“Sorry, my lady.” She bobs in a curtsy. “Almost done, I promise.” And she picks up another one of the myriad cheeses and nibbles on it.
The cook should just send up an entire wheel of cheese so I can gnaw on it, instead of all these teeny tiny wedges that all have to be tasted. I bite back a sigh.
“Will Lord Aron consider a parlay with the enemy?” Halla asks. “To discuss terms?”
“Seeing as the whole goal is for them to kill each other? Highly doubt it.” I clasp my hands behind my back and pace back and forth. “The goal here is for each one to murder the other’s anchor so they can be the last one standing. There’s no peaceful way about this—”
“What are you doing?” Solat’s low, casual voice distracts me.
I turn to look at him, confused, but he’s not watching me. He’s staring at the maid, who’s frozen in place as she hovers over the tray.
Halla and I exchange a look. “What’s the problem?” I ask.
“I’m done, my lady,” the maid says brightly, curtsying again. “All safe.” She turns and heads for the door, but Solat steps in front of it, blocking her.
The queen’s guards bristle with attention, and everyone’s staring at the maid.
She bows her head. “Please, I would like to go back to the kitchens now.”
“You weren’t eating Lady Faith’s food,” Solat says casually, arms crossed. “You were just pretending to.”
“O-of course I was,” the maid stammers. She looks at me and the queen. “I ate a bite out of everything, just like I was asked. You can look at the cheese.”
I pick up a piece, which does have tooth-marks in it. “It’s bitten—”
“I’m sure it is. But I also saw her spitting out each bite. That’s very curious, isn’t it?” He tilts his head, his handsome features growing hard as he stares at the maid. “You put the food in the front of your dress.”
The woman looks shocked, her hand going to the front of her gown. “You just want to see down it. Is that what this is? Harassing a servant—”
This entire situation seems odd, but after all the time I’ve spent with Solat? I trust him. “I’ll look if you’re worried about a man seeing your boobs,” I offer. “If he’s wrong, I’m sure he’ll apologize nicely.” And I smile at her.
Her face goes pale as she looks at me. A second later, she turns and tries to race to the far end of the room, not that there’s anywhere to go. She just wants to get away. As the men run after her, she races toward the window, as if she’s going to fling herself out of it. Solat tackles her before the guards can, and then the sobbing girl is lifted to her feet even as bits of food spill to the ground around her.
“You were trying to kill Lady Faith, weren’t you?” Solat snarls, and I’ve never seen him so angry.
“No!” she cries.
“Then eat this.” He grabs a cake from the tray and holds it to her lips. “Go on. Take a bite out of it right now and swallow.”
Her mouth trembles and she stares at him long and hard, but never moves toward the food.
My jaw drops. I stare, hoping that he’s wrong, that she’ll eat the damn thing and show him he’s overreacting, but she just starts to cry.
“Did the Adassians send you?” He grabs her jaw, startling me with how rough he is. “Did they?”
“I am faithful to Lord Aron of the Cleaver,” she cries, collapsing at his feet.
I can’t believe it. Someone just tried to kill me and I wasn’t even paying attention. I was freaking impatient because I was hungry. I knew my food was being tasted for such a thing but I didn’t really think someone was going to do it. Numb, I watch the girl weep as two guards move forward and pick her up from the floor.
“I don’t understand. How did they find out I’m here?” I ask, approaching the woman.
“Who else would sit with the queen?” She cringes back from me, trying to wrestle free from the guards. “I am faithful to Lord Aron!” she wails again when Solat leans in.
“So am I! What the hell?” My shout startles her and she stares at me with wide eyes. I thump a fist against my chest. “You think