Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey [55]
No one did, though.
"I'm glad you like them." I cleared my throat. "A joyous natality to you.”
Ah, Elua! After that, the fête wore on forever. Under any other circumstances, it would have been pleasant. We dined, we danced, we drank free-flowing wine and enjoyed the Queen's largesse. The Eglantine adepts were sublimely entertaining. Mavros flirted with Amarante, thoroughly enjoying himself. I spent a good deal of time in Alais' company and danced once with Sidonie because it would have been rude not to. We were both so rigid for fear of giving ourselves away, we tripped over one another's feet, which filled us both with a desperate hilarity we had to struggle to suppress.
All in all I thought the night would never end.
Patience.
At last it did. The assembled guests began straggling into the spring night, accompanied by wavering torches and the lingering scent of lilacs. An end was declared to the fête, and the other members of House Courcel retired to the Palace. I made my way to Phèdre and Joscelin's side to tell them I meant to go to the Night Court with Mavros.
"Oh?" Phèdre cupped my face. "Name of Elua, love! Will you please be careful?”
I didn't lie as well as I thought; not to her. Not to Joscelin, either. He eyed me wryly, and I knew I'd not fooled either of them. "Yes," I said. "I will. We will.”
Joscelin rolled his eyes.
They went, though. I found Mavros, who hauled me behind the lilac bushes. With deft fingers, he braided into my hair the green and gold ribbons he'd brought, creating a cascade of color. "Tilt your head," he ordered. I obeyed, letting the ribbons fall to obscure my features. Mavros sighed. "I must be out of my wits.”
"Do you think it will work?" I asked.
"Let's find out.”
It was a mad scheme, like a scene in a farcical play. I daresay we deserved to get caught, and the fact that we weren't owed everything to Mavros. He played his role to the hilt, trailing after Amarante as she escorted me to Sidonie's quarters, plaguing her with such incessant wooing that I was hard-pressed not to laugh. Amarante was laughing, fending him off with both hands as she bade the guard on duty outside Sidonie's chambers to fetch her mistress. He obeyed with a grin.
Sidonie came to the door. "Lord Shahrizai," she said coolly. "Have you become an adept of Eglantine House? I don't believe I requested your presence.”
"Take him, take him!" Mavros shoved me past the distracted guard and wrapped his arms around Amarante, nuzzling her neck. "I've come to lodge a complaint. Your lady-in-waiting has skin as soft and white as apple blossoms and a heart as hard as stone. 'Tis cruel and unfair.”
"My lord!" Amarante protested, laughing.
Sidonie raised her brows. "Giraud, will you summon someone to escort my lord Shahrizai to the Hall of Games?" she said to the guard, who was still grinning. "And mind, I'm not to be disturbed on any account until I arise.”
"Aye, your highness," he said cheerfully. "A joyous natality to you!
"Unfair!" Mavros shouted, loosing Amarante. "Cruel and unfair!”
"Come on, my lord," the guard said, taking his arm and steering him down the hall. Sidonie pulled Amarante into her chambers and closed the door firmly behind her, throwing the bolt. The three of us were alone in her salon.
"Name of Elua!" I rubbed my face. "It would have been a good deal easier and safer to go through Amarante's room.”
"But not as much fun," Amarante observed, sounding less than calm. Whatever else Mavros had accomplished, he'd succeeded in that much.
"No." Sidonie put her arms around my neck. "And this way, if there's talk of a man in my chambers, which there will be, no one will wonder." She kissed my throat, making the ribbons in my hair rustle. "I don't think the guards eavesdrop a-purpose, but they'd hear the timbre of a man's voice. I needed a very good reason to be left undisturbed.”
It had been