The Mask of Mirrors by M. Carrick; (lightest ebook reader txt) š
- Author: M. Carrick;
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āLeato, thatās enough,ā Donaia cut in briskly. āYouāll give Alta Renata the impression that the only law that rules here is power.ā
If it werenāt for years of practice at forcing smiles at people like Era Traementis, Renās anger might have caused her to lose character entirely. Power was the only law in Nadežra, and the Traementis knew it too well to pretend otherwise. The only saving grace was that all three were clearly united in loathing Mezzanābecause that meant Ren didnāt have to mouth words of approval just to continue ingratiating herself with them.
āHow dreadful,ā she murmured, trying to achieve the disinterested condemnation of someone unfamiliar with the parties involved. āIs the theatrical still playing? Iāve half a mind to go see it.ā
āSadly, no,ā Leato said. āThey couldnāt find another actor willing to take the role, so the backers pulled it to save face.ā
āAre we talking about The Thief of the Old Island? Dreadful production. Mezzan did Nadežra a favor, getting it shut down. I donāt understand what Her Elegance was thinking, approving it.ā
The woman who spoke reminded Renata powerfully of Letilia. Not in appearanceāher hair was pale gold instead of honey brown, her face all sharp features in a heart-shaped frameābut she shared the same air of ruthless social dominance, always alert for the scent of a competitor.
Letilia, however, wouldnāt have shown nearly so much care to the elderly woman in the wheeled chair beside her. āYou agree, donāt you, Grandmama?ā the young woman asked. āThe play was dreadful, you said.ā
Sheād pitched her voice to carry, and still a moment passed before the confusion cleared from the older womanās oddly unlined face. āAh yes. That thing. Dreadful. Couldnāt understand a word of it. Why are you bringing it up?ā
āNo reason.ā Smiling, the young woman transferred her attention. āGiuna, dearest! If Iād known you were coming to the Gloria, I would have included you in our party. Grandmama has arranged for coffee and cakes later. Grandmama, surely room can be made to include Alta Giuna and her family?ā
It was hard to tell if the old woman didnāt hear or was deliberately ignoring her granddaughter in favor of staring down Renata. Despite being in a chair, she managed to convey an impression of looking very much down.
Donaia stepped in before things grew more uncomfortable. āAlta Renata, may I present Alta Carinci and her granddaughter Sibiliat, heir of House Acrenix. Altas, this is Renata Viraudax, recently of Seteris.ā
Renataās smile as she curtsied was as much for Donaiaās words as for the people in front of her. Recently of Seterisānot a visitor from Seteris. Whether she realized it or not, Donaia was beginning to resign herself to her ānieceāsā presence in the city.
And meeting the Acrenix women was a social coup. Their family had never held a seat in the Cinquerat, but their head, Eret Ghiscolo Acrenix, was the most influential noble in the city outside that council of five. āIām delighted,ā Renata said, quite sincerely. āI understand from my mother that your house is one of the oldest in Nadežra.ā
āMother?ā Alta Carinci squinted at Renata, as much as a woman could squint when her skin seemed stretched taut over bone. āHa! You said she couldnāt possibly look familiar,ā she crowed, her bent finger pointing first at Sibiliat, then redirecting toward Renata. āSheās the image of Lecilla, except better-mannered and with a nicer voice. No wonder you look sour in the puss, eh?ā That last was directed at Donaia, accompanied by a smirk.
Donaiaās expression grew even more brittle. āI donāt know what youāā
āClearly, you donāt. Letting your poor niece wander alone. What were you thinking, allowing her to talk to that Vargo character?ā
āGrandmama!ā Sibiliatās expression of horror was a little too delighted to be earnest.
Carinci was clearly the sort of woman who reveled in the freedoms granted by power, wealth, and age. āIām not saying he isnāt pretty to look at, but you canāt wash off that Lower Bank dirt, no matter how hard you scrub.ā
āYour pardon, alta,ā Renata said, breaking in. āIām afraid you misunderstand. Itās true my mother is LetiliaāLecillaāwho was Giancoās sister, but sheās no longer in the Traementis family register. So I am not Era Traementisās niece.ā
She let a touch of regret flavor the words. Carinci scoffed. āRegistered or not, unless your mother is here with youāno? Of course she isnātāthen Donaia should be looking after you and who you associate with. Gossip leaves dirt on everything around it.ā
āHow fortunate, then, that Renata is joining us for dinner next week,ā Donaia snapped. āI donāt need you, Alta Carinci, to remind me of my duty to my familyāeven those who arenāt in the register.ā
Renata smothered a triumphant smile. Her flirtation with Vargo, though a misstep, had transformed into useful leverage. Where sweet words failed, public pressure succeeded. āEra Traementis has been very kind to me,ā she hastened to assure Carinci. āThe fault lies with my mother, and with myself. I donāt know my way around Nadežra and its people.ā
āThen let me be your guide.ā Sibiliat reached for her hands, and Renata controlled the urge to pull back. Sheād seen Letilia engage in this kind of fight often enough to recognize it for what it was: claws sheathed in velvet. āWe must make sure you have good stories to take back to Seteris.ā
Want me out of your city, do you? Better and better. Judging by Donaiaās behavior, she didnāt like the Acrenix womenāwhich meant she would like watching Renata threaten Sibiliatās dominance of the social scene.
But Sibiliat was too clever to give Renata her back. As if an idea had just come to her, she made a small, delighted sound. āLeato! A few of us are going on a ramble tonight. You simply must join, and bring your cousin along.ā Leaning close to Renataāa shift that emphasized her advantage in heightāshe said, āThereās a new card parlour on the Old Island that does pattern readings.ā
Giuna perked at Sibiliatās suggestion. āIāve never had my pattern
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