“There.” She stood back and motioned toward the mirror. “You’re ready. See what you think.”
I stood, musical tinkling accompanying every move, and walked to the mirror. Then gaped in shock at the mysterious, sexy stranger staring back at me. Her lids were lined with kohl, making her eyes look big and luminous. The costume concealed barely enough to be decent, and yet still conveyed a sense of maidenly modesty.
Even my wild-woman do added to the exotic appearance Treya had achieved. How in Zin’s name had she pulled this off? I was still goggling and wondering if Alien Affairs would let me keep her when the stage door opened a crack and Marcus stuck his head into the room.
“Is she ready? The band is waiting….” His voice trailed off as he saw me, then he stepped all the way inside and closed the door. “Oh, my. It might not be a good idea to have her serve after her acts. We could have a riot on our hands.”
Treya shrugged. “It will prolong the mystery if she stays away from the men, and that means larger crowds and more money.”
Okay, she really, really liked money. Maybe if I offered her half my salary, she’d come with me when this job was over. It would take me longer to pay off my indenture, but hey, if she could make me look like this it was worth the sacrifice.
Unaware of the direction my thoughts were traveling in, Marcus nodded. “I’ll introduce her as soon as you get the lamps covered.” He went back through the door as Treya slid a cover over the nearest glass cylinder and headed for another.
“Why do the lamps need to be out?” I asked, positioning myself beside the door Marcus had just used.
The room got darker as Treya moved around it extinguishing the light. “The back of the stage is dark. With the lamps out, no one will see you enter. It will be as if you simply appeared. Stay in the dark area until the music starts, then just move forward.”
As she reached the last lamp she hesitated and shot me a questioning glance. “Are you nervous? This will be your first time performing in public.”
“A little,” I lied. After all, I was supposed to be a girl who’d been raised by a reclusive father, not the organized employee of the Department of Protocol who dealt with hundreds of Naturals every day.
She seemed satisfied with my response and even gave me an encouraging pat on the arm. “That’s perfectly understandable. Just dance as you did this morning, for the joy of it, and you’ll be fine.”
Cupping her hand around the last cover, she lowered it over the sunstone container and plunged the room into total darkness. “Go.”
Just as I opened the door and slipped through onto the stage, there was a rush of air and Peri landed on my shoulder, waves of excitement rolling off her. Great, this was just what I needed. How could I dance with a hyper dragon bird clinging to me?
Doing my best to ignore her, I scanned the common room and suddenly faltered. The place was wall-to-wall men. I’m talking packed in like sardines, with not so much as a single inch of space unoccupied. And every one of them was staring intently at the stage as Marcus finished his introduction and left to join a table near the front. A table where Reynard du’Marr was seated with two other men.
Okay, maybe I hadn’t lied about being nervous, because my tummy suddenly erupted with butterflies in full riot, all trying to make their escape to freedom. Quickly I shut my eyes to block out the men and forced myself to take deep calming breaths. This was no big deal, I assured my suddenly alert nerves. It was all part of the job.
As the band played the first chords, calm washed over me and I realized with surprise that most of it was coming from Peri. Slowly I opened my eyes, raised my arms over my head and began a gentle hip-swaying rhythm as I moved forward, one small step at a time.
Right before I was fully revealed, Peri launched from my shoulder and swooped over the audience. Her action drew the men’s attention away from the stage long enough for me to step into the light as murmurs of wonder followed her flight. By the time they looked back, there I was. It must have looked like I’d just suddenly materialized from thin air.
Useless, my rear end. That was one smart dragon bird.
The song was the same one the band had played for me this morning. It started off measured and stately, then gathered speed and exuberance. I kept my movements in line with the tempo, my gaze locked on the commander to block out the other men.
Peri rejoined me onstage, dipping and rising, circling me in time with my movements. Warbling an intricate thread that wove its way through the melody, she bobbed and weaved, wings fluttering madly as she mimicked the steps in midair.
The audience was enthralled. Not so much as a whisper rose from the watching men as I gyrated, undulated and spun. And for a while, I forgot they were there. Once again I danced from the sheer love of moving, from the joy of doing something I was created, at least in part, to do.
Until I remembered that one of the men in the audience had been spying on me earlier.
My steps faltered a beat before I found my pace again, but now I scanned the faces turned toward me, the hair on my arms prickling erect. You don’t pull surveillance on someone if your intentions are good.
Somehow, someway, I had aroused suspicions. Now I needed to know who thought I wasn’t what I seemed. My gaze went to the commander. If it was him, I had to find out, and there was only one way to accomplish that goal.
“Lillith,” I subvocalized, “tell Marcus to bring the commander back after I’m done. I need to talk with him.”
“You agreed to stay away from him,” she reminded me in her best general-to-the-troops voice.
“I know. But this has nothing to do with lust. It’s business. Please, just do as I ask.”
“Fine. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
So did I. The music began to slow toward its final notes, and with each step I moved nearer the darkened part of the stage. By the time the last echo from the pipe died away, I was in total darkness again. Peri did one more flyby over the audience and then joined me, radiating smug satisfaction as we slipped through the door together.
“Did you tell Marcus?” I asked the ship. Off to the side I heard a sliding noise and one of the lamps flared to life under Treya’s hands. She moved around the room, uncovering the others.
“Yes,” Lillith answered. “He’s not sure it’s a good idea, either, but said he’d bring the commander right back.”
“Good.”
When the last lamp was glowing, Treya turned, hands on her hips, and surveyed the dragon bird on my shoulder. “So, she’s not useless after all. Did you train her to do that?”
“No.” Peri was preening so vigorously I couldn’t shake my head. “She did it all on her own.”
“Will she do it again for your next act?”
“Probably. She likes to participate in whatever I’m doing.”
Before she could continue, the door to the kitchen opened and Marcus ushered the commander into the room. Right before my eyes Treya transformed from a money-grubbing taskmaster into a quivering pile of cooing mush.
“Commander!” She went forward with her hands reaching for his, full lips in a playful pout. “It’s been months since you’ve stopped in for a visit. I thought you’d forgotten me.”
“Of course not.” He gave her a vague smile, but he was looking at me over her shoulder. “My duties are many. I’m afraid I have little time for anything else.”
My eyes narrowed as I took in Treya’s body language and a nasty suspicion made the rounds of my gray matter. “Lillith,” I subvocalized. “If women are treated like a precious commodity here, what do the unmarried men do for sexual release?”
Marcus glanced at me and I saw his eyebrow arch right before the ship responded. “There are Bashalde women who have no fathers or husbands that are willing to accommodate them for a price.”
Yeah, that’s what I thought. And I’d bet half my next pay voucher that Treya was one of them. It was time to break up her little party, I decided.
Practically m
uscling my way between them, I took Reynard by the arm. “Commander, thank you for coming.” I glanced at Treya. “Would you mind getting the commander some wine?”
Her expression made her look like something nasty had crawled into her mouth and died. “You know each other?”
“We’ve met. And we have some private business to discuss. So, if you don’t mind…”
She turned to Marcus as though hoping he’d override my requests, but before she could speak he nodded. “I believe your act is up next?”
Shooting me an angry glare, she turned in a swirl of skirts and marched through the door, slamming it behind her so hard the walls rattled.
I gave the commander my best innocent look. “She seemed upset. Maybe she thought you came back to see her?”
Marcus muffled a cough behind his hand as the commander looked down at me, his mouth lifting on one side. “No woman directs my actions. By my sworn oath, my first and only loyalty is to the king. Now, what did you wish to see me about?”
The opening door interrupted us as Leddy bustled in, a tray balanced on her hip. With a smile for Marcus, she went to the table where jewelry had been spread earlier and set out a bottle of wine and three glasses. As she went by me on her way out, she reached over and patted my arm. “Good for you,” she whispered. “Treya’s had that coming for a long time.” The door closed gently behind her.
Ignoring her comment, I gestured to the table. “Why don’t we sit?”
Marcus poured the wine as the commander held a chair for me and then pulled one out for himself.
Once both men were comfortable, I cleared my throat. “Commander, did you order me watched?”
His eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Why would you think I might?”
“Because someone is watching me, and you’re the only one I can think of who might have a reason. After all, I did accidentally hurt one of your men and stumble into the castle. Plus, my father was an experienced arms master who taught me well. Combined, I can see why you might feel a need to keep an eye on me.”
His piercing gaze swung to Marcus. “You knew about this?”
“No, this is the first I’ve heard.” At my original question to the commander, Marcus had stiffened, his hand tightening on the glass of wine he held. He knew, even better than I, what was at stake here if someone discovered my true identity.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell him,” I told Reynard. “The event occurred only a short time before my act.”
“Tell us exactly what happened,” the commander ordered.
“I was leaving Marcus’s house just as the sun was setting, and the base of the Terpsichore was in darkness. There was a man in hiding in the shadows, watching me.”
“Maybe it was someone who’d heard the tales Treya was spreading about an Apsaras dancing here and wanted to get a look at you,” Marcus said.
“Peri didn’t think so,” I told him. “And she’s very good at picking up human emotions. She thought he was up to no good and gave chase. If he were only curious, why did he move away from us and mingle with the crowds so we couldn’t locate his position?” The dragon bird bobbed her head as though agreeing with what I’d said.
“You saw this man?” the commander asked.
This was where it got tricky, because I’d felt more than seen him. Lillith was the one who’d “seen” him. “Not clearly enough to identify him,” I answered. “I can only tell you he was average height and weight.”
“You were not harmed?”
“No. He ran as soon as I started toward him.”
“I gave no order to have you observed,” the commander said. His fingertips drummed the table for a second. “But I will assign a man for your protection.”
Uh-oh. That was a reaction I hadn’t anticipated. No way could I allow one of his soldiers to watch my every move. I was doing mental gymnastics trying to find a solution to the problem when Marcus saved me the trouble.
“Thank you for the offer, Commander, but Echo is my ward and my responsibility. I’ll see to her protection. He may not be the brightest stone in the lamp, but Bim would die before allowing any harm to come to her. And, as you’ve seen for yourself, Echo is not without her own resources. Together I’m sure we can handle any situation that might arise.”
Reynard stared at Marcus for a long, tense moment, as if trying to make up his mind whether or not he could trust the barkeep with my health and well-being. Finally, he nodded. “In that case, I will have my men try to discover who would wish her ill. And if any further problems occur, you will notify me at once.”
“As you wish,” Marcus responded.
Reynard pushed his chair back then paused to smile at me. “I regret that I cannot stay for your second dance, but I will arrive after the breaking of the fast tomorrow to escort you and your guardian to the Bashalde gathering.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” I told him, returning the smile.
With a final nod, he left through the kitchen door. As soon as it closed behind him, Marcus arched a brow at me.
“Why didn’t you tell me someone was watching you?”
“Truthfully?” I shrugged. “It didn’t even occur to me. I was too busy getting ready for my act and wondering if the commander was that suspicious of me.”
“I’m going to assign Bim to escort you, and stay with you when I can’t. We won’t have to worry about him repeating anything he sees because he can barely speak. And the next time you think someone is stalking you, alert me through Lillith. Maybe we can trap them between us.”
“Did you believe the commander?” I sipped the wine that had gone ignored until now.
“Yes and no.” He sighed. “He’s suspicious, no doubt about that. But I don’t think he’d set his men to watching you. He’s the type who would do it himself. The question is, who else would want to keep an eye on you, and why? We need those questions answered soon. It also worries me that the commander didn’t ask the same things.” Brow furrowed, he stood and pushed his chair up to the table. “I’m going to send some food for you and have a talk with Bim. Rest here until your second act, and then go straight home.”
He left by the same door the commander had used and I didn’t see him again before my second dance. I ate and then waited until Treya, tight lipped with anger, returned after her act. She marched right up to me and poked me in the chest with one finger.
“You overstepped your bounds, girl. I am in charge of the dancers. When you want something, you go through me. And you do not invite men to visit without my permission.”
I grabbed her hand and bent her wrist back until she winced with pain. “Now, you listen to me. The only bounds overstepped here are yours. I’m not just another dancer, I’m Marcus’s ward. When it comes to dancing, I’ll allow you to direct me, but anything else is my business and you will stay out of it.
“Furthermore, if this little show of power is because of the commander, you should understand that by his words, you don’t own him. So if you’ve been deluding yourself that sex with him implies some kind of commitment, get over it. From this point on, the commander is off-limits to you. Am I making myself clear?”
She nodded and I released her wrist. “Good. Now, I believe it’s time for my last act.”
Casually, I strolled to the table where I’d left my jewelry for Peri to play with and began putting it on, but I kept one eye on Treya in case she decided to try something.
Rubbing her wrist, she glared at me for a moment longer, then turned and flounced from the room. Peri watched her go, a satisfied guess-you-showed-her air coming from the dragon bird. But even though Treya had pushed me into acting, I regretted having to let her know who was boss, and I knew another talk with her was in order. If there was one thing I didn’t need on Madrea it was another enemy. Especially not one who was in charge of my costumes and makeup.
CHAPTER 7
“Treya told me what happened,” Marcus said, sliding a plate of food in front of me. We were in the small kitchen of his ho
use, awaiting the commander’s arrival before heading off to the Bashalde gathering.
“Did she?” I toyed with the food, too tired to eat. It had been a strange night, full of odd dreams I couldn’t quite remember. But it felt as if I’d gone on a four-day trek with no sleep and had just returned. “I’m sorry if I caused a problem.”
“No problem at all.” He dug into his own food with gusto. “You were absolutely right, even by Madrean standards. As far as anyone knows, you’re my ward, and as much as I care about her, Treya is an employee. I can make her behave, but unfortunately, I can’t stop her jealousy. You’ll have to deal with that on your own.”
“Uh-huh.”
At my lackluster response he set his fork aside and arched a brow at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m just tired.” I forced myself to take a bite of the food.
“Is something wrong with your bed?”
“No, no, the bed is fine. My dreams made me restless, that’s all.”
“I see.” He pushed back from the table and went to the counter, where he poured water into a glass, then added some powdery concoction from a jar that sat on a shelf near the stove. After a quick stir, he handed it to me. “Drink this.”
I took the glass and sniffed its contents. It didn’t smell horrible, but it did make my senses whirl. “What is it?”
“A potion I keep handy. Make it myself from local herbs. It should make you feel better.”
“Well, I’m all for feeling better.” First, I sipped gingerly, then drank heavily when I caught the pleasant, smoky taste. Immediately I felt warm, soothing energy flow through me. “That’s amazing,” I told him. “You should bottle this stuff.”
“Wouldn’t sell, I’m afraid.” He resumed his seat and nonchalantly picked up his fork. “It only works on people in the first stages of verge sickness, and has no effect on anyone else.”
I’d been reaching for my own fork when he dropped that verbal bomb. Now I sat frozen, my hand suspended over the utensil as I stared at him. “What? What are you talking about? I’m not sick, I never get sick. I was just tired from a restless night, that’s all.”