Royalty in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 20

"I'll bail you.", she purred, sniffing the aroma.

"Glad to know."

He reached for the swords and studied its blades. "These are authentic and antique swords. They might have blunted the tips and chipped it to make it female-friendly, but still sturdy enough to dodge a bullet."

"Those might weigh quarter a pound, and won't stab your foot in case you accidentally stepped on

it, but your arms would hurt like hell swinging."

"Female consorts practiced the arts a year before their engagements. Yours is two days.", he said, then reached her long hair and kissed it. "The offertory dance was traditionally an honour to the Goddess who saved their people to be smitten by barbarians, and at the same time a display how the legendary King proposed to the said Goddess the prosperity, power and love."

It felt ridiculous, Eve thought, that his small gesture could make her insides go jelly, despite the fact that they've been married for years.

"My dance instructor told me I'm flexible enough to wield the sabres. I just need to work out my stiff movements."

"Let me remind you darling, your dance number will be tomorrow."

"Shit."

Never in her life she do solo dancing in public, more with props. She danced if she's with Roarke, and before him with Mavis whenever they hit clubs. But never alone.

"So besides of delivering me pizza, what brings you here?"

"Is seeing my wife having her dance rehearsal not counted?", he replied, then laughed when

Eve scowled. "Okay, I have a meeting with someone here."

He told her about his encounter with Lamook.

"It all point towards Princess Sora - the killing method, the perp's profile, the means. I just couldn't nail the motive cleanly, but if she's cooperating with Levinski that means she vetoed the wedding. If that's the case, then why kill Petun?", she murmured. "Unless, she knew all about the Princess’ elopement with a servant."

"You're going to arrest her?"

"No, not yet. These are just speculations. We need to have enough evidences against her, better if we caught her red-handed. She has a tight alibi with Prince Lamook."

Interrogating the royal consort like Sora would definitely raise some red-flags, and no matter how discreet the process would be, Eve would face several international laws and red-tapes including the Feds and HSO.

Then she continued. "Tomorrow would be an entrapment for Kyrios. That is, if he's gonna stick with his original damsel-in-distress plan with Petun."

“He'll kidnap you, Eve.”, Roarke inserted. “And by doing it means he's innocent about the murder.”

"You'll be there. All my teams will be there. I can even deal it by myself."

She cupped his face and saw some worry in his eyes. She knew that Kyrios was not a threat, but once he learned about the trickery, they wouldn't know what he could do.

"Dance for me, Eve."

She almost choked her coffee. "What?"

"Dance for me.", he repeated, toying her hair. "You'll be doing a live performance in front of Levinski, in front of several people, but never on your husband?”

"Well...I'm still not sure about my form…and I'm still struggling with the moves."

She could handle an entrapment ops, maneuver a dozen of chemi-heads, and outwit psychopaths, so it's a given she'll live after a short episode of humiliation.