Allegiance (River of Souls 3)

“Soon,” she replied. Whatever she thought of the other guests, she liked Lady Vieth and did not wish to offend her. Her own dark moods were not Hella’s fault. “Let us wait another half hour.”

No sooner had she spoken when a stir among the other guests caught her attention. She followed the direction of their gazes toward the entryway. Her fingers tightened around her wine cup as she recognized the newcomer.

Raul Kosenmark.

He was dressed in elaborate attire of dark red silk robes, layers upon layers, with minuscule rubies sewn into the cuffs and hems. An enormous ruby hung from one ear. As he glided between the other guests, the lamplight caught each jewel so that they glittered like drops of fresh blood.

Next to her, Benno drew a sharp breath. Emma laid her hand on her husband’s arm. He was trembling.

I shall murder that man for coming here tonight, she thought.

Kosenmark paused by Lord and Lady Vieth to make his formal greeting. He glanced around the room. His gaze took in the musicians and the collection of guests, passing lightly over Emma and Benno with nothing more than a polite smile. He seemed to note and appreciate a new trio of miniature paintings, hung in a position of prominence on one wall. All this took only moments. Then Kosenmark was gliding toward them, with that same polite smile on his otherwise expressionless face.

“Lord and Lady Iani.”

Emma quelled the impulse to growl. Too many would witness any friction between them, and while these other nobles were famously apolitical, their friends might not be. So she smiled pleasantly. “Lord Kosenmark. I had heard you returned recently from a pleasure cruise. Alas, your presence was missed in the city.”

“My apologies for my absence. The decision was borne of impulse. I wished to sample a warmer climate before the summer storms prevented me.”

Emma heard a faint edge in his voice. A warning, perhaps, to tread softly.

“I hope your journey was a pleasant one,” Benno said. “Lord Vieth had earlier expressed disappointment that you were not to be among us tonight. I see you reversed your earlier decision.”

Raul nodded. “Another impulse, you might say. I’ve neglected my friends these past several months, and I wished to make up the loss.”

Emma had to suppress her own trembling. He intends to regather his shadow court.

“Are you certain?” she asked.

His only reply was an enigmatic smile.

There was a pause as the musicians came to the end of their piece. Raul laid a hand over his heart and bowed his head, eyes closed and silent. Emma hated him in that moment. His love of music was unfeigned, she knew, but he used that love to disguise his other motives.

She shook her head. Anyone might accuse her of the same.

“What do you want?” she whispered.

“A conversation with you and Benno,” he replied just as softly.

“Tonight?” Benno said.

“Yes. The matter is urgent.”

Emma resisted the urge to cry out: You abandoned us. You pretended indifference. She was angry with him, yes, but underneath that first furious response, she was aware of other, contradictory emotions. You were afraid, just as we were. And now you know, you’ve heard, something that affects us all.

She pressed her lips together. What she thought about Raul Kosenmark the man did not matter. The welfare of Veraene and its people should be her chief concern. So she joined in the conversation discussing the finer points of the musical performance. She even managed an almost genuine laugh. Then Kosenmark continued on to the next gathering.

Benno touched Emma’s arm. She leaned against his shoulder.

“He is not a restful soul,” she said.

“It is not his nature,” he agreed. “But think how much easier we have it. He cannot escape himself.”

She shook her head. “You would see things his way.”

They lingered another hour before they offered their farewells to Lord and Lady Vieth. Most of the guests remained, and Kosenmark had not departed yet, but Emma found her ability to dissemble fading. She offered a wan smile to Lady Vieth, saying that a headache had come over her, no doubt the fault of the close weather.

At home, they retired into the common parlor, which overlooked a walled garden and the pathway running between their house and the next. Emma ordered the servants to bring them refreshments—spiced tea, a jug of strong wine, another of chilled water—then dismissed them to their beds. She and Benno drank tea and spoke of the evening’s entertainment as they waited.