The evening bells rang again. The deep, booming, repetitive gongs echoed over Windwake, signaling the beginning of the third watch. The festivities, however, were still in full swing. Marlaine remained draped over his arm for the night. Her flirtatiousness and borderline indecent affection thankfully put an end to much of the feeble and disingenuous attempts at conversation initiated by some of the curious nobles that haunted the court.

  Though Risens’ attention was split between fending off the advances from his overly enthusiastic companion, he kept a careful eye on the room. Even with their clever disguises, he readily recognized many of the King’s council members amid the crowd. Loosely surrounded by their private guards, they made obvious efforts to avoiding contact amongst their numbers. Each of their private groupings stood out like private islands floating in a sea of bright colors.

  Their host seemed to be the only one who braved the divisions, flitting from one group to the next with regularity. As the evening wore on, he noted the members of the council individually excusing themselves from the bulk of their retainers to follow one of the Lady’s servant deeper into the mansion beyond.

  After the third departed, Risens pulled Marlaine close, whispering in her ear. “It’s time we take our generous host up on her offer of a room.”

  She pulled away far enough to mirror his grin. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  With her arm entwined with his, they cut a purposeful path across the dance floor. Marlaine, playing the role of a woman whose company had been well paid for, fawned increasingly over him as they neared the Lady of the House.

  “Ah, Duke Cortinerie.” Myrenas nodded as she noted their approach. “I presume you’re enjoying the festivities?”

  “My Lady, please call me, Marken.”

  “If you insist.”

  “I do. And I must admit, I’m no stranger to the ball and none compare to yours.” Risens bowed as he spoke, watching the flash of appreciation register across her face. “I would inquire if your offer of privacy still stands. I would like to get off my feet for a spell.”

  Her widening and mischievous grin made far more sense with Marlaine’s warning. Her gaze rolled up and down Marlaine’s hourglass figure, pausing for a moment on her abdomen, where all parties present knew the Brand of the Courtesan remained disguised by layers of colored fabric.

  After she’d had her fill, she nodded approvingly. “My house is at your disposal, my young Duke.” Barely looked at him before shifting to something over his shoulder. “I tire of this rabble and will escort you myself.”

  He acted pleasantly surprised by the offer, though he understood it was purely a matter of convenient timing. Whatever clandestine meeting the others had departed for was soon to occur. It would be the distraction she needed to join them.

  Risens could have led himself to the guest chambers in the Lady’s estate from memory, just as he could with most of the homes of Windwake’s nobles. Yet restrained by his fabricated persona, he followed patiently in her wake. A pair of guards by the yawning door to the interior of her mansion joined their company as they passed. They each eyed him with looks of unveiled distrust.

  “He’s with me,” the Lady said with an lazy flick of her wrist.

  Their suspicion turned to leering as they scoured over Marlaine’s form.

  Beyond the grand ballroom, the opulence of her house continued as expected. Cream hued, polished marble was set perfectly into the floor though not even Marlaine’s tall heels made a sound as they tread silently along a plush red carpet. The halls were wide, marked every six paces with statues and relics of her familial and Windwake’s history.

  Ahead, a large intersection would split the three wings of the house. As expected, he and Marlaine were lead to the left, while one of the guards stopped at the center of the hallway. Had they turned to the right, they’d have ended in the great study, library, and dining room. Beyond that, several private offices ran the business of her house while further along, the kitchen separated those less frequently used rooms from the servants’ quarters.

  It was what lay straight ahead that captivated his attention. As they had entered the vaulted hallway, a pair of figures—dressed in the colored finery of the festival—ducked into a room in the distance. Searching his memory for the floor plan, he understood that a large meeting room designed like an amphitheater was the destination for whatever discussions would commence.

  He racked his brain for a manner of eavesdropping, yet he knew the room was mageGuarded. Once the doors were closed, no sound filtered out of the chamber. There was, however, a flaw in the protection. As no sounds exited the private meeting chamber, conversely, none would enter. As much as he desired to understand the scope of their conversations, his mission was elsewhere. He was sent to find tangible evidence of her treason, not merely whispers.

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  “You’ll find that the private chambers will more than suit your… desires.” Lady Myrenas gave the couple a knowing look. “You have the wing to yourself at the moment. Do not hesitate to ring should you need anything. If your stamina has recovered sufficiently tomorrow, perhaps I can trouble you for a conversation… regarding future partnerships with your estate. The east has always captivated my attention.”

  “You are a more than gracious host, Lady Myrenas.” He bowed again. “My stamina had never been in question. It would be my pleasure.”

  “Pleasure you will have tonight. Tomorrow, business,” she added with a subtle inclining of her head. “Enjoy my home as if it were your own.”

  Without awaiting his response, she turned away, striding gracefully down the hallway. He watched as she disappeared around the corner, taking one of her guards with her. The other remained parked in the middle of the hall, showing no intention of budging.

  Risens opened the chamber door. He had no expectations they truly had privacy. He knew far more of the Lady’s house than she likely desired. There was a well concealed passage running along the back of each room in the guest wings. The far wall of the suite was floor-to-ceiling windows. Regrettably, the curtains had already been drawn shut, blocking the views of the lake beyond. Risens may not have cared for such things, but a part of him lamented that Marlaine would miss out on what was surely a once-in-a-lifetime view.

  A long bench was built into the wall to the left, running the length of the room. Red and cream colored cushions alternated, and a narrow yet elaborate inlay decorated its facade. It was in the shadows on this recessed feature that agents of Lady Myrenas would spy on their unsuspecting guests.

  He pulled Marlaine into the room with him. His motion elicited an excited gasp as he carried her across threshold. Stopping near the windows, he pivoted so that his back was to the glass while hastily removing his colorful cloak, tossing it with passionate abandon over the bench behind him. His actions were anything but arbitrary. The draping fabric fell as he intended, covering the set of false, see-through panels hidden in the shadows.

  Marlaine pouted as he pulled himself gently from the embrace. Holding a finger to his lips to signal her silence, he moved swiftly to the lanterns that lit the room, extinguishing the flames and dousing the room in darkness.

  A touch of pale blue, the glow of the night, filtered through the curtains. Beyond the striking figure of Marlaine standing in the center of the room, there was nothing of note in the chamber. The darkened silhouette of a bed, shrouded by a sheer canopy, dominated much of one wall of the room. He knew, at least in part, the nearly overpowering temptation to enjoy its comforts was a product of the charm of the Brand that graced his companion’s skin. He shook off the lure. He had a job to do. His life wasn’t worth the distraction of pleasure.

  The expected accompaniment of accommodations—towels, brushes, rich-smelling soaps—framed the door to the private bathing chamber on the opposite side of the room. The desk would be clear, hiding no secrets, while the wardrobe would remain empty where it stood.

  Still holding his finger to his lips, he collected Marlaine’s hand, pulling her toward the bed. With his free hand he grabbed the sheets tossing them toward the foot of the bed.

  A smile—no doubt unbidden—curled her lips. “I hope this means you’ve changed you mind?”

  “I’m sorry. No.” His whispered response came out harsher than he expected. “I have business.”

  “You’re paying for my company, surely there is time,” she teased.

  He responded with his eyes alone. She frowned, crossing her arms before seating herself on the bed. His mind fought against the answer his mouth had only just given. Bathed by the gentle glow of the moon, she lay back, stretching seductively across the bed. The light reflected off a wide swatch of exposed skin as her leg slipped through the slit of her dress.

  “Perhaps another time,” he countered her latest challenge with his most feeble response to date. Forcing his mind from the enticing possibilities that it threatened to fill with explicit details, he again marveled at the strength of her Brand. Its power could be devastating to a man without Risens’ mental fortitude.

  Marlaine let out a soft moan, pushing herself against the headboard. Her advances turned to dismay as he moved to inspect the rest of the room. He found no further traps or anything of concern hidden amongst the intricate trappings. Placing an ear to the door, he listened for sounds in the hall beyond. The distant notes of muffled voices reached him. Carefully, he opened it a crack, peering into the corridor beyond.

  Lady Myrenas had returned, walking close beside another costumed figure, though at the distance, he couldn’t make out their identity.

  “They’re all gathered in wait for our arrival.” Her distinctive strident voice floated down the hallway as he ducked back into the shadows.

  The information was fortuitous. Though he knew nothing of the subject or topics of the surreptitious meeting, he doubted it would last more than an hour.

  He waited patiently. Myrenas and her guest had only just entered the private chamber. They could realize they’d forgotten something or someone and return to the hall only to find him in the hall and not appreciating his purchased company. It was far too early to risk being seen exiting. His mind churned with prospects as he silently closed the door behind him.

  He considered the windows. It would be an easy climb for someone such as him to reach the roof and gain access through the chambers above. Knowing the layout of the estate, his desired location would be all too easy to find. The hidden vault was in the basement two floors below, and the corridor the Lady had just entered housed the only known stairwell.

  He entertained the idea of silently killing the guard. As quickly as that notion arrived, he dismissed it. His was a mission of stealth, not sabotage. Wildly vivid and disparate thoughts flashed into his mind as his vision landed on the reclining form of his companion.

  Silently, he returned to the bed. She perked up a little at his advance, and even more so when he took a seat on the edge of the mattress.

  Keeping his voice at a whisper, he asked, “Do you think you can distract the guard that holds the hallway?”

  Her grin provided an answer before her words. “How long do you need him occupied?

  “I’ll take whatever time you can grant. A half hour would be ideal.”

  “I can do that.”

  In whispered conversation, they hastily formulated their plan. Risens shed the remaining elements of his garishly colored garment, scattering them around the room in a way that, if discovered, would appear as if he and Marlaine had gotten overly ambitious and nothing more.