Page 19 of Kingdom of Dance

He’d expected the king to respond with some long-suffering comment about his good fortune in not having twelve younger sisters on his hands, but King Basil surprised him.

“I’m sorry,” he said, sounding sincere. “It’s a very special relationship, one I wouldn’t trade for anything.” He turned back to face Obsidian. “Everything I’m about to say is in strictest confidence, Lieutenant.”

Obsidian nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

King Basil drew in a breath. “I have a high regard for my sisters. Many of them, as you would know, are still very young, and look to me almost as a father. But the older ones are friends as much as sisters, especially the eldest, Princess Zinnia.” He paused, then met Obsidian’s eyes with his usual unflinching expression. “Or at least, it used to be that way between Zinnia and me. Since I returned from Mistra, however, she has been…different.”

Obsidian considered this. The last thing he’d expected from the summons was for the king to consult him about his family relationships, but he tried his best to put himself in Princess Zinnia’s shoes, to imagine what might have changed for her at the time mentioned.

“Could it be…” He cleared his throat delicately. “Could it be that your marriage has…I mean, many of us in our generation were raised to view Mistra as the enemy.”

“A valid suggestion, but it isn’t that,” said King Basil confidently. A small smile curved his lips, softening his rather serious face. “Zinnia loves Wren. And it isn’t just that I’m king now, either. I know my sister, Lieutenant. And she isn’t simply annoyed with me, or something like that. It’s been well over a year since I returned from my time in Mistra, and the problem has only become more marked. It affects more than just her, as well. All of my sisters behave strangely at times, and it’s abundantly clear that something’s happening that they’re not telling me.” He frowned. “Not that the rest of them seem bothered, or otherwise different. But Zinnia…” He shook his head. “She’s slowly dying before my eyes, and I don’t know how to save her.”

Obsidian started slightly at the dramatic words. Spoken as they were, with a straight face and total lack of emotion, they were even more startling. For a moment, he was silent, at a loss for how to respond.

“And what makes you think the…ailment is magical, Your Majesty?” he asked at last.

The king ran a hand through his hair, making him look markedly younger. “I don’t know, exactly. Maybe it’s not. I’ve had her examined by a senior enchanter, and attempted some clandestine observations of my own. There’s no discernible sign of magic. But like I said, I know my sister. And something drastic is happening, that much is certain. It’s not like her not to confide in me, and…” He hesitated. “I’ve heard of people’s tongues being stopped by magic. Of them being prevented from speaking about what they’ve seen, or experienced. I wondered if that might be occurring here.”

Obsidian frowned. “With respect, Your Majesty, I’m not sure why you think I would be able to identify magic if a senior enchanter couldn’t do so.”

King Basil shook his head. “I don’t. The reason I asked for you specifically is because you told me when last we met that the natural form of your magic is an ability to identify deception. And although I don’t think shewantsto do it, Zinnia is clearly lying to me. I was hoping your…talents might help you to investigate exactly what she’s lying about, and why.”

His gaze was direct as he met Obsidian’s eye. “What do you say, Lieutenant? Are you willing to help me?”

Obsidian kept his face impassive. He hadn’t expected the king to give him a choice, and he wasn’t sure whether to appreciate or resent what was, in truth, an empty gesture. As much as Obsidian might dread getting involved in a family dispute between royal siblings, King Basil must know the reality as well as he did. He was a soldier, and his king had given him a mission. He couldn’t refuse.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said, springing into a salute. “I’ll do what I can.”

Chapter Four

Zinnia winced slightly at the crash of porcelain on stone as one of her sisters knocked a delicate serving bowl from the table. The sound seemed to reverberate around her skull. Her head was throbbing unbearably this morning. Or rather, this afternoon. She’d slept late enough to miss breakfast, and apparently so had most of her sisters. The meal they were all sharing was a luncheon.

“Cassia, can’t you be more careful?” The dowager queen’s exasperated voice identified the culprit, as servants bustled over to clear away the shattered porcelain.

“Sorry, Mother,” the eight-year-old said, sounding almost as tired as Zinnia felt. No matter how blissfully unaware the others’ minds might be, it was still exhausting for all of their bodies to be subjected to Idric’s experiments all night.

“Everyone’s very quiet,” their mother commented. “Do I take it you enjoyed the ball, then?”

“Oh yes,” said Daisy enthusiastically, and Zinnia suspected that she wasn’t thinking of the same ball as her mother.

“Did your first ball live up to expectations, then?” Basil asked, smiling at his sister.

Daisy didn’t immediately answer, and giggles passed up and down the table. Zinnia could see the calculations in Basil’s eyes as he took in his sisters’ expressions.

“Care to share the joke?” he asked mildly.

“Where are your manners, girls?” Zinnia cut in, frowning at her sisters. There was no need to make Basil feel more left out than he already did. Her eyes settled on two girls partway down the table. “Briar, Jasmine, you’re much too old to be giggling in that silly way.”

“Oh, let them be, Zin,” Basil said lightly. “A man doesn’t survive twelve younger sisters without learning how to be laughed at.”

“I don’t think anyone was laughing atyou, Basil,” Wren interjected in her quiet way.

“Of course we weren’t.” Magnolia, who hadn’t even joined the merriment, sounded repentant. “We wouldn’t laugh at you.”

“Well, I would,” Jasmine, her twin, chipped in frankly. She flashed Basil a grin. “But I wasn’t on this occasion.”

“Deeply comforting,” he laughed, before turning back to Zinnia. “I can’t remember the last time you slept so late. Do you feel better rested from your journey? I probably shouldn’t have sprung a ball on you the moment you arrived.”

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