Page 108 of Tashama
Tashama buttered a slice of bread. “Yes, I let it slip I was thinking of how we had to drain our bath of poisonous orchids last night.”
Listra nodded. “He is speaking to a servant. Now the servant is leaving the great hall.”
“Poor fellow. He’ll be searching the sewers for purple orchids, no doubt.”
“Princess Tashama.” Carissian appeared behind her. “If you suspected someone wished to poison you again, why did you not let me in on this little secret before now?”
“You would have believed me just as much concerning the orchids as you did of the lobster.”
“And now you’ve disposed of the evidence?”
“I got rid of the menace to Listra’s and my health, don’t you mean?”
Aleron watched her as Daveal studied her own plate of food. Tashama cleared her throat. “Does Aleron know of this?”
“I will tell him as soon as I get some answers from you.”
“I wanted to sleep in peace last night. Had the one who wanted us dead discovered we were alive and well, she may havetried a further attempt that night. I cannot keep up my guard always after all.”
“She?”
Tashama smiled. “Or he, of course. How can I know who it is?”
“You suspect Daveal.”
“She is the top of the prince’s list, so she is at the top of mine.”
Carissian shook his head, then reappeared next to Aleron. Aleron’s eyes widened, then he looked back at Carissian, who nodded. Aleron motioned to a servant, then, after speaking to him, the servant hurried to join Tashama.
“My lady, I’m Aleron’s chief food tester. He has asked that I taste your foods throughout the rest of the meal to ensure they’re of the freshest quality.”
“Not poisoned, you mean.” Tashama took a sip of her wine. “She won’t try to poison us here.”
“Aleron requires me to do my duty.”
“Certainly.” Tashama slipped a grape into her mouth and then rolled the fruit over her tongue. She bit into it as Aleron spoke to Carissian further, never taking his eyes off her.
For the rest of the meal, Tashama and Listra allowed the food tester to taste the food from each of their dishes. When they finished their breakfast, Carissian approached the women. “Princess Listra, His Highness wishes you to accompany your mutual cousin, Fatima, to Tyrone as she weds the prince of that region within the month.”
“I cannot.” Listra reached for Tashama’s hand. “I want to stay with Princess Tashama.”
“No.” Carissian helped Listra from her seat. He motioned for two guards to take her away. “You’ll be safer where you will go, Princess. His Highness wishes no harm to come to you.”
“No!” Listra tried to pull her arms away from the royal guards. “Tashama!”
Tashama stood, then walked over to Listra and gave her a warm embrace. “We will be together again and soon, do not fear,” she whispered in her ear. “Peace be with you, dear Listra.”
“No,” Listra sobbed as Carissian motioned for them to take her away.
Tashama folded her arms as she waited for Carissian to speak to her. He took her arm and led her out of the room. Seeing what plans he had for her, she turned to look at him with surprise. He smiled. “You do know what I’m thinking after all.”
She remained quiet as she contemplated the knowledge. They walked for half an hour through the maze of corridors, then finally arrived at his quarters. He waved his fingers in an unusual pattern, making his door open, then he pulled her into his room. The door resealed, and he said, “All right, now we can speak freely here.”
“I never thought you would betray your king.”
“I never realized how much he’d fallen in love with you, Princess. It just cannot be.”
“May I?” Tashama motioned to one of his velvet chairs.
