Chapter 30: The Game Room
I was shoving my way through the market square of Klesei, the bodies of merchants and buyers alike were pressed in all around me. Brown clothes and grey cotton masks, dull and dim, they all looked alike. My shoes sunk into the filth on the ground, the air was misty with smoke.
I saw her walking before me, weaving easily through the throng like a leaf gliding down a stream. She was headed for the mouth of an alley that was between two fish stalls that had on display rows upon rows of rotting codfish.
"Wait," I called.
But she didn't stop.
I was grounded to my spot, I couldn't move.
"Shana! Wait!"
I stretched out my hand, as if I could reach her. But she was gone down the dark alley, without me.
"Why did you lie to me?" I screamed to no avail.
"Yael?"
I was startled awake and struggled against what held me, until I realised it was Waryn's arms. The room was dark and airy, the stark softness of the silence was dizzying after the chaos of Klesei.
"You were dreaming..." he said.
His face shone in the moonlight that beamed through the crack between the curtains. It was still night.
"Did I say anything?" I asked.
"You asked me why I lied to you."
I didn't want to talk about my dream. Something terrible was waiting for him, for me, today.
I sat up, the duvet falling off my naked body. There had been moments of pure bliss between us, where I could almost forget what had happened at the ball.
To be held, safe and warm against him. To taste the sweet softness of his body, intoxicating and almost as dazzling drinking serum.
"You have to go before anyone sees you," I said.
"It's still early..."
"If anyone sees you, then I won't be able to work on Mica anymore. I'll lose him as a source. I just hope no one noticed us leaving the ball together."
In the dim light, Waryn turned away from me. He knew I was right. If Mica Kiri knew that I had spent a night with the high and mighty Waryn Eloroan, his pride wouldn't let him compete.
Because what woman would ever choose Mica over Waryn? Men didn't like to fight a battle they were sure to lose.
"Even if someone saw us," he said, without looking at me. "It can pass as harmless flirting. We'll find a way to show him that you prefer his company over mine."
His voice was flat, as if he was unwilling to speak.
"This is no time to be jealous, Waryn," I warned him, my heart beating rapidly.
"I know."
The moment he would leave this room, everything could change. If something happened, if Pyren did something, Waryn would know.
And he'd be able to guess that this was my doing, that I was compromised.
The true spider that now controlled me was, indeed, as cruel as Waryn had told me he would be.
Whatever Pyren was planning, I needed Waryn to be strong now to face it. I couldn't have him confused, or too enamoured to act when he needed to act.
I was even willing to accept him as my enemy, as long as he fought to survive.
I suppose that meant I truly did love him.
But what was Pyren planing?
I decided to pry. If Waryn had a prior engagement for the night before, then maybe that could be an indication of what purpose me luring him to me served. "More importantly, would someone expect to see you after the ball?" I asked. "You have to think of a plausible story for your abesence."
"I don't have to think of any story, Yael," he said darkly. "No one will notice, not even my father."
"Were you supposed to attend him last night?" I asked.
"Supposed to? No..."
He didn't elaborate, and I already asked too much. More, and he would become suspicious. We didn't speak more about jealousy, or his father. The only promise he gave me was a kiss when he left my room.
***
Neither Leah nor Nava were harmed, or seemed particularly alarmed. I saw them briefly at the post-ball brunch at the Equidae house before I went to dally with Mica. What was it that Waryn had had to do last night that even Leah and Nava didn't know about? Or maybe something had happened, something important had been missed, and I just couldn't see into their hidden thoughts?
Trying to understand what Pyren did while I had held Waryn busy made me feel like I was slipping into a dark corridor in my mind, where doors of terrible possibilities kept swinging open and slamming shut.
The promised meeting with Pyren sat on my throat like a snare. I would have gladly spent my day hidden in my room, or in Waryn's. But there was an exclusive tea party I had to attend that afternoon at House Usi, hosted by the bear-masked Kiri.
"Walk with me, Dylana." Leah waited for me outside my room. We never had a private conversation, and my suspicion rose. Pyren did do something. Of course he did. He wouldn't set me on this task just to make me mad with paranoia, would he?
No. Actually, he would. If something noticeable would have happened during my night with Waryn, then it was my fault, and Waryn would have known.
If Pyren had more designs for Waryn, then he wouldn't want to server my ties with him.
"This is a surprise," I said.
"This talk was a long time coming."
"I think I know what you want to say." I took her offered arm without looking at her face. Leah smelled like lavender, not roses, but there was nothing soothing about her presence.
"Don't be so sure," she said.
"Well?" We walked down the corridor, it was mostly deserted at this time of day.
"Everyone gets weak for someone, sooner or later. That can't be helped. Even if he ends up secretly unmasked by you, I can find a way to put your dalliance this to good use."
"But now you'll be dealing with me directly and not through him?" I said
Leah stopped to stare at me. She was, as always, immaculately dressed, with a white gown printed with red roses and leaves. Unlike Waryn, who wore black because he didn't wish to be noticed, Leah projected an image of collective control that melded into the foreground. She gave me that same look Pyren had given me when I saw through his identity—or what I thought I saw.
"You knew?" she said.
"You're the actual master of spies and Waryn was only my operator." If I learned anything about spy-work, it was that the real master of the spies was the one who commanded the spy operator. Which meant, Pyren was working for someone, and Waryn had been working for Leah. But what was Leah's agenda? "Why not send Nava instead?"
She gave me a meaningful look that I couldn't decipher. "Nava has other things to worry about."
We walked like this in silence, passing the great hall. Shadows shrouded the corners and our steps echoed loudly. The passage to house Usi was right across from us.
"There have been some developments," she whispered, quietly, once we were inside the Usi house, keeping a slow pace to prolong our conversation. "Important developments. You'll be briefed on what you have to know tonight, when you come to Waryn's room. You have a new objective."
"Which is?"
"Get engaged to Mica Kiri."
"What?"
"An engagement will be an auspicious sign for Lord Aspertin. It's the only reason he adopted you, to have an alliance with the Kiri. But that's exactly where you can ruin his chances of ever getting the alliance."
"You want me to increase his chances at an alliance to ruin them?"
"Everyone wants a piece of Kiri at the moment. But we have an interest to weaken all parties. Aspertin or Acavia can't be the ones to win Kiri over."
"So, you're saying that a Kiri alliance is what will determine who dominates?" I asked "But, Lord Yoav Kiri is your husband, doesn't that mean—"
"I don't know if you noticed, but Yoav and I don't exactly see eye to eye."
"A marriage is still a marriage," I said drily.
"He detests me. Or to be more exact..." Leah looked up. "I repulse him so much it drives him mad. Not all marriages result in a beneficial alliance. I'm doing my role in that respect and you'll ensure that Kiri and Aspertin never get that alliance."
"I have to make Kiri my enemy," I said. I knew exactly what she intended to happen, and I knew I could make it happen.
We arrived at the tea room, and without another word spoken between us, each went our separate way. The room was circular, with floor cushions surrounding low tables. Servants in crimson Usi uniforms wandered between the tables, carrying trays with small cakes and steaming bear-patterned tea-pots.
I spotted the woman who must've been Lady Sara Kiri, wife to the head of the Kiri house, fluttering from table to table. As always, it was difficult to pin-point her age with the effects of serum so prominent. She wore a tailored yellow dress with rigid, straight skirts and gold-tipped shoulder points so long they would touch her ears if she shrugged.
"Oh, you must be Lady Aspertin, do come and join us," said a voice behind me.I turned to face a woman who wore a yellow gold tiger mask striped with rose gold and studded with three rare blue diamonds in the centre of the forehead. Her regal white and navy dress the background to her jewels, her necklace and rings had enough diamonds to buy all the wares in Klesei market and still have some to spare.
I knew who she was.
Lady Liora Somaer, head of the Fel and the most powerful person in all of Vynam.
Like Nava, she had long silken hair and black eyes, the same narrow frame and graceful movements.
She was sitting together with a man and a woman in golden lion masks. The design of their masks was unimpressive, exactly like Waryn's. But the expensive gemstones—musgravite and black opal on his mask, rosy taaffeitte on hers—told me that they were of the highest rank in house Eloroan. These were Waryn's parents, Lady Ina and Lord Dolev Eloroan. I gathered my skirts as I lowered myself to an empty place at their table. "My ladies," I said, and then looked at Waryn's father. "My lord."
They were all scrutinising my face, as if all my secrets would come to them.
"Well met, Lady Dylana," said Lady Liora. "I've heard so much about you."
"Thank you, Lady. I hope some of it is in my favour?" I said.
"It's hard to have favour in your position," Ina said with a tight-lipped smile. I wondered what Waryn told his parents about his stay in Desmelas. Did they know of Dylana's involvement in his abuse?
Lord Dolev Eloroan was looking at me with a frown. Compared to Waryn, he was small and thin. Even sitting down I knew that he wasn't as tall as his wife. While he had given Waryn the blue of his eyes and the sharp cut of his cheekbones, Waryn had grown to be far more impressive than his father.
I wondered if he suspected something about me. If Waryn had access to so many spies, then what did that make his father?
"Tell me, Lady Dylana," he said. "What is your relationship with my son?"
It was like he read my thoughts. I swallowed, feeling strangely calm considering I was sitting with three people who were likely sharper than me. "We're... on friendly terms, my lord," I said.
"Yes," Lord Eloroan said. "That's the impression I had."
"You've done well for yourself, Dylana" Liora said, sipping her tea. "I know the Masquerade is insanity for the senses and everyone's trying to match up. Marriage is a strong tool for alliances, but if you can afford to never marry, that will be the greatest opportunity of your life."
"That's terrible advice, Liora," Ina scolded. "Not all women can afford your privilege."
"Oh, I can sense this one is more like me than the others," Liora said, gesturing at me. "She's got that sly spark which you rarely see in youths these days."
I had heard that Lady Liora never married. She had come into power young, and had taken any lover who could please her. Her eight children were fathered by seven different men.
While the two women talked, Lord Eloroan was still watching me like a cat. I didn't like this amount of attention, I felt exposed.
I didn't know what to say to any of these people. I looked up and held his gaze. It was a war of silence and intimidation.
"You're a bold one, Dylana," he said, slowly.
"It was either be bold or meek," I said. "So I went with bold, my lord."
Liora threw back her head, her laughter making all conversation in the room pause. "I don't care what you say about her, Dolev, I like this girl."
She sounded exactly like Nava.
Lady Liora looked over my shoulder. "Oh, what's gotten into Sara Kiri?"
I turned to see Leah speaking with Lady Kiri. Leah was nodding attentively while Lady Kiri spoke rapidly, mouth twisted in annoyance.
"I think something's happened." Lady Liora observed.
Everyone in the tearoom was watching them, as if they were a painting on the wall. A servant edged over to Lady Kiri. "My Lady, I couldn't find him in his room."
"I saw him around here at noon," offered Mica Kiri, rising from his table. Earlier today we had agreed to meet here, but he had probably seen me talking to Lady Somaer and had kept his distance.
"Who are they looking for?" asked Ina Eloroan.
"I think Lord Yoav is missing," I said.
"Go see what's going on, dear," Lady Liora commanded.
I was all too happy to be excused from the company of these three Fel nobles. I rose from my sitting cushion, and made my way across the room.
"Has anyone checked the game room?" squeaked the servant, who couldn't be heard above Lady Kiri's loud complaints.
"He always does this. Leah, you need to keep a closer watch on him."
"Mother, Yoav is probably off brooding somewhere," Mica said.
The servant moved away from the group towards a set of double doors that had been left closed. She tried the doorknob but it was locked. "My lady," she called. "I think no one searched the game room."
Lady Kiri was too busy yelling at Mica to hear. Leah was occupied with standing by uncertainly like a useless statue.
"Lady Kiri," I said, my voice louder than hers. "Does anyone have a key to the game room?"
She looked at me, astounded. Up close and despite the serum, I knew she was more than twice my age. "The game room? Who are you and whyever would you—?"
"Mother," said Mica. "She's Lady Dylana Aspertin. The one I told you about."
"My lady," said the servant. "The game room wasn't locked this morning when we were preparing the tea room. Someone locked it from the inside."
The angry crimson that had flooded Lady Kiri's cheeks was replaced by chalky white.
"Get that..." She waved her arm carelessly in the air. "Get that man who always goes around with a ring of keys."
"The key keeper, my lady?"
"Do I look like I care what he's called?"
Everyone was on their feet keeping a respectable distance from the game room doors while we waited for the key keeper. I truly didn't know what a game room was.
"Excuse me, lords and ladies. Coming through." The gathered nobles casually parted for a servant carrying a jingling ring of keys, without giving him a glance. But I would know that voice in all my nightmares. Even though his gait was different, and he wore a servant's mask, Pyren met my eye briefly when he unlocked the door.
I got a glimpse of some of the room's interior, mustard-coloured rugs, round tables covered by red velvet, but the moment Leah stepped in through the doors, everyone crowded in behind her, closing off my view.
"No!" I heard a wounded cry. It was Leah, but she sounded so unlike herself it invoked an uneasy feeling in my gut. "No, no, no..."
I heard her scream wordlessly from within the room, and my skin prickled with apprehension. Leah wouldn't sound like that for Lord Yoav. I looked around me. WI had to get into that room and find out who it was.
The doorway was too crowded, I couldn't get through. I couldn't see. There was screaming and pushing, some were trying to get away, while others—myself included—wanted to see what had happened.
Where was Nava?
Where was Waryn?
Pyren would do that. He would make it so I cared for Waryn, and then take him away from me. He would do whatever he could to hurt me more, to break me. I was going to kill him. I would make him scream, spill his blood, give him pain. I would tear him, piece by piece.
I broke through into the room.
And drew in a long breath.
Yoav Kiri sat on the central table of the game room, his back supported against a large copper bear sculpture that mounted the centre of the round table. He was wearing a yellow suit with white lapels and a red rose in his breast pocket. Golden playing cards were scattered all over the velvet table-top. His eyes were closed, the collar of his blouse ruffled slightly, as if he were sleeping.
And his masks, both the silk inner mask, and the gold bear mask, were neatly placed in his lap. He looked peaceful, and more handsome than he had ever been while alive.
I took a step back. My wretched, twisted heart was overjoyed with the sense of relief.
I was happy it was he who was dead... and not someone else.
That was who I was, a vile monster. Everything about me was contorted out of shape. I rushed out of the tea room. I didn't know where I was going. I began to navigate my way towards the great hall—but where would I go from there?
That was when he came.
He clasped a hand over my mouth and pulled me into a shadowy passage that broke off from the main one. It was Pyren, unmasked. I was not deterred to see his bare face, even though it should have been embarrassing. "Why would you do that?" I asked, in a whisper. "Why kill another person?"
"Who? Yoav?" He grinned. "No. That he did all by himself."
He dug his fingers into my arm as a spectre appeared in the air before us. He reached for the spectre, and the spectre reached for him. He paused, just when he was about to touch it. "Oh, but you should ask Lady Leah how she egged him to go on with it," he said, before grabbing the spectre.
And everything vanished.AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Welp, an unimportant character death this time around... .
I was wondering, is the structure of the nobility very confusing? Where have I lost you? This is something I want to make clearer in the next draft.
No gif today! I'm kind of under the weather so I can't transform.
♥️
Einaty