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"Don’t be ridiculous," Thah enenant"

"I was strong enough to stand against a pack of coreling assassins," Leesha said "You think I can’t hold ht in the day," Thamos reminded her "Will hora protect your child from spears and arrohile the sun shines?"

Leesha kneas right, but it grated all the sa you Araine and Rhinebeck, both A pawn in their political ga, Leesha?" Thamos demanded "You kneould appear when youme You used me to help hide your indiscretion"

"I know," Leesha said "I’m so sorry …"

Thamos cut her off "And now I have a choice Marry you, and await my inevitable humiliation, or turn my back on the only woman I’ve ever loved"

He pulled away "Perhaps I’m better off dead"

He turned on his heel and left her alone in the garden, feeling as if her heart had been torn out

Leesha stood there aher in place But only for aoff her shoes

"Thanity to run after him It could not end like this She would not let it She had come so close He had been in her arms He had been in her If theyshe loved hi fast, or taken a different path froardens She reached the entrance to the palace and there was no sign of him in the hall She hurried by the statues of dukes past, heading for his rooms He had to return there to finish preparations for his departure

There was a sound ahead, co from the very alcove she and Thamos had used for their tryst Had Thaone there to vent his es were not ht Leesha pulled a wardstone froers to activate the wards, filling the alcove with a bright wardlight that banished the shadows like the sun itself

But it wasn’t Tha there In nearly the same position she and the count had taken their pleasure bent the Princess Lorain and Lord Sament Momentum saw the lord pu back and stu to pull up the breeches around his knees

Leesha felt her face heat, lowering the light and averting her eyes "I’ht you were someone else"

"Sorry or not, you’ve seen us now" Lorain had an easier ti back as soon as she stood She advanced on Leesha, ly "The question is what should we do about that?"

"You are not promised to Rhinebeck You should not be expected to save yourself for a ain "I’d heard that Euchor dissolved your e, but it was not to a Lord Sareed to lend iers knohat either of us look like" He reached out, taking Lorain’s hand "Dissolved or no, I could not just send my wife alone to a hostile court"

"My father can tear a paper, but he can’t take back our vows," Lorain said "I will marry Rhinebeck if politics demand, but he will never be ets his night wish and dies on this fool’s errand to Lakton"

"I have to go," Sa Lakton, then perhaps you won’t have to marry Rhinebeck If not, I’d rather be dead than have to see it"

Lorain looked at Leesha, her eyes untrusting "I expect you cannot understand, mistress Will you tell the duchess?"

Leesha reached for the wo the princess’ shocked look as she pulled her into an embrace "I understand better than you know Unless you marry Rhinebeck, you have Gatherer’s word I won’t speak of it" She looked to Sament "Should that come to pass, you will return to Miln until there is an heir, to ensure the issue is true"

Sarit his teeth, but he nodded once

"After that," Leesha said, "what you do is none ofthe ball just long enough to ensure Thamos had not returned there Everyone seemed taller without her shoes, but she had no desire to dance any longer She signaled Wonda to follow and returned to her roo a sheet of the precious flower-pressed paper she one, and she would likely never have time to make more

But as special paper for, if not to tell the onized long into the night over it, and then sent Wonda to see to it the count did not leave without it in his possession

Gared was expected to spend time with each of the debutantes when their dances were done, but he signaled Rojer to join thes so he was never alone Each ti young hopeful with hihter was surrounded by wo her down