Page 23 of Decoy

“There’s not much to tell: I simply made these arrangements because I want to be close to you.”

That explained nothing. Though he was a man of influence within the court, he couldn’t have exerted it in royal arrangements such as this…which meant he’d somehow orchestrated our seating arrangements from the shadows. Did he have an accomplice amongst the staff? Or had he switched the place cards himself? In the end I cared less about thehowand more about thewhy.

I gritted my teeth. “You didn’t answer my question.”

He wagged his finger with a disapproving tsk. “Secrets must be earned, Princess. But if it’s interesting conversation you seek, I’ve come up with another entertaining story to explain my cut.” As he spoke, he offered me a plate of truffles. Though the gallant gesture seemed innocent enough, I knew better than to accept food from him.

I shook my head and he simply shrugged and ate the truffle himself. I watched him carefully for any indication the dessert had been tainted, but he showed no sign of illness. Time would tell as the tea progressed.

“Aren’t you even curious about my latest tale enough to ask about it?” he asked.

“I’m not interested in lies.” To prove my disinterest, I looked about the room and finally noticed the reactions of our watching audience. We sat somewhat secluded so that any exchanged whispers would prevent others from listening in to our conversation, but I couldn’t escape the heated stares, obsessively watching Lord Luke’s aggravating attentions. Princess Collette and Princess Liliana in particular seemed riveted to our exchange; by their mischievous smirks, they, like the rest of the court, clearly viewed us as a perfect image of a couple. I could already hear rumors about our pending courtship spreading through the court.

As if I needed more bad news, unfortunately my efforts to ignore Lord Luke didn’t thwart him in the least. “What about half-truths? They’re considerably more interesting considering they create a game of deciphering what is true from what is not.”

I frowned but didn’t humor him with a response, simply sipped my tea through tightly pursed lips.

“If you’re not interested in any of my stories, perhaps you’ll share one of yours.” He offered me another plate of sweets. As before, I shook my head, and once again he ate his offering himself without the least hesitation.

“I have nothing to share with you.”

“That’s notquitetrue, is it?” He leaned close, as if to share a secret. “What about the reason why you decided to visit my bedroom this afternoon.”

I startled and nearly spilled my tea all over my lap.Oh no. How aggravating the man not only possessed the skill to sense an intruder but that he’d immediately suspected it’d been me.

I fought to keep my expression absent of guilt, but by his knowing glint, he saw right through it. I forced a smile. “What could possibly motivate me to go there?”

“That’s the very question I was pondering while you were hiding on the roof. I recognized your presence by your perfume. I suggest you not wear it the next time you’re trying to be stealthy.”

I stiffened but otherwise betrayed no emotion. “Princesses don’t make it a habit of visiting rooftops.” But we both knew it to be a lie, just as there was no mistake that Luke’s cut provided ample evidence that he was the masked man I’d twice encountered…one instance on the very roof I’d just pretended I made it a habit to avoid.

“Perhapsmostprincesses don’t, which only invites more questions as to whyyoudo.” He leaned back in his seat to take a lazy sip of tea, his prying gaze unwavering. “If it was me you wanted to see, you picked a poor time to visit when I was out.” He smirked at my resulting scowl. “And if itwasn’tme you were looking for…perhaps it was something else? The question that remains is: what could you be so desperate to find that you’d resort to such unconventional methods?”

While his look remained one of friendly inquiry, something dark filled his searching gaze, testament that he already suspected the true nature of my visit.

Despite this game of lies, I couldn’t help enjoy playing along. I straightened primly. “I entered solely for the purpose of performing my duties as hostess to ensure you received our full hospitality. After checking to see whether the servants had left a mint on your pillow, I thought it prudent to rid your room of all paper and quills that might harm you.”

“I appreciate your good intentions, even though they clearly failed.” His expression remained stoic as he gestured to the cut along his cheek, but silent laughter filled his eyes, enhancing his handsome charm.

“If that reason remains unconvincing, then how about I saw someone else sneak into your room and felt compelled to investigate. As a royal I have access to all the master keys of all the palace rooms and was able to enter easily.”

He slowly nodded to himself. “That would be the proper way to do it. The question that remains is: why did you disregard this conventional method, both in this instance and when you attempted to enter the royal armory?”

In truth I’d already sought out the advisor for that very purpose, but my having so recently been imprisoned for attempted theft made him disinclined to trust me with a set of keys. However, that was a piece of personal history I was determined to keep from a man as suspicious as Luke.

“Such an accusation doesn’t even warrant a response.”

I’d hoped that’d be the end of it, but apparently he wasn’t finished with whatever game he was playing with me. “I happen to know you didn’t come through the door, with or without a key.”

My brow furrowed. “How did you determine that?”

“The reason is simple.” He offered me another dessert, this one a delectable eclair, and seemed unsurprised when like the ones before I didn’t accept it. He tapped his head knowingly. “I suspected you’d take interest in my room and planted a thin thread that would break when opening the door. Upon my return, there was no indication the thread had been broken.”

I nearly groaned. How could I make such an amateurish mistake with one of the oldest tricks in the book? I might have been able to find a way to better cover my tracks if his untimely arrival hadn’t forced me to leave earlier than I wished.

I attempted to tuck my faltering composure back around myself. “One would only create such a precaution if they had something to hide.”

“Or perhaps I just like the game.”

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