Their royal majesties would be offended by you slinking away like this.”

Perhaps it was the events of the day compounded by my vulnerability, but I chose to be snippy. “I don’t want to.”

Polaire frowned. “Immaturity isn’t becoming of an asha, Tea.”

“Maybe if you didn’t persist in treating me like a child, I might be more motivated to act like an adult!”

She scowled, displeased by the furtive looks being thrown our way. “Is this because I neglected to tell you about our plan with Likh? Come now, Tea. You shouldn’t fuss over such a trivial matter.”

“Yes, I should. I suppose your taking credit for rescuing Lord Besserly shouldn’t be held against you either. Or the prince’s own engagement, which I had no inkling of until the announcement an hour ago.”

“Tea, that’s not fair.”

Tea, Fox warned me. This is not the time.

I knew I had to leave. To lose my temper in a roomful of nobles would not be to anyone’s advantage, least of all my own. But I couldn’t resist one last dig.

“Or perhaps it would suit you better if I shut my mouth and did as you wish, like a little toy dog performing tricks for no purpose other than to please you. Perhaps it shouldn’t matter that I risk life and limb to put down daeva, risk sanity to confront a Faceless you are too cowardly to interrogate yourself. But I’m the immature one, aren’t I?”

I didn’t wait for Polaire’s response. I turned on my heel and strode off, glad she realized her hypocrisy enough not to pursue.

The celebrations continued for the rest of the night until, I was told later, the early hours of the morning. Fox and I said little, looking out from my window into the world below, at the expanse of the city. “What are we doing?” I finally asked. “How ridiculous are we to be depressed about two people who are engaged to one other?”

“At least we’re still doing things together.”

I started giggling, and it caught on. Fox and I laughed at our absurdity, laughed until we had exhausted our surplus, until the lights winked out, one after the other, as the twenty thousand eyes of the city closed to dream.