Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey [54]
It made me laugh, whereupon Simon grinned again, planted a kiss on my lips, and flung himself backward into another handspring, waving cheerfully before plunging into the midst of the milling guests.
"Charming," Mavros commented, strolling over to meet me. "It's about time.”
I shook my head at him. "It's not what you think.”
"Pity." He watched the adept Simon. "They're very flexible, tumblers." His voice dropped. "Tell me, are we still going through with your mad scheme tonight?”
"Are you still willing to help?" I asked.
Mavros sighed. "Oh yes, fool that I am! You are family." He touched the purse at his belt. "I have the ribbons here.”
"Good." I clapped his shoulder. "I have to greet Sidonie.”
She was seated on a couch in the royal pavilion, surrounded by courtiers and well-wishers presenting gifts. The wealthier of the young noblemen vied to outdo one another with extravagant tokens, each of which was admired publicly before being handed into a servant's keeping. I lingered for a moment, smiling inwardly at the cool way Sidonie accepted them. The only time I heard her voice warm was when a young scion of the impoverished House Labarre stammered apologies for having nothing more to offer her than a flask of cordial with a limp bunch of violets tied around the neck.
"Imri!" Alais spotted me and broke my reverie. She had Celeste with her, the wolfhound pacing sedately at her side. "See how good Celeste is being?" she asked after I'd kissed her in greeting. "Mother wanted me to leave her.”
"Oh no, we couldn't have that," I said gravely, dropping to one knee. "So you've not filched a thing tonight, have you, Celeste?”
The wolfhound regarded me with apologetic dignity. "Only a very small squab," Alais said defensively. "And I didn't let her eat the bones.”
I smiled. "Good girl.”
"Prince Imriel." Amarante's voice, that calm tone Sidonie emulated so terribly well. I had to own, it made one wonder what she sounded like unstrung with passion. She was smiling as I rose. There was genuine affection in it, and I remembered Sidonie saying I'd won her over when I'd sewn up Alais' wounded dog. "Well met, your highness.”
"Well met, my lady." I bowed. "Mavros was hoping to see you.”
Her smile deepened. "Oh, indeed?”
It was a part of our plan, though seeing Alais' gaze sharpen, I wondered if Mavros wasn't right about the madness of it, and mayhap it would be wiser not to go through with it. Well, of course it would be wiser, but… I sighed. "I've got to greet your sister, villain," I said to Alais.
"All right." Alais knit her brows. "Be nice, Imri.”
"I will be," I promised.
When I approached, courtiers were exclaiming over the gift Phèdre and Joscelin had presented Sidonie. It was a Siovalese music box in the shape of a clamshell that played a sweet melody when opened, a pearl emerging from the bed of the shell through some cunning, unseen mechanism. An apt gift, I thought, remembering her recounting the lesson of Naamah's Pearl, squirming beneath my finger. At that moment, Sidonie caught my eye. I must have been careless and let my face reveal my thoughts, for a pink flush tinted her cheeks.
"Thank you," she murmured to Phèdre. "It's lovely, truly." Sidonie took a deep breath. Her flush faded and she shot me a look that no one else but me would have known was wicked. "Well met, cousin. What have you brought me?”
I bowed. "A small token, your highness.”
Sidonie accepted the polished ebony box I proffered and lifted the lid. Inside, a pair of gold earrings nestled on black velvet; twin sunbursts, miniature duplicates of the pendant she'd worn on the Longest Night. I knew, because I'd persuaded Amarante to borrow it without Sidonie’s knowledge. It wasn't an extravagant gift, but it was a fitting one.
"How clever!" Ysandre, gazing over her daughter's shoulder, sounded surprised. "That's very thoughtful, isn't it?”
"Yes." Sidonie lifted her head. My gift had moved her, and her black eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Thank you, Imriel." Her voice was light, but it lingered over my name, sure