Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey [196]
"She didn't mean it," Sidonie said. "She was angry.”
"It doesn't matter." I swallowed. "I have to leave, Sidonie. We're going back to Azzalle to hunt the man who killed Dorelei.”
Her dark eyes searched mine. "Today?”
I hadn't meant to leave today. I'd meant to take at least a day to recover from the journey, to speak with Ti-Philippe. Mayhap a few days. In a day or two, I'd thought, I'd be fit to ride. It would make up for lost time, travelling without the carriage.
"Stay." Sidonie saw my hesitation. "Send for me.”
"You'd come?" I asked.
She gave me a rueful smile. "Well, secrecy's not an issue anymore, is it?”
I didn't laugh. "I can't stay long.”
"I don't care," she said.
"All right." I let her go, pulled away. "I have to go.”
A considerable crowd had gathered. Freshly wakened peers, excitement chasing away their drowsiness. Servants abandoning their tasks, gossiping behind their hands. Guards, lots of guards. Queen Ysandre was moving through the throng, flanked by a dozen of them. Maslin de Lombelon appeared to have six or seven under his command.
I thought he might order them to block me, but he didn't. Instead, he gave a crisp order, and they stood aside. His face was stony as I passed. Urist and the Cruithne fell in behind me without a word. Together, we left the Palace.
In the courtyard, the ostlers scrambled to retrieve our barely stabled mounts and rehitch the carriage. I took a deep breath and stared at the sky.
"Whither now, my lord?" Urist asked.
"I'm not sure.”
Chapter Forty
In the end, we went to the townhouse.
No one followed us through the streets of the City, but my back prickled and I could tell Urist was wary. I wished to heaven and hell that Phèdre and Joscelin were there. The Palace was buzzing like a hornets' nest, and I'd no idea what to do. I hoped Ti-Philippe would at least be able to tell me when they were likely to return.
Unfortunately, Ti-Philippe was gone.
"I'm so sorry, Imri," Hugues said as soon as the initial joyous furor over my return had faded. "He's gone after them, after Phèdre and Joscelin. He left to try and fetch them back as soon as we heard the news from Alba.”
"Do you know where?" I asked.
"Not for sure." His face was troubled. "Illyria, that's what they said. But why would they be gone so long?”
"Philippe didn't tell you?”
He shook his head. "He said he'd sworn not to, even to me.”
I sighed. "When were they planning to return?”
"Late summer, mayhap autumn—" There was a pounding at the front door, and Hugues rose to answer it. "One moment.”
"Hugues!" I said sharply. "If it's the Palace Guards …" I paused. What would I do if Ysandre had decided to fetch me in chains for despoiling her daughter with my traitor's seed? Urist caught my eye and shrugged. "I don't know. Go see.”
"What in the world have you done, Imri?" Hugues asked, perplexed.
I smiled grimly. "Oh, you'll hear.”
It wasn't the Palace Guard.
It was Mavros; an unwontedly serious Mavros. I rose to greet him as he strode into the salon, his multitude of blue-black braids swinging. "I'd heard it was true. Here you are, alive, and causing all manner of trouble," he said, giving me a brief kiss and hard embrace that made me wince. "Elua be thanked.”
" 'Tis good to see you, too," I offered.
"Don't jest," he said briefly. "You're in trouble.”
"What did he do?" Hugues repeated in a bewildered tone.
"Stole the Dauphine's heart, it seems." Mavros gave him a tight smile. "Suborned Alban troops to help him infiltrate her quarters for a tryst.”
"Name of Elua!" I raked a hand through my hair. "That's a lie.”
"Oh, I know." Mavros turned his tight smile on me. "I lent a hand with the heart-stealing, remember?" He jerked his chin at Urist. "But what in all the seven hells are they doing aiding you?”
"Honoring my wife's last wish," I said shortly.
His brows shot up. "What, her last wish was to send you into Sidonie's arms?”
"Sidonie? " Hugues echoed in disbelief.
I sat down on the couch.
"Yes." Urist folded his arms. His face was impassive.