Mask of Shadows Series, Book 1 by Linsey Miller

Author:Linsey Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2017-06-20T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Eight

A streak of sunlight from the finger-thin slats in the ceiling seared my arm. I rose slowly, arms and legs heavy with sleep. The jaw-cracking yawn of a deep night’s sleep rattled me awake and cut Maud’s morning knock in half. I took my time telling her to come in, limbs wobbly as a kitten’s, and rolled out of bed. The moment she entered, mouth set in a sober line, I knew.

“What’s wrong?” I pulled on clean clothes and hoped my nonchalance sounded honest. “You’ve got that gossipy look about you.”

Maud glanced at the door and the slats in the ceiling before ducking her head down to speak—everyone did it when sharing secrets. “Lord del Seve died last night—fell off his roof.”

“What was he doing on the roof?” I pulled on my boots, furrowing my brows enough for her to see. “Thought all the people here had parlors and such?”

“Roof gardens are popular. Our Queen started using them when the school was besieged and they’d nowhere to grow food. The habit stuck.” Maud gathered up my clothes, eyes narrowed on my face, and looked me up and down. “You need to bathe eventually.”

“Do I?” I sniffed my shirt. “Smell like soap.”

“Disgusting,” Maud said. “I’ll draw a bath after breakfast. You’re not going to all your training, are you?”

“How’d you know that?”

She glanced at me over her shoulder. “It’s my job to know where you are and anticipate what you’ll want.”

“You should think about auditioning for Opal,” I said.

She laughed till we parted ways, and I ducked into the breakfast hall.

Only Amethyst was there, working her way through a stack of papers and a cup of tea. I sat at the other end of the table. Might as well let her drink in peace.

Eating with the mask on was a trick. I’d not caught them doing it yet, only the moments after.

“Your eating habits are worse than my brother’s,” Four said as he poured himself a cup of strong tea before he sat across from me, “and he’s barely five.”

I scowled, my third fat-fried flat cake hanging out of my mouth.

Two sprinkled a bowl of grits with butter and laid a thick slice of fried ham over it—comfort food if I ever saw it. Her hands shook. Four didn’t eat.

Something was off. I swallowed my last cake, unfurling my legs and sitting up straighter. Ten and Eleven showed up next, bandages on their arms from Isidora’s training, and Fifteen strolled in well after they were done eating. Five entered last.

Charcoal dust spotted his clothes and gathered in his chair. Crescents dark as the new moon shadowed his pale eyes. The whites were spotted with pink.

Good. He was exhausted and scared, and he’d make a mistake.

“I had thought,” Emerald said loudly, sweeping into the room, “we were teaching you all how to kill in secret, but you continue to disappoint me.”

My nails tore through the cheese bun. They couldn’t know.

“Six is dead.” Ruby sat next to Amethyst and let out an exaggerated sigh.

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