Shadow Magic (8 page)

Lily faced her uncle. “Cancel the engagement.”

“And then what?” Pan’s face darkened.

“What do you mean?”

“Grow up, Lily.” He shook his head. “I love you like a daughter, but you need to face reality. We are weak. If we don’t go through with this, by next week the duke will have his armies at our gates. Within a fortnight the turrets of Castle Gloom will be covered in white flags, not black. You will lose Gehenna.”

“Couldn’t we sign a peace treaty instead?”

“We have. It’s called a marriage contract.” He looked into his wine cup. “This is what your father wanted. He arranged this marriage with the duke, just before he died.”

The Black Ford Truce. She should have been there when her father and Duke Solar had met along the banks of River Lacrimae, the natural boundary between Gehenna and Lumina. But if she had been present, along with her mother and brother, then she wouldn’t be here now. “The marriage was meant to be between Dante and one of the duke’s daughters. That was the original plan.”

Pan nodded. “Lady Angela Solar. A beauty and a tender heart. She and Dante would have been a fine match. But it was not fated to be.”

“It wasn’t fate that killed Dante, Uncle. It was brigands.”

“And now their heads decorate Lamentation Hill. Tyburn dealt with them.”

Lily’s gaze hardened. “Tyburn dealt with
some
of them. There’s still—”

“The dead are dead, no matter how we might wish it otherwise. It is time we looked to the future, Lily.”

“So that’s my choice, marriage or war?”

“The needs of your people come first, Lily,” said Pan. “How can you subject Gehenna to more war, just because of what you do and do not like? I know you’re not that selfish.”

How far into the past did the hate go? Everyone knew the legend: Prince Shadow and Prince Solar were twins. They should have been the closest of all the Six Princes. Yet one worshipped the dark, and the other the light, and that difference had led to countless wars through the ages.

The people of Lumina thought the Gehennish were evil for the way they treated their dead, raising them from their endless sleep. Lily knew what it really meant: that the dead were not forgotten—they were still wanted, valued.

The Gehennish thought the Lumineans were warmongers and land-grabbers who believed that anyone who didn’t follow their way should be destroyed. How many other lands had been crushed by Solar armies, their languages and cultures wiped out?

There was no point in trying to argue with a Solar. They couldn’t understand why everyone else didn’t want to be just like them.

“I could defend Gehenna if I’d been allowed to study magic,” she said.

Pan groaned. This was an old debate. “You know the law as well as anyone. Women cannot study magic. You might as well ask the sun to rise in the west.”

“There has to be a way,” said Lily, determined not to give up so easily.

“Don’t you think I’ve tried?” blasted Pan. “If there was another way to become a sorcerer, don’t you think I would have found it?”

“I’m sorry, Uncle.” She could see the hurt in his eyes. It would be there until the day he died. “Let me marry anyone else. Anyone but Gabriel.”

“There is no one else.”

Her corset seemed too tight. She pulled at the bone and cloth entrapping her, breathing deeply to clear the dread swelling inside.

“Hey, K’leef!” Gabriel shouted from down the table. He waved a sausage in the air. “Close your eyes and open your mouth!” He tossed the sausage at K’leef’s face. It smacked the boy on the cheek.

Gabriel howled with laughter. “Did you see that? Give me something else!”

Lily gritted her teeth.

Gabriel picked up a carrot. “Don’t forget your vegetables!”

Lily stood up. She wasn’t going to let Gabriel get away with this.

Pan held her wrist. He looked at her pleadingly. “Please, Lily, sit down.”

Blood raged in Lily’s head as she watched Gabriel’s cronies join in, tossing food at K’leef. She pulled herself free of her uncle. “Stop it,” she hissed.

Gabriel piled peas onto his spoon and flicked them.

“Stop it.”

Gabriel didn’t hear her. He rolled a lump of bread in his plate until it was dripping with gravy.

“Stop it!” Lily slammed her fist down.

The blow burst out like a thunderclap. It reverberated between the stone walls over and over.

Everyone, noble and servant, Solar and Shadow, fell silent. Even Custard stopped barking.

All eyes were on Lily.

Gabriel gazed at her, too. “What did you say?” he asked with quiet menace.

This is how wars start.

Lily pushed her lips into a fake smile. “The servants need to clear the table,” she said. “It’s time for dessert.”

Mary clapped, and the servants leaped into action.

“Music,” commanded Duke Solar. The orchestra hesitated, then started up again. The murmurs returned and soon the guests were all talking. About her.

“I’m proud of you,” whispered Uncle Pan. “That could have gone badly.”

“If he’s like that now, imagine what he’ll be like in three years. In ten.”

Pan cleared his throat loudly as Duke Solar sat down beside her. “You look unwell, m’dear.”

“She’s just excited,” said Uncle Pan.

A servant approached and placed four crystal goblets before them, one each for Lily, Gabriel, the duke, and her uncle. Duke Solar raised his. “Consider these an early wedding gift. I hope we shall be celebrating many toasts for years to come. Of anniversaries. Of children.”

Lily tried not to vomit.

“To peace,” said Duke Solar.

“To peace,” said Lily, and she raised the goblet to her lips.

“W
ait,” said Uncle Pan. “Listen. They’re playing the
Danse macabre
.”

The noise of chatter dropped as the orchestra took up the tune. The lute fell to a low, haunting melody, and the drums were steady but soft, the beat of a sleeping heart.

Lily put down her goblet without taking a sip. She knew this tune better than she knew the sound of her own breath.

This was House Shadow’s dance. Legend was, the first Lord Shadow had danced it with his wife, a princess he’d rescued from the land of the dead. It was about immortal love, and Lily’s parents had danced to it at their wedding.

Oh no. They expect me to dance with Gabriel.

She looked down the table.

There he was, smoothing back his hair.

“Go on,” said Uncle Pan. “Dance with him. Show there’s no bad feeling between you.”

“I have…er…I have a pain in my leg,” said Lily. She rubbed her knee. “Ow. It really hurts. I need to sit down or it’ll fall off. Honestly.”

Mary poked her from behind. “Get going, my girl.”

Gabriel waited. Everyone waited.

Mary poked her harder. “Get up. Now.”

Custard sniffed at her plate and grabbed an abandoned lamb chop. He shook it in his jaws, growling.

“I have to take care of Custard,” Lily replied. She reached for her puppy. “Bad, bad dog.”

Mary leaned closer so she was whispering in Lily’s ear. “If you don’t stand up this instant, I am going to drag you onto the dance floor by your ear. And don’t think I won’t.”

Mary wasn’t bluffing. Lily had seen Mary tell off her father in front of a roomful of ambassadors for not eating his greens. Someone had laughed until Mary had stared at them. Her gaze could silence an emperor.

“All right,” said Lily. “Look, I’m getting up.” She slowly rose, pushing her chair back a few inches. “See?”

People started clapping to the rhythm. Others beat their mugs against the tables.

When she reached him, Gabriel smiled. “You look worried. Don’t be. I’ve been taught by the best dancing masters in all of Lumina. They think I’m brilliant. I’ve invented a few special moves myself. Perhaps I’ll teach them to you.”

Lily glanced back. Both Mary and her uncle were urging her on.

Gabriel took her hand. “Just do as I tell you, and you’ll be fine.”

She inhaled sharply and pulled away. “I’m afraid I can’t dance with you. I’ve already promised K’leef.”

“Wh-what?” stuttered Gabriel.

Uncle Pan leaped in. He cleared his throat and laughed, awkwardly. “Give us a moment, m’lord.” He pulled her aside. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t dance with K’leef. Solar will take it as a great insult.”

“Good.” Lily ripped herself free and swept over to the end of the table, where K’leef sat. “Come on.”

“What?” said K’leef.

“You and I are going to dance. Now.” She glared at him. “Remember? Like we agreed?”

“Dance?” K’leef didn’t resist; he was too confused. “To this?”

“Of course.” This was her favorite tune. “It’s perfect.”

“For a funeral.”

“Ha-ha-ha. You’re so funny,” said Lily sarcastically. She pulled him out of his chair. “Just get up.”

Lily headed toward the steps, dragging the red-robed boy behind her. She didn’t look back, but she heard the gasps. She hurried to the open dance floor before Mary could stop her.

The music faltered. The conductor looked uncertainly toward the high table.

“You,” ordered Lily. “You with the baton.”

The conductor pointed at himself. “Me, m’lady?”

“Start again. From the beginning.”

Lily and K’leef stood utterly alone in the center of the Great Hall. Hundreds of people watched them, not one speaking. The clapping and banging had stopped.

Lily glared at the conductor. “Well?”

He winced, but then he turned around to face his musicians. One or two smiled at the trouble Lily was causing.

“I don’t know how to dance,” admitted K’leef.

“Of course you don’t; you’re a boy.” Lily sighed. She had to make this work, somehow. “Just don’t tread on my toes or bump into any furniture. Your left hand goes in my right, and your right goes around my waist.”

K’leef frowned. “Like this?”

The music began.

They danced. Or more accurately, Lily dragged K’leef across the floor, trying to make sure he didn’t step on her gown.

“Is this right?” said K’leef after a minute of slowly moving around the dance floor. “Isn’t the man meant to lead?”

“I don’t see why.”

So they danced, K’leef dressed in a sweeping robe of red and orange and Lily in glistening black.

“Stop gripping my hand so tightly,” said Lily. “Your rings are really tearing into my fingers.”

“Sorry.”

She looked at the rings on his hand, on every single finger. “And why are you wearing so many, anyway?”

K’leef wore not only rings, but a necklace, bracelets, and earrings. He dripped jewelry, all of it made from amber. Even his buttons were of the orange stone.

He scowled. “The duke wants everyone to see what a rich prize I am.”

“If you were that rich, shouldn’t you be wearing rubies? I thought the ruby was the favorite gemstone of House Djinn.”

He shrugged. “I’m the fourth son, so I have to wear amber. Only the eldest son, the heir apparent, wears rubies. At least I’m not the tenth. My brother, Saleem, wears jewelry made from sandstone.”

“What’s it like living in the Prism Palace?”

“The Solars’ home?” K’leef’s gaze darkened. “The duke is a tyrant, and Gabriel is a cruel, petty idiot.”

“It can’t be that bad, can it?” It couldn’t be. She would be living there one day. “You’re just saying that because you’re their prisoner.”

“Perhaps. But soon you’ll be their prisoner, too, won’t you?”

Lily faltered.

“I’ll be Gabriel’s wife. That’s different. I think.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” K’leef met her gaze. He must have seen the doubt in her eyes. “You don’t want to marry him, do you?”

“Would you?”

K’leef smiled. “I don’t want you marrying him, either.”

“Why not?”

“Think about it. Solar’s lands are in the middle, with Gehenna to his north and the Sultanate of Fire to the south.”

She understood. Duke Solar wanted peace with House Shadow. Once he knew his northern border was safe…

“He’ll declare war on you,” said Lily.

“Last summer’s attack was just the beginning,” said K’leef bitterly.

“What happened?”

“I was leading a caravan. We had stopped at an oasis to rest and water the camels, and we didn’t have enough guards. His paladins ambushed us. Afterward, he said it had been a mistake, that his men thought we were smugglers. He says I’m his
guest
, but everyone knows I’m his hostage.”

“Your father didn’t retaliate?”

“The duke has made it clear that if the sultan does anything, my head will be removed.”

Lily gulped. “I’m sorry.”

“He wants our wealth and lands, Lady Shadow. Your houses joining would be a disaster for my family.”

“So what’s the answer? Should I marry you instead?”

“Wha…what?” K’leef stumbled. His heel came down on her toe.

“Ow!”

“Er…sorry,” said K’leef. He looked down at his feet as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. “Do you want to start again?”

Lily caught sight of Gabriel. He stood watching, his hands clamped into fists and his face blotchy with rage. “He’s going to take this insult out on you,” said Lily. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you out here.”