Trick of Shadows (The Duskhunter Saga Book 2) by Sara Roethle (free e books to read .TXT) 📕

heads remain upright with such tall hair? I’d seen such garb on rare occasions growing up, but I was far more used to village girls in simple dresses, with their hair hanging in practical plaits.

A woman emerged from the home Bastien had pointed out. Her lilac dress looked like it weighed more than three other ladies’ dresses put together. Her hair was pure silver with age, but appeared silken in texture, piled into artificial ringlets atop her head. Jewels embellished her bodice and her throat.

“That’s her?” I asked Bastien.

“Yes, Lady Montrant. She and the duchess were close friends for many years.”

I looked to Steifan. “Find a place with Bastien to look inconspicuous. I want to know if anyone watches me questioning the lady with too much interest. Don’t question anyone, just note who might be watching and ask Bastien for their names.”

Steifan seemed hesitant. “Do you want to question her yourself? Are you sure you know how to speak properly?”

I scowled. “They will understand my words well enough.”

Bastien tugged Steifan’s sleeve. “Come, I know just the place. No one will notice us watching.”

Steifan gave me one last hesitant look, then allowed Bastien to guide him away.

I turned my attention to Lady Montrant, now seated at a table with two other ladies while a servant poured them tea. I started walking toward them, then froze mid-step, sensing a dull thrum of energy from the Seeing Sword. It was the first time it had awoken since the night of Karpov’s death.

I looked around, but no one was watching me, let alone threatening me. Perhaps it was nothing, though it did make me realize the sword had been quiet around the duke. If he was trying to cover up his wife’s murder, surely the sword would have seen him as a threat?

I shook my head minutely and kept walking, stopping in front of Lady Montrant’s table.

“My ladies,” I said, encompassing the two younger women with Lady Montrant in my gaze. “Do you mind if I join you?” I gestured to the empty chair at their table.

The two younger women seemed to shrink as they looked up at me, while Lady Montrant seemed to grow. Her spine stiffened and her narrow nose raised. “I imagine this is about Charlotte? I can see no other reason for a hunter to be in this part of the city.”

I ignored the subtle insult, not bothering to argue that many hunters came from noble families, and could fit in well amongst the wealthy. “Yes, this is about Charlotte. I’m told you and she were close friends. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“Close friends.” She snorted. “Very well, have a seat.”

I pulled out the remaining seat and lowered myself less than gracefully, snatching one of the pastries from the table on my way down. Lady Montrant already didn’t like me, so I might as well skip the niceties.

I took a bite of the pastry, chewed and swallowed. “Were Duke and Duchess Auclair struggling with coin?”

The lady’s jaw fell open, showing healthy teeth, a rarity in someone her age. Or at least a rarity in the small villages. I imagined many in this part of the city still had all their teeth. She shut her jaw with a click. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“I was just at their home. It is a grand estate, but there are few grand treasures within.” I took another bite of pastry, enjoying the sweet, flaky crust.

The lady seemed to think about her answer while her two companions pretended they were not in the middle of our conversation, politely sipping their tea.

She started to reach for her own tea, then pulled her gloved hand away. “Very well. Yes, Charlotte was struggling with coin. I grew tired of sponsoring her every time we were out. I told her as much roughly two weeks ago. I now feel great remorse for what I said to her.”

She didn’t look like she felt great remorse. She looked like she didn’t really care at all that her friend was gone.

I decided on another tactic. “Do you know if Charlotte felt like anyone was watching her? Had she met anyone new?”

The Lady Montrant smiled a secretive smile, deepening the furrows around her thin lips. “Charlotte met many new people, if you understand my meaning.”

Was she implying that Charlotte was less than faithful in her marriage? Perhaps to earn extra coin? I couldn’t think of any way to ask my questions that wouldn’t have the lady calling for guards to escort me away, but I would remember the implication.

“Do you know if Charlotte kept a journal?” I asked.

The Lady Montrant stood, her movements quickly echoed by the two younger ladies. The lady looked down at me. “If Charlotte had a journal, it would be filled with the blatherings of a simpleton. Now if we’re quite finished, I have things to do.”

I nodded. “If I have further questions, I’ll visit your home.”

Her eyes went wide for just a heartbeat, but I didn’t miss it, and I would remember it. “Very well,” she snapped, then turned and walked away. Her two ladies curtsied, then followed Lady Montrant across the square.

I watched them go, then looked down at the platter of uneaten pastries, and the three mostly full cups of tea. I highly doubted the lady had anywhere urgent to be. She had planned on a long teatime.

I took another pastry for myself, and two more, one for Steifan and one for Bastien. We now had two suspects in the crime, the duke, and the Lady Montrant. I was anxious to see if Steifan and Bastien had spotted any more to add to the list.

I stood and looked around, remembering the slight warning from the Seeing Sword. While a few ladies watched me curiously, none watched threateningly.

But the threat was another thing to remember. Just because I was around civilized folk, didn’t mean I could lower my guard. If anything, it meant I should raise it.

Bastien and Steifan found