A Masquerade of Spiders

Chapter 6: A Rose In The Wild

They stood before me like statues, expressionless.

Afali sighed. "Let me guess, my father's orders?" The way she asked the question, with an easy lilt as if she had rehearsed this before, was clearly contrived.

Another intimidation tactic.

"I'm afraid so, my lady," Pyke recited in reply. "His lordship requested that she be searched and—"

"Searched?" Afali sounded genuinely surprised.

I began sweating, not because of the heat of the morning or the size of those guards. There was a knife and a coin purse in my pocket, neither of which I knew how to explain away.

And the blood stains on the collar of my dress hidden by the natural dark hues of the fabric and the veil of my hair—no matter what story I constructed, there was no way that wouldn't raise suspicion.

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Pyke," Afali said in a haughty voice and I wondered if I underestimated her ability to act or that having me searched was genuinely not part of her plan. "Lady Dylana is of high blood, a daughter of a Vynam noble family. My father would never order some lowly soldier to search her as if she were a common whore."

"He didn't specify—"

"Mr. Pyke, the law specifies who is permitted to carry out such a task."

"The law?"

"Only a knight of the nine orders who adheres to the Falberry Code can physically search a highborn lady."

"We have no Falberry knights in residence," Pyke said, and it was then that I realised that underestimating Afali would be the stupidest thing I could do.

I stayed as still as I could. While I was sure that Dylana would feel relieved about being spared the embarrassment of being searched, I chose to remain stoic and not show my relief. Too much relief would mean I had something to hide. Only Pyke was watching me, but he was enough of an audience.

I chose what I hoped was a confused expression as I looked from the two guards to Pyke.

"I'm sure my father meant that only her belongings are to be searched," Afali said, and while I knew nothing about the secrets that Dylana might have, I still maintained an expression of wary confusion when I regarded her. I didn't want to give her even the smallest reason to suspect me.

She was smiling venomously. "Father and I will be delighted to have you with us for lunch. I've already gone to the trouble of providing you with suitable attire until your dresses will be available. I'm afraid we've had to dismiss the members of your entourage, particularly that squire of yours and that horrid lady in waiting. They were not up to our standard."

At this, I allowed myself a change of expression. My lips parted and a shiver ran through my body. Afali didn't realise the size of the favour she had done for me. There would be no one in this house who could possibly accuse me of not being who everyone thought I was. "But—" I began, confident that Afali would cut me off.

"Lady Dylana," she said in the voice of one struggling to be patient. "There are. . .certain ways. . .that we go about things here in the north. I'm afraid that your former staff was ill-trained and ill-informed on matters and procedures we, of the civilised north, require of our servants. We cannot even allow a momentary slip in our standards. It is how life is lived in house Cervi. Do you follow, lady Dylana?"

"Yes, Lady Afali," I said quietly. Doubtless, the turmoil Dylana would feel now was worthy of an eruption, but at the same time she would surrender to her fate.

Afali offered me a single nod of approval, and then inclined her head at Pyke. "Kindly escort the lady to her rooms, Mr. Pyke."

"Yes, my lady."