Talon pushed himself away from the wall and picked up a pen from its place on the table. The large ledger was open before him, and he signed his name. As he finished, he almost threw the pen back to the table in a casual, yet somewhat mocking gesture.
“Corlan Talon Chandar.” His father’s voice boomed out across the room. “Is betrothed to Talia Cassia Winnick.” There was an audible groan of disappointment from the ladies within as Talia sashayed up the steps, a triumphant look on her face, and Tay felt nothing but pity for Talon’s, no, Corlan’s future. “Henna Melona Farley.” A girl with a river of blonde hair ascended the steps to the stage and signed her name. It proceeded like this for some time, and it soon became apparent that only the girls’ names were being called in order of familial importance. As such, Tay was unsurprised to find herself as one of the last.
“Lyana Brialle James.” Taking a deep breath, she walked across the room and climbed the set of the stairs. As she walked past Corlan, she studiously avoided looking in his direction. The man behind the desk handed her a pen, which slipped in her nervous fingers.
“Just here.” A finger pointed at an elegant rendering of her name, and she reached forward to sign.
“Kail Rosen Tanton.” Tay nearly dropped the pen as the name seared into her mind. Turning back from the table, she scanned the hall, looking for him as she began to walk down the stairs. Behind her, a herald continued to call out names, yet she paid it no mind. The thought of her, no, Lyana being married to that man flooded her mind, and she almost tripped as she reached the floor. In a daze, she crossed the floor and found a pillar to rest against.
“Congratulations.” She started at the words and turned to stare at Amira. “You look as pleased with your match as I am at mine.”
“He’s…” She couldn’t finish the thought, overcome by the need to talk to Darius about this unexpected turn of events. “I’m not particularly thrilled with it,” she finished lamely, aware that she was giving far too much away.
“Well, I’ll swap you,” Amira continued, as she nodded toward a portly man on the other side of the room. “That’s my betrothed, he lives on the coast, at least two days’ travel away from my home.” She bowed her head. “So not only do I have to leave my home to live with a stranger, I have to live so far away that I don’t have anyone to talk to.”
“I’m sorry.” Tay felt a swell of pity for the other girl as she struggled to keep her own emotions in check. “Look, I’ve got to tell my brother.” A quick glance around the room revealed no trace of her ‘betrothed’. “Will you be okay here?”
“Sure.” Amira gave a grim smile from beneath her mask. “I’ve got to enjoy my last bits of freedom.”
Tay nodded and moved toward the main doors, at the edge of her vision she caught sight of the rail-thin form of Kail and shuddered slightly as she picked up speed and almost raced from the room.
Moving past revellers, she headed for the main staircase and away from the noise of the ball. Reaching the first floor, she turned right and headed toward the infirmary.
Darius was lying in the end bed, dozing in the dim light. As Tay reached his side, his eyes opened, and he stared at her in mild shock. Tay was breathing fast, and her eyes were wide with barely suppressed panic.
“What’s wrong?” He pushed himself up on his elbow and reached out his hand toward her.
“It’s Kail.” She knew she was being obtuse, but she couldn’t help it, panic was flooding through her veins, and she could barely think.
Darius’ face froze. “Kail what?” he asked, his eyes ran over her body, almost as though he feared that she had been physically harmed.
“He’s marrying L…” She stopped just in time and continued. “Me. He’s my betrothed.”
The colour drained from Darius’ face at her words, and he reached forward to grasp her trembling hands.
“And he’s seen me.” She began to babble, thoughts crowding through her head, demanding to be set free. “He’ll realise, and…” In agitation, she pushed the mask from her face. “And…” She couldn’t finish, the fear seized her voice.
“I promised I would keep you safe,” Darius finally answered, his voice weak but reassuring. “And I intend to do just that.”
“But how?” A door at the back of the room opened as one of the nurses responded to the agitated volume of Tay’s voice. “Is everything alright?” Professional concern echoed across the ward, bringing Tay and Darius back to their roles.
“Everything’s fine,” Darius replied. “My sister’s just a little upset.”
The nurse took a step into the room, eyes fixed on the tears that streaked down Tay’s cheeks. Understanding softened her features and she gave a small nod. “Very well, just a few more minutes.”
“Thank you.” Darius flashed a quick, grateful smile.
“I won’t stay long,” Tay reassured, with a watery smile. “I’ll try not to tire him out.”
The nurse nodded in agreement and withdrew, leaving the pair alone once again.
As the door closed, Darius returned his attention to Tay and the problem she had just presented him with.
“What do we do?” Her voice was hushed, fearful and close to tears. “How can we swap back easily? He’ll know.” Silence stretched across the room at her words and Tay bowed her head, tears pricking the back of her eyelids. “When he meets the real Lyana, he’ll realise.”
“It may not be as bad as you think,” Darius responded. “He’s only met you the once…”
“Not the once,” Tay replied, misery coating her words. “He came to our rooms and asked about one of the girls from dinner.”
Darius closed his eyes and took a breath. Tay watched him carefully, her heart rate increasing with each passing second. “The ceremony will be many months away.”
“He may forget,” Tay breathed, clinging to that bit of hope like a life raft.
“Exactly.” Pain creased his features as he shifted position, and Tay reached out a steadying hand. Her fingers connected with the bare skin of his shoulder, and she carefully moved him back onto the pillows. “Thank you,” he muttered, his voice a tired whisper as he laid back, closing his eyes as sleep once again caught up with him. The sheet shifted, and her eyes flicked down to his bare chest. Tay took a breath, momentarily distracted by the lean, muscular torso before her. His skin was warm, the muscles taut beneath her fingers and she let them linger for longer than she meant to. “You can let go now.” Reddening slightly, she removed her hand and stepped back.
“I’ll leave you to sleep,” she babbled, embarrassed and somewhat confused by her actions. “I’ll talk to you later.” With rapid footsteps, she backed away from the bed. Darius called something, but she did not hear as she rushed from the infirmary and out into the corridor. As the door shut behind her, she stopped and backed up to the nearest wall, cursing herself for being an idiot. What had she been thinking? Darius was the son of the mine Overseer, a member of the nobility and the person who had gotten her into this mess. Of all the people she could have fondled, he was definitely one of the worst choices. With a sigh, she rested the back of her head against the wall and closed her eyes. She could still remember the feel of his skin against her hand, and she gave a hiss of annoyance, frustrated with the wanderings of her mind.
The music swelled in volume from the end of the hallway, and she pushed herself off the wall. She should return to the ball and let herself be seen. There was little point in hiding in the corner. Casting an almost furtive glance back at the infirmary door, Tay strode along the corridor and returned to the ball, reattaching her mask as she did so. The dance was in full swing now, and virtually every member of the court was on the dance floor. Hesitant to join the throng, she waited at the side of the room, watching.
“Lyana.” Kail’s cold voice broke into her thoughts, and she turned to face him, heart pounding slightly in her chest.
“Kail.” She returned his nod of greeting as her stomach plummeted through the floor. If possib
le, his eyes seemed even colder than they had been that morning.
“Let’s take a walk.” He held out his arm and, for lack of any other options, Tay stretched out her hand and allowed him to lead her into the hall.
The other partygoers whirled past in a flurry of colour and sound, yet Tay ignored them, her focus completely on the ominously silent man at her side. They reached the staircase, and he began to walk upstairs, jolting Tay out of her frightened complacency. At the third step, she came to a halt and let go of his arm.
“Where are we going?” Thankful that her voice didn’t quaver, she faced him down.
“We need to discuss something,” he replied, in the same dead tone as before. A girl in a dress the colour of late summer roses pushed between them and headed up the stairs. Kail waited for her to leave before he leant forward and whispered. “Or I can arrest you here.”
For a moment, time stopped. Music, laughter and talk still reached her ears, but faintly, as though she was underwater. Her legs buckled and he caught her before she fell.
“This way.” A hand reached around her back and helped her upright. An iron-like grip clamped about her waist, and he pushed her forward and up the stairs.
Tay climbed in halting, jerky movements; the shock of his words turning her limbs to jelly. In desperation, she glanced over the railings and her gaze landed on Talon. The Prince glanced toward her, but Kail dragged her up the last steps before she could silently plea for help. He led her to the upper landing and into a small room. With little finesse, he dropped her into a chair and closed the door, shutting out the sounds of the ball. As he turned the key in the lock, Tay took the opportunity to look around at her surroundings. The room was a study, several shelves of books lined the walls and a single lamp illuminated the large desk that dominated the room. Much of the room was in shadow, but a glance into the corners revealed two guards, one of whom she recognised from the records room. A cold spike of fear raced down her spine, and she clenched her hands into fists, trying to control her shaking fingers. Kail settled into the chair on the other side of the desk, and smiled pleasantly at her.
“Hand it over.” He pointed at her bag. “I know you’ve still got it on you.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Tay replied, trying to brazen it out, the weight of the recorder heavy against her leg.
“Don’t take me for a fool.” At his nod, both guards moved to stand on either side of her.
“What are you doing?” She gave a shriek as one of the men pinned her to the chair. “How dare you?” There was a pained grunt as she landed a kick on one of the men. “Get off me.” A stinging slap echoed through the room, and her head slammed into the back of the chair. Blood filled her mouth from where she had bitten her cheek. Kail took possession of the bag and looked inside, revealing the small recorder.
“You really should have gotten rid of this.” A slow, malicious smile spread across his lips as he drew the copper device into the light. Kail leant back against the table, the small recorder grasped between his thumb and forefinger. Tay stared at the device in his hand, frozen in place by fear. “Did you honestly think that the guard wouldn’t report you?”
“I…” she stammered, her voice trailing into nothing as she imagined her future: the Mine or execution.
“Especially when you know your brother is under surveillance.” Tay’s head lifted slightly, her cover seemed to be intact. “Asking you to spy was stupidity.”
“I didn’t,” Tay said finally, her voice a breathless whisper. “I just wanted to see how the recorder worked.” She chanced a look at the men holding her and gave a small sob. “I won’t ever do it again.”
Silence fell over the small group, and Tay prayed that her nascent talent for lying wouldn’t fail her. Caught in this company, with her whole future and that of her family at risk, she couldn’t afford for her lies to fail.
“Hmm…” Kail twirled the recorder in his fingers. “I’m not sure I believe you.” Tay felt her heart sink. “Perhaps we should…” He stopped at a knock on the door. “This room is occupied,” he called out, irritation in his voice.
“And it’s my study.” A grimace creased Kail’s features as Talon’s voice sounded from beyond the door. “So you can open the door.”
Kail gestured, and both guards removed their hands. Tay felt a rush of gratitude as Kail strode to the door and unlocked it with ill grace.
“Your Highness.” He gave a perfunctory nod as the other man entered the room.
“Stop your toadying Tanton,” Talon’s voice snapped out, his gaze hardening as it fell on Tay’s bruised face. “You’ve graduated to hitting women now?” A distinctly icy tone rippled through his voice. “How manly of you.” The guards stepped back and moved deeper into the shadows, trying to escape the Prince’s gaze. “I may take this as a reason to end your betrothal.”
“She removed information from the archive,” Kail continued, a note of panic entering his voice, “with this.” He held the recorder aloft. “She plugged this into one of the machines downstairs.”
Talon’s gaze slid over her features, and she sagged deeper into her chair, knowing that he was thinking of the night before. A long, low whistle issued from Talon’s lips as he reached out to the recorder. A look of assured triumph crossed Kail’s features as Talon took hold of the instrument. Talon turned the object over in his hands and glanced down at Tay’s white, distraught face.
“I gave that to her.” Tay gave a start, and Kail’s mouth dropped in shock. “Last night.”
“Sire?” Kail stepped forward, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury. “My guard informed me that she used that device to copy information.”
“Of course she did,” Talon replied, as he slid the recorder into his pocket. “I asked her to.”
“Sire?” Tay could understand Kail’s confusion, she could barely understand it herself.
“I know the archive is usually off limits, but I wanted to test the efficiency of your guards, and Lyana”－he waved down at her－“offered to help.”
Kail spluttered incoherently as Talon reached out and took hold of Tay’s hand.
“Excellent work though, Kail.” Talon continued. “I commend you on your diligence.” He gently tugged on Tay’s fingers. “Shall we go?” Tay leapt to her feet, and almost tripped in her haste to follow Talon from the room.
They reached the door as Kail finally regained control of his voice. “I’ll take this to my father,” he threatened. Talon’s hand fell from the door handle, and he turned to face the other man.
“Please do,” he offered pleasantly, watching confusion replace triumph on Kail’s face. “Though he may take some time to reply.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s in the forest with my uncle for the next few months.” Talon cocked his head to one side and continued. “Didn’t you know?” Kail closed his mouth, shock clearly evident on his face. Talon gave a soft smile. “After all”－a faintly condescending note entered his voice－“the rest of his trusted”－Talon placed a slight emphasis on the last word－“advisors were informed.”
Kail took a step forward, his face dark with fury. One of the guards placed a restraining hand on his arm as Talon opened the door.
“Come on.” He led Tay out into the hall and closed the door behind them. “This way.” Tay almost tripped as he hurried her across the upper hallway and into another room. He shut the door behind them and held his fingers to his lips at the sound of hurrying footsteps from the hall.
They waited, nervous tension raising hairs on the back of Tay’s neck, for the sounds of movement to cease.
“Well.” Tay jumped as Talon finally spoke. “You’re in the clear.”
“I… I… well…” Tay stammered, stunned by the night’s events. “Thank you…”
“Don’t thank me.” Talon walked past her and sat down. “I’ve only delayed your arrest.” Tay stayed silent, the stress of the evening freezing her in place. Only her eyes were mobile, flic
king from Talon to the door and back again. “I presume this”－he removed the recorder from his pocket and waved it at her－“is why you were in the library the other night.”
“Then why did you help me?” Tay asked, bewildered almost to the point of tears. “If you knew what I was up to, why did you lie to Kail and to the guards?”
“Because I don’t particularly like Kail,” Talon replied, with a lazy chuckle. “And I don’t like his tactics. You’re a guest in my father’s palace. If anyone is to be arrested, I decide whom and when.”
“So are you going to have me arrested?” Tay asked, confused by the direction her evening had taken.
“For this?” He waved the recorder, and the chuckle died on his lips. “I should”－Tay felt cold fingers slide down her spine－“but what purpose would that serve?”
“I don’t understand.” Thoroughly confused now, Tay stared at the man in bewilderment.
“You’d only inspire some other heroics if arrested. It’s easier to keep an eye on your activities.”
“I see.”
“No, I don’t think you do.” Talon opened the back of the recorder and removed the disc from within. “You’re a member of the nobility.” He waved a careless hand at her dress and mask. “It’s one thing for a bunch of unwashed peasants”－Tay bristled at his turn of phrase－“to shout for freedom and make demands, but when one of us does it”－he gave a low whistle－“it gives it a layer of legitimacy that cannot be ignored.”
“Then why did Kail let me go?” she demanded, anger finally freeing her mind. “If it’s such a problem, why would he?”
“Because he’s desperate for a noble rank.” Tay started at those words, wondering just what Lyana and Darius had failed to include in her education. “And he doesn’t fully appreciate how arresting you as a rebel would be detrimental.” The disc in his hand glinted in the lamplight as he turned it over in his fingers. “He doesn’t understand how this could push for a change in government.”
“And you don’t want things to change?” Tay responded, finally moved to anger by Talon’s casual superiority. “What if it needs to?”
Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S Of Copper and Brass Book 1) Page 21