Page 158 of Taste of Thorns
“No, of course not. A poor choice of words.” She rests her fingers against her mouth, then lowers them into her lap. She’s even more beautiful up close: her eyes a dazzling silver, her skin smooth like porcelain, and her golden hair twined around her head and decorated with gleaming jewels of every color. However, though her beauty may be fragile, there is a power that radiates from her body, that seems to hit me like a powerful wind, and her eyes are quick and intelligent. I wonder how the Madame managed to fool her too. “But he does obey your commands?”
I fidget on the spot, then glance towards Beaufort. He nods his head, encouraging me to answer the question.
“He seems to, yes,” I concede reluctantly.
“And you’re able to ride him?”
“Yes, I’m not very good at it–”
“She’s very good at it and improving daily.”
“You knew about the dragon?” the Empress says, her tone suddenly tense, her gaze whipping around towards Beaufort.
“I did.”
“And you didn’t inform us?”
Beaufort wets his lips. “No.”
She glares at the shadow weaver for one uncomfortably long minute. Then regains her composure and returns to me.
“How long ago did you find the firestone?”
“Nine years ago. It was the day we buried my sister.”
“Your sister died at the academy,” the Empress says. “You hypothesize that she was one of Madame Bardin’s victims.”
“We’re not hypothesizing,” Beaufort says. “We’re certain of it.”
“Because …”
Beaufort swallows and his jaw tightens. For whatever reason, he doesn’t want to share knowledge of his visions. It’s a secret he wants to keep.
“Because she also had powers,” I tell the Empress, watching as Beaufort’s shoulders loosen just a fraction.
“Lumomancy?”
“No,” I say. “She could shadow weave. A little. She was hoping she’d learn how to master her powers when she arrived at the academy. Instead the Madame killed her. Just like she tried to kill me.”
“More secrets.” The Empress frowns at me. “This seems to be a habit.” I shuffle under her displeased glare. “Lincoln,” she continues, referring to the shadow weaver by his last name, “tells us that today was not the first time Madame Bardin has tried to kill you.”
“No, she ambushed me in the second trial – in the maze too. She attacked me with her lightning.”
The Empress leans forward. “And how did you survive?”
I force myself not to glance towards Thorne. I adopt the blank expression I’ve perfected so well over the years of abuse from my step-mom.
“I don’t know.”
I’m not sure if she believes me. Her magic prickles my skin once again and then she leans back in her chair.
“Were there other firestones in this pond?”
“I … I don’t know.”
“You didn’t search?” I shake my head. “Could you identify the pond on a map?”
I shrug. “I could try.” The Empress turns to the guard by her side and whispers in his ear.
