Daveed and Kai both used heavy wooden swords, as if playing a game, and indeed they did appear to be enjoying themselves. Kai was happy. Daveed swung at him over and over again, and Kai’s body moved like water as he avoided being struck every time. Some of the guards were laughing at how easy he made this look.
I stood mesmerized, watching his grace and natural skill. Finally, he whirled like lighting and struck back, catching Daveed across the shoulder and knocking him sideways.
In that moment, Kai spotted me in the doorway, and he straightened. Unfortunately, Daveed didn’t see me and thrust hard with his wooden sword, hitting Kai in the back and making him stumble forward.
I gasped, and all the men turned.
Sebastian was nowhere in sight.
“Oh, sorry,” Daveed apologized to Kai.
As Kai caught his breath, he appeared confused regarding my presence here. “Megan?”
That was the first time he’d ever said my name.
My plan altered quickly. “Could you please help me with something?”
“Now?”
“Please.”
After a brief hesitation, he tossed the wooden sword to a guard and came to join me. I didn’t wait and hurried around the side of the keep toward the back, where the hen house and gardens were kept.
“Where are we going?” Kai asked.
It seemed so odd to be speaking with him like this, but I answered, “You’ll see.”
I led the way to the back of the hen house, right to where I’d seen the salmon in Lavonia’s thoughts.
There they were, spoiling in the sun.
Pointing down, I said, “I’ve been worried Lavonia might be up to something to ruin your father’s dinner, and I found these. I fear she intends to substitute them for the fresh ones I had delivered this morning.”
His eyes widened. “What? Why?”
“So she could blame me. She’s unhappy with some of the changes since my arrival. A short while ago, she called me in to ask me to inspect the salmon stored in the cellars. She did this in front of everyone there. Afterward, I came out here to look around, and I found these.”
This last part was a weak explanation for my find, but he didn’t notice.
“Did you dismiss her?” he asked.
“I have no proof. I wasn’t certain what to do, so I went to find you.”
“Wait here,” he said.
With that, he walked through the garden and vanished inside through the back door. A few moments later, he came out again with Cora and led her through the garden.
“What is it you wish me to help you with, my lord?” Cora asked, sounding nervous.
Then she saw me.
Kai pointed down at the fish. “Did Lavonia put these here? Does she mean to serve them tonight?”
Cora’s face went pale. “Oh . . .”
His mouth opened slightly. Until then, I’m not sure he’d believed me. “She did?”
Stricken, she didn’t answer him.
He stepped closer. “Cora, tell me. This is important.”
But he didn’t sound threatening, and I got the feeling these two knew each other fairly well. They were about the same age.
“Oh . . . Kai, I’m so sorry,” she said, using his given name. “I should have said something. I know I should have!”
“But why would she do this?”
Without speaking, Cora glanced at me with a guilty expression.
He shook his head in disbelief. “Inside,” he ordered us both, and then he strode back toward the door.
We followed him to the kitchen. Ester was at a table rolling crusts for tarts.
As we entered, Lavonia saw us coming.
“Lavonia, you’re dismissed,” Kai said. “You’ll get a month’s wages, but I want you out the front gates within the hour.”
She was startled, even frightened for an instant, her gaze moving to Cora and back to him. Then her expression shifted back to its normal state of challenge. “You can’t dismiss me. I’ll go to your father.”
“Is that what you want?” he asked. “Shall we go see him now? Should I show him those fish behind the hen house and tell him the story Cora told me? He’ll do more than dismiss you.”
In truth, Cora hadn’t said much. I had. But his words silenced Lavonia as the weight her of situation began to sink in.
Kai turned to Ester. “I want her gone within the hour. You’ll have to make due tonight without her.”
A flash of relief crossed Ester’s eyes. “Yes, my lord.”
He nodded, glanced at me, and motioned to the doorway with his head. Then he walked from the kitchen and started up the passage toward the great hall. I followed. About halfway there, he stopped. We were alone.
“Why did you come to me with this?” he asked. “Why didn’t you question Cora and dismiss Lavonia yourself?”
“Could I have dismissed her myself?”
“Of course. Why didn’t you?”
The past weeks of fear and uncertainty and feeling completely unprotected all weighed down upon me and rushed back up. “Because I have no idea what I’m allowed to do!” I cried, not caring if anyone else heard. “And I’m afraid of doing something wrong! What would happen if I displeased your father? You dislike me so much you wouldn’t care if he tossed me out the gates.”
Kai stared down at me. Then he blinked several times.
“I don’t dislike you,” he said finally. He seemed on the verge of saying something else but shook his head. “Deal with the household staff as you see fit. My father couldn’t care less what you do so long as everything runs smoothly. I thought you understood that.”
Turning, he strode away, walking too quickly for me to follow.
But my feet felt stuck to the floor anyway. If I had full control of the staff, my world had just shifted—for the better. Even more, I kept hearing his words . . .
I don’t dislike you.
That evening, I headed for the dining hall at precisely the right moment.
Tonight, my hair hung loose with several strands in the front over my forehead and pinned up with a small jeweled clip. I wore kohl at the corners of my eyes and beet juice on my lips. My gown was burgundy silk with a v-neckline.
Stopping at the entrance to the hall, I looked in to take stock of what awaited me. All four Volodanes were there, wearing the new clothing Betty and I had made for them. Kai looked especially fine in a sleeveless black tunic.
The hall was clean and properly arranged. There were white cloths on the table along with porcelain plates, silver cutlery, and pewter goblets. The centerpieces added color.
My gaze drifted to the guests: Lord Allemond, his wife Rosamund, and his brother, Phillipe. Several of the Volodane guards stood discreetly near the walls, along with several of the Monvílles’.
With a deep breath, I stepped forward and entered the hall.
Allemond was the first one to see me, followed shortly by everyone else, but I couldn’t help a stab of satisfaction at the flicker of uncertainty that passed over his face. “Megan?”
I smiled and held out one hand—as my mother would have done. “My lord. How lovely to see you.”
Kai stared at me as well, taking in the sight of my v-neck dress and my hair.
Lady Rosamund showed nothing besides false pleasure, kissing my cheeks. “How nice it is to see you looking so . . . well, so soon after your marriage to the youngest of the Volodanes. We’d heard nothing of it at all until it was over.”