Page 88 of Shadow Mark
The statement piece was a deep blue velvet coat embroidered with silver and crystal beads. Lace dripped from the cuffs, weighed down with tiny crystal beads that shimmered in the light. The coat fit snugly across the shoulders and chest, cutting away from the front in a fall of excess fabric that hung full around her hips. Under that, Lenore wore an icy blue silk gown. The pale color flashed with every movement. It was a remarkably simple outfit in terms of court fashion. Hardly itchy at all.
Lenore shrugged on the coat, adjusting the lapels and tugging the lace cuffs to fall just right. Once, she had been baffled as to why coats were such a fashion staple on Arcos. Everyone wore a coat, and not the thick wintery kind. This was more akin to the tight-fitting old-fashioned coats worn at Versailles, a touch more substantial than a jacket. Now she understood, as Trouble landed on her shoulder. The thick fabric and extra padding in the shoulders protected her from his talons.
Balancing Trouble on one shoulder, Lenore sat on the edge of the bed and opened the last box, a flat leather jewelry box, about the size to hold a necklace. Baris kept giving her jewelry. She didn’t know how they managed to keep the engagement quiet, with Baris insisting she wore half the treasury. A minor miracle, she supposed. Not to sound ungrateful. She never thought of herself as a jewelry kind of person, and no one had ever given her any beyond the occasional silver-plated necklace at Christmas. Nothing or value and certainly nothing with precious stones.
Lenore brushed her fingers over the leather case. Baris’ gifts were flattering. She secretly adored them.
She opened the case. Inside, nestled on velvet, were two bracelets with delicate silver chains that attached filigree claws to the cuff. She had seen the elaborate claw caps worn around the palace, so they were not totally foreign to her.
While removing a bracelet, she pricked her finger on the tip of a cap. They were surprisingly sharp. She’d have to take care not to ruin her outfit. Carefully, she slipped on the caps, arranged the chains to rest along the back of her hand, and fastened the bracelet.
“What do you think?” She displayed her adorned hands to Trouble and flexed, getting used to the feel of metal covering her fingertips. They weren’t something she’d wear every day, but for tonight, she’d tolerate it.
“Ready?” she asked. Feeling a bit warm, her hand drifted to the coat to undo the buttons, then remembered the sharp caps at the last moment. How did people function with these things? Maybe it was meant for the kind of person who had staff to unbutton coats and do all those fiddly things that involved fingers. So basically everything.
Councilor Raelle’s retirement party was in the grand ballroom. Lenore left the residential wing of the palace and basically followed the noise. The corridors grew crowded. The guest list, it seemed, included everyone who worked for the government, all the councilors, their staff, and personal friends. That was to be expected. Society—meaning the upper crust—showed up as well. Lenore didn’t know why that surprised her. Councilor Raelle was also Lady Frostwing, a significant society figure herself.
The ballroom was circular in design, with an upper gallery and a dome. Soft lighting caught on gilded surfaces. Honestly, it reminded Lenore of the theater with the round stage, upper levels, and karu perches. The same aesthetic seemed to be in play here. A fair number of karu had already settled on the railings, watching the scene below.
At the ballroom’s entrance was a small sculpture on a stand. Guests paused to admire and comment on it. It was a female figure holding a sword, dragging it along the ground, and holding a karu aloft with the other arm. Lenore took a moment to study the piece. The woman looked weary.
Musicians were set up at the far end of the ballroom with space cleared for dancing, though no one danced. Refreshments were to one side. People sat at tables. Others mingled, the crowd churning slowly. At the center of it was Raelle.
Lenore drifted through the crowd. Baris asked to meet her at the party rather than drawing attention if they arrived together. Fine. That made sense, even if it meant she’d be on her own for a time. She smiled and thanked people when they congratulated her on her recent bond with Trouble. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to get a gander at the notorious human the media couldn’t stop talking about. Rather than feed that notoriety, Lenore kept the conversation dull, sticking to the weather. Snow. How magical!
Smiling and being blandly pleasant to strangers was tedious and exhausting. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this, and she couldn’t say she wasn’t a fan. Thankfully, her etiquette lesson covered how to not embarrass the king in social situations.
Too bad it wasn’t how to enjoy yourself.
Was this what she had to look forward to? More tedious social events stretching out from here until the end of time? Baris didn’t enjoy these things. He had confessed as much to her. Surely, she’d be able to direct her own schedule and avoid these things once she was queen. If she was queen. The concept still didn’t feel real.
She got the overwhelming impression that while Trouble didn’t particularly care for these things, he did enjoy spying on people.
“You’re such a nosy parker,” she muttered, feeding him a bit of fruit. He really enjoyed the food. The spread was impressive. There was a refreshment table stacked high with confections. Waiters circulated with trays, each bearing a delicacy more tempting than the last. “No offense, but you’re getting heavy.”
Trouble launched himself upward, heading for a perch under the dome.
“That wasn’t a weight jab,” she said. He was an extra five or six pounds that strained her back and left her shoulders sore. She’d have to figure out what to do about that. Most Arcosians carried their karu around on their shoulders, but Lenore didn’t think that was practical for her.
Through the bond, Lenore understood that he had not been offended. He wanted a better vantage to watch people. Like she said, nosy.
Lenore spotted Nia and did her best to disappear into the crowd. It should have been easy, considering that everyone was a good foot taller than her. There had to be some advantage to being little, but no. Nia spotted Lenore immediately. A frosty smile spread across her face as she made her way across the ballroom to Lenore.
Fantastic.
“Congratulations on your bond,” Nia said. Her gaze swept over Lenore, pausing on her hands. A small smirk played at the corners of her mouth.
“Thank you,” Lenore replied cautiously. She had not been impressed with the woman’s haughty attitude at their last encounter. Or this time, for that matter.
“Where is your karu? I understand that the newly bonded are seldom apart.”
Lenore glanced up to Trouble. Nia followed her gaze. “Impressive,” she said. “And how are you finding the bond?”
“At first, I thought it’d be weird, like talking to myself, but it’s not like that at all.”
“How fascinating. Pardon me, I must speak with someone,” Nia said, her false smile never faltering, even as she walked away.
Lenore got a very strong impression from Trouble of a tree snake.