“I’m not playing a game. Regner was the king who began taking his subjects’ power. You don’t think it’s possible he could find a way to mimic fae and hybrid long lives?”
She swallowed, her gaze searching my face. “But that would mean… Does he kill the boys he says are his sons?”
“Likely.”
“But how does he step into the younger boys’ shoes?”
“Changing one’s appearance is easy if you have access to the right kind of magic.” I lifted her necklace with a raised eyebrow.
“A small charm is one thing. You’re talking about changing his appearance completely.”
“Easy enough to do with stolen power. Often the boys are sent away for a time when they’re growing from boys into men. That way, he doesn’t need to be exact with their features.”
She shook off my hand, turning to pace once more. How the woman didn’t grow dizzy, I would never understand.
“Sabium is getting old,” she murmured. “At least on the outside. It’s only a matter of time before he fakes his death again. And then secretly kills the boy he raised as his son.” She turned and met my eyes. “He’s truly that evil?”
I cupped her cheek. Her skin was softer than it had any right to be. “He’s worse. He’s evil with the conviction that his actions are for the greater good.”
There were no more quiet evenings after dinner. Representatives from the villages had begun to arrive, and each night, dancing would commence and extend until the early hours of the morning.
The queen was expected to attend, which meant so were her ladies. Each night after the dancing, I took Tibris down to the dungeons. He’d also begun visiting the other prisoners and working on the wounds in their shoulders. Each time we walked up those dungeon stairs, he looked more tired.
I’d warned him that I might be arrested at any moment. I had to trust that Lorian wouldn’t risk killing the queen’s favorite seamstress. And yet, she hadn’t said a word. I’d caught a glimpse of her yesterday, which meant Lorian was keeping his word. So far.
When I’d told Tibris the woman had recognized my eyes, he’d gotten a look on his face I’d never seen before. “If you get arrested, I’m going to kill Vicer.”
He wasn’t joking. I swallowed. “Maybe you should take a break from healing for a night.”
He just shook his head. “The more prisoners who can access their magic, the better.”
I needed to talk to Lorian. Needed to convince him that if the seamstress changed her mind and I was arrested and executed, he had to work with Tibris to get the prisoners out.
Tonight, I was sitting at our table, listening to the other women as they gossiped. Lisveth rose to dance with one of the king’s advisers—a lecherous old man who insisted on dancing with each of us at least once every night.
Davis Boria had already asked Madinia to dance once, and she’d refused him, claiming her feet were sore. Now, he sat next to his father, his dark gaze continually drifting to her. I would have felt sorry for him, but according to rumors, he didn’t bother asking other women before he touched them. Women whose fathers weren’t close to the king. Women whom he caught in servants’ halls and stables.
Caraceli slid into Lisveth’s empty seat. From the malevolent look on her face, it wasn’t because she wanted to be friends.
“Katina would have loved this.” She leaned close, her eyes cold. “There’s nothing she enjoys more than dancing.”
I kept my expression bored with a hint of confusion. “Is that right?”
She gave me a slow smile, and my hands began to sweat.
“I know you had something to do with her removal from court,” she hissed.
I forced my mouth to fall open. “What are you talking about?”
“Unlike the rest of these idiots, I know how things work. No one stumbles into this position like you have. All you needed for your plans to work was for Katina to disappear. And when I find out what you did, I’m going to make you pay.”
I dropped my gaze. Hoping she would think I was intimidated. In reality, I needed to make sure she didn’t pay close attention to my eyes. The other ladies had gone quiet, and Madinia cleared her throat.
I opened my mouth, but a deep voice made me snap it closed once more.
“Setella?”
I took a long, deep breath and forced a smile on to my face, glancing up at the courtier standing in front of me.
Peiter was remarkably handsome, I could admit that much. He was also one of the few courtiers I didn’t want to stab with my dinner knife. With his sparkling blue eyes and blond curls, he had a boyish kind of charm. Almost innocent, which was something I hadn’t seen much of in this place.