Page 18 of Poisoned Empire

Selene ceased her banter with Iliana the second she heard the snick of the lock in the door. They rushed to right themselves, kick errant shoes under chairs and hide bare feet under artfully placed hems. Iliana caught the direction of Selene’s gaze and watched with her as three supremely grave yet confident men entered the room. The only one of the three Selene had not yet had a chance to size up was the immaculate, green-eyed, blond bureaucrat. She disliked the man on sight. He dismissed Iliana without even a glance, preferring instead to glare at her with undisguised loathing. While it was natural to size up the threat first, he was a fool to discount her friend. Marduk, the tall beast mage, gave them both a proper once-over, assessing. The prince nodded to both Iliana and herself. Selene winked back.

“Rise for your prince,” Nicephorus commanded when it became apparent neither were about to without prompting.

Selene placed her hand on Iliana’s thigh, sensing her friend was about to obey.

“We’d love to, if only our feet were not so sore. Please sit, and don’t loom so.”

She smiled back at the officious man like a predator eying up its dinner. If they were seated, it would take that much longer for them to rise should Selene and Iliana need to flee on foot at this very moment.

“How dare you-”

“I dare because I am Domina Amethyst. A domina invited here for the purpose of marriage to your prince. A domina who has simply asked for your courtesy, while you insist on petty formalities.”

While the man fumed, he kept silent. Marduk clapped him on the back and laughed. The prince kept a pleasant mask on his face.

“Let’s sit as she suggests, friends. She is quite correct that we should do our best to act as courteous hosts while they are here for the bride show.”

It didn’t escape her notice that when the men sat, they were positioned to block the exit. The pair of couches the two groups sat at were a fair distance from each other, so any attempt to flee would be obvious and give the men more than enough time to see it coming. She didn’t like this one bit. She could poison them, but before the big one skewered her with his blades? Debatable.

“Perhaps you would like to tell me just who it was that poisoned my dessert, Domina Amethyst?”

Now there was a topic shedidlike. Iliana’s eyes often glazed over when Selene waxed poetic about her poisons.

“Would, but can’t. Icantell you they’ve got serious coin. Not many people are willing to harvest the concentrated stuff coming from a poison mage’s corpse. Of those that are, there are even fewer who can survive long enough to bring it back. And any that have won’t be selling it for less than an emperor’s ransom,” Selene replied.

Iliana’s hard squeeze on her thigh stopped her. Had she been too enthusiastic?

“Can you explain why I was saved from being poisoned by theonlypoison mage amongst the nobility?” the prince asked.

His pleasant face never slipped, despite the threat. It was a reminder that he was just another scummy noble. What did this peacock really want? If she knew, she could turn this situation to her advantage.

“What are you implying, Your Royal Highness? I simply think you’re the luckiest man in Lethe.”

When his polite mask was discarded, a shiver went down her spine. A paralyzing concoction coated her legs and the arm furthest from Iliana. He would be very sorry for the threat in his gaze.

“I’m implying that you’re not who you pretend to be,Selene.”

Damn. The first plan had crashed and burned. She shrugged, refusing to let him see her sweat.

“Oh, are we done playing that game? Very well. What do you want?”

“I want you to marry me.”

It was the last thing she’d expected him to say. Her shock must have registered on her face, because a smug smile spread across the prince’s.

“Are you entirely sane?”

“Selene!” Iliana gasped.

“What? He’s all but accused me of poisoning him so I could play hero, and now wants me to make brats for him. Wouldn’t you wonder if his brain had been replaced by slugs?”

“Damn it, Selene! He’s the bloody crown prince! He could have you executed for saying that. One wonders aboutyoursanity sometimes!”

“Only sometimes?”

Iliana muttered despairingly and put her head in her hands.

Marduk was the first to laugh outrageously, which had everyone looking at him with varying degrees of concern. Nicephorus cleared his throat and turned to Selene and Iliana.

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