A Kiss of Iron (Shadows of the Tenebris Court Book 1) by Clare Sager

Author:Clare Sager [Sager, Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wicked Lady Press
Published: 2023-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

41

I spent the rest of the afternoon in my chambers, snoozing, grinning… then wondering if anyone had seen. The next morning when I took breakfast with the queen, I spent the whole time on the edge of my seat, waiting for an accusation. The closest thing was Ella’s sidelong look, later followed by her murmuring, “You’re positively glowing, Katherine. Who knew the position of liaison would have such an effect?” Her enigmatic smile promised she’d ask about it later, which, of course, she did the instant we were alone. I spilled. She listened, biting her lip, squirming in her seat. It was the closest thing I’d seen her to inelegant.

That afternoon, Seren came bouncing into my chambers unannounced.

I raised an eyebrow and sipped my tea. Since Bastian had stayed in my rooms, I’d started drinking the preventative, because it seemed more and more likely I’d have need of it. Honey softened the bitter edge of its various herbal ingredients. “Oh, you remembered your way here.” I hadn’t seen her in two days. “I was starting to worry.”

She snorted and poked around the various jars on the dressing table. “I’m terribly sorry, milady. I’ve been busy.” She shrugged, spun on her heel, and came closer, walking on the balls of her feet. She cocked her head at the teapot and sniffed. “He wants to see you. Usual place.” She plopped into a seat, leg sprawled over the arm. “Now, of course.”

“Oh, of course.” I sighed and gulped the last of my tea, even though it was a little too hot to do so. I wouldn’t be protected from pregnancy if I didn’t drink the lot. Being me, I took at least two cups a day. The last thing I needed was to be saddled with a baby as proof of my indiscretion.

From the door, I glanced back. “The sheets need changing.” I would’ve done it myself, but I had no idea where in the palace they kept fresh linen and it really would’ve blown my cover to go poking around.

She didn’t look up from cleaning her nails. “I’ll tell someone. Don’t keep him waiting.” With an impish grin, she waved.

I couldn’t decide whether she hated me or found me amusing. She was certainly the most incompetent lady’s maid I’d ever known. Cavendish paid for her, though, rather than me having to dig into my own wages, so I wasn’t going to dismiss her and hire another.

The stares that had followed me since Lara’s murder had ended along with the curfew, but I passed a couple of people I knew on the way to Cavendish’s office. Their looks prickled between my shoulder blades. Did they know what I’d done with Bastian yesterday? I bit my tongue and forced my pace even, although I wanted to hurry out of sight.

When I entered, Cavendish stood over his chess set, contemplating the board, face in profile. His sleeves were rolled up today, and he’d undone the top buttons of his shirt, as though he’d been in here away from public sight a long while.

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