Part 14 (1/2)
”I confess he gives me the s.h.i.+vers. It's his eyes: so lifeless, so cold...”
Celestine nodded, still shaken.
”He's busy arranging the fireworks for the ball. I'm told his displays are the most splendid to be seen in the whole quadrant.”
”Does he make them here in the palace?” Celestine asked, recovering herself a little.
”He has his own laboratory, although I've never visited it.”
”Isn't that a little risky, working with gunpowder so close to the royal apartments?”
”It's in the stable block, at some distance from the main wing. But rumor has it that he has set up invisible wards that repel any unwelcome visitors.”
”Ow!” wailed the Empress as her maid Nadezhda struggled to lace her into the shepherdess's costume. ”Must you pull quite so tight?”
Celestine watched in silence, wondering if they would ever be alone so that she could break the news to Astasia. If anyone were to overhear, she would be arrested for speaking treason against the Emperor. And if the cold-eyed countess was spying on them outside...
”Now the wig.” Nadezhda eased the soft white curls into place.
”And a mask.” Astasia took the gilded mask from Nadezhda and put it on. ”Stand next to me, Celestine.”
Celestine obeyed.
”We are a good match in stature. I think this costume will suit our needs very well.”
Celestine nodded. ”Then Jagu will come as a shepherd.”
”Nadezhda,” Astasia said. ”You remember what we agreed?”
Nadezhda bobbed a little curtsy. ”I'll go whisper your requests to the costumier straightaway.”
Astasia made sure the door was firmly bolted after her. Then she handed a gilded mask identical to her own to Celestine and tied the golden ribbons securely behind her ears to stop it from slipping. Then they checked their reflections in the mirror, masked faces close together.
”Perfect,” said Astasia. ”Who would guess? We look like identical twins.”
Now, before Nadezhda comes back.
”Did you know, highness,” said Celestine, taking off the mask, ”that Kaspar Linnaius, whom we saw earlier, is no ordinary scientist?”
”I had some notion, yes,” Astasia said, fiddling with her wig. ”I know that he has placed certain wards on the palace here and its grounds to protect us from harm.”
”But were you also aware,” and Celestine dropped her voice, ”of his other talents? Or that his t.i.tle is not a fanciful conceit? He is a wind mage, able to bend the winds to his will.”
”I had no idea!”
Celestine could not see the Empress's expression clearly but she noticed that her hands had fallen away from the wig.
”In the conflict between Francia and Tielen, your husband's father, Prince Karl, won a decisive victory over my countrymen in a sea battle off the Saltyk Peninsula. At the height of the battle, a terrible storm broke and many of the Francian fleet were blown into the rocks.”
”The seas around the Saltyk Peninsula can be treacherously unpredictable,” Astasia said lightly, taking off the heavy wig and replacing it on its stand, ”even in the best of weather.”
”And Prince Karl was Kaspar Linnaius's patron.”
”I don't think we should be talking of this, Celestine...”
I can't stop now; she must hear it all. ”Your brother's s.h.i.+p, the ”Your brother's s.h.i.+p, the Sirin, Sirin, went down in a storm that blew up out of nowhere. On a calm, moonlit night.” went down in a storm that blew up out of nowhere. On a calm, moonlit night.”
There came a loud rap on the door. Someone rattled the door handle.
”Imperial highness!” It was Countess Lovisa's voice. ”Why is your door bolted?”
”I'm in dishabille!” Astasia beckoned Celestine to the fireplace. She pressed the marble acanthus leaf on the right and as a panel slowly slid into the wall, Celestine heard the grating of hidden machinery.
”A secret pa.s.sageway?”
Astasia's voice dropped to a whisper. ”I'm desperate to hear more, but it's best if you leave now. I'm certain that Lovisa has been spying on me. We mustn't arouse her suspicions.”
”I understand.” Celestine bent low to enter the secret pa.s.sage.
”It opens onto the shrubbery near the Orangery, but be careful there is no one about to see you.”
”With so many people around for the ball, it won't be difficult to disappear into the crowd.”
”Nadezhda will have the costumes delivered to your lodgings.”
”Are you dressed yet, highness?” called a voice from the corridor.
Astasia gave a little groan. ”Lovisa again. Go.”
She touched the acanthus leaf again and the panel slid to, leaving Celestine in the dark of the secret pa.s.sageway, frustrated that the prying countess had interrupted their conversation before she had finished warning Astasia about the Magus.
”Are all the arrangements made?” Andrei's eyes were dark-shadowed as if he had not slept.
”The Melusine Melusine is waiting at Haeven to take you to safety in Francia, highness,” said Jagu. ”We have a cabin prepared for your sister too, should she choose to leave with you.” is waiting at Haeven to take you to safety in Francia, highness,” said Jagu. ”We have a cabin prepared for your sister too, should she choose to leave with you.”
”I can't bear to think of her sharing that man's bed a moment longer.” Andrei rose and began to pace the little room restlessly.
Jagu exchanged a surrept.i.tious glance with Celestine. Both were aware how risky a game they were playing and the strain of waiting was obviously beginning to tell on Andrei. Jagu had already had enough of humoring the Muscobite prince's unpredictable mood swings but was unwilling-for reasons he couldn't quite define-to leave Andrei and Celestine alone together.
”Delivery from the palace for Demoiselle de Joyeuse!” called the innkeeper. A moment later, he came puffing up the stairs, carrying a wicker hamper.
”Costumes!” Celestine flung open the lid and pulled out the silky flounces of the shepherdess's dress, followed by breeches and a silken jacket of the same powder blue.
”Wigs,” announced the innkeeper, reappearing to deposit two boxes. Celestine took out a white-powdered wig and presented it to Andrei.
”You can't mean I have to wear this?” His dismayed expression was so comical that she burst into delighted laughter. ”But I'll look like a travest travest!”