Still Waters by Marilyn Todd

Author:Marilyn Todd [Todd, Marilyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Published: 2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

For the second morning running, Iliona woke up to find her vision blurry and a brain that matched. Squinting, she could just about make out the painted frescoes on the wall. The crumpled damask spread across the bed. The sunlight slanting through the open window across the oak floor. The only trouble was, these were not her frescoes. This was not her floor.

And this was most definitely not her bed.

‘Good morning,’ a voice beside her rumbled.

Shit. She lifted the covers.

‘If you’re wondering what happened last night, the answer’s nothing,’ Lysander said, cracking his knuckles. ‘As you’ve just found out for yourself, you’re fully dressed.’

‘Then what—?’ The last thing she remembered was spinning stars.

‘I’m a hot-blooded Cretan banker, Iliona. Can I help it if the High Priestess of Eurotas finds me irresistible?’

She didn’t understand, but then he did not expect her to. In fact, he was more than happy to explain.

‘Hector introduced us. We got on well. So well, in fact, you drew me aside to whisper sweet nothings in my ear long before the dance, and then afterwards you led me into the woods.’ He shrugged. ‘At least, that’s the way I remember it.’

‘I’m sure you remembered it to many people, too.’

‘Boys will be boys,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Of course, adding a certain something to your wine helped my cause.’

‘And here’s me thinking it was the narcotic-laden smoke.’

‘That was just a mood enhancer. Not strong enough to knock your legs from under you.’ He rolled off the bed, where he’d been lying fully clothed on the coverlet, and walked over to the window. ‘Though to be frank, I’ve had worse missions in my time than propping you against a tree trunk in the dark.’

If that was a compliment, he could bloody whistle.

‘You set me up.’

‘I warned you. Betrayal is everywhere. ’ His eyes narrowed. ‘You should know better than to trust me, Iliona.’

Lesson learned, and how else could her veil have worked loose? Tossed in plain sight, no doubt, so everyone would remark on the high priestess and the banker trotting off into the woods.

‘Do you mind telling me why you found it so necessary to demolish my reputation?’

‘Apart from giving us an excuse to be seen together?’

‘Absolutely. I mean, since I couldn’t keep my hands off you last night, why should today be any different. I meant the real reason.’

He scratched at the stubble that had formed on his jaw. ‘Let’s call it redressing the balance.’

That was one way to diffuse the power of this so-called curse, she supposed. Shameless hussies aren’t taken quite so seriously as eminent priestesses.

‘Remind me to thank you some time.’

‘No rush. Any time you like.’ Contrition was not in the Krypteia’s handbook. ‘Though during a romantic stroll by the lake might be an opportune moment.’

That’s right. Make the affair as public as possible. ‘I suppose the word no is out of the question?’

‘It didn’t seem to be the case last night, and, as all the servants will be able to testify, you were in no rush to leave this morning.

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