The Pyramid Waltz (Katya & Starbride #1) by Barbara Ann Wright

Author:Barbara Ann Wright [Wright, Barbara Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: lesbian, Fiction, Fantasy, Princess, Adventure, Rogue, Demons, Warrior Women
ISBN: 9781602827417
Google: ZP93tgAACAAJ
Amazon: 1602827419
Goodreads: 13587105
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2012-09-17T15:31:52+00:00

Chapter Seventeen: Katya

Katya paused in the secret passageway to the summer apartments and took a few deep breaths. In her own apartment, she’d taken a moment to change, order some books for Starbride, and give Averie instructions. Now, as she stepped through the door and watched Crowe turn the mysterious knife over and over while staring at the blade, Katya wished she’d gone to see Starbride instead. Crowe had such a pall of misery hanging on him that Katya didn’t know if she wanted to hear what he had to say. She thought he would pyramid the captives before he summoned the Order, but he’d done just the opposite.

“Whose knife is that, Crowe?” Katya asked.

“It was your father’s, Maia,” he said, not looking at anyone.

Across the table, Maia frowned. “That can’t…How did it wind up at that house? You said Father was killed by an assassin. He threw himself in the path of an arrow intended for King Einrich.”

Katya slapped the table, making Maia jump. “You told her and not me, Crowe? Did you think the leader of the Order didn’t deserve to know?”

“Katya, he was my father,” Maia protested.

“I don’t care if—”

“Enough,” Crowe barked. He glared at both of them before his eyes grew sad again. “Peace.” He set the knife on the table and licked his lips. Pennynail laid a hand on his arm, and Crowe patted it absently. It seemed to center him. “I lied to you, Maia, because I hoped it would give you some peace. I asked you to keep it secret because I did not want to speak so blatant a lie to Katya.”

Maia continued to frown. An angry flush climbed above her collar. “Then how did he die?” Katya asked.

Crowe took a steadying breath, eyes unfocused as if looking into the past. “Seven years ago, a woman arrived in Marienne as a courtier. She caused a bit of commotion because she was older than average, and she’d never been to court. She’d made some money as a lawyer and bought her way in. She claimed to be the daughter of King Bastian, his eldest child, as a matter of fact.”

“Grandfather’s illegitimate daughter?” Katya asked.

“From what I heard,” Brutal said, “Bastian had a roving eye.”

Crowe snorted. “Correct, but his pyradisté made sure it was only his eye that roved.”

“Pyradisté Vanielle,” Katya said. “I remember her. I was five when she retired after Grandfather died, but I remember her.”

“Well, what most people don’t know is that she was also Queen Meredin’s cousin,” Crowe said, “and she took care of both your grandparents’ roving eyes.”

Brutal whistled. “The queen liked the young men, did she?”

“Pyradisté Vanielle used to shove Bastian and Meredin in a room together when their impulses to stray became too strong,” Crowe said. “She let them fight it out, eventually to make up in the classic fashion.”

“The old devils!” Katya said. “I’m going to ask Grandmother about that the next time we visit her on the coast.”

“At your peril,” Crowe said.

They all chuckled, except for Maia, who said, “Get to the part where my father died.

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