wasnât me heâd wanted. The assistant priest lurked in the shadows, white robes an echo of the marble walls beyond the flickering candles, still wearing that deep cowl. I hadnât heard him speak before and now I imagined his twisted whisper came from a reptilian face, scarred into a monsterâs visage.
Standing, I put a hand over my belly. âYes. I prefer to be alone.â
Instead of leaving, he sidled closer. âThey did a good job of replacing the window. Itâs even grander this timeâa great tribute to the glory of our goddess.â
âYes.â I held my ground, though he came nearer. My heart thumped, but I had no reason to be afraid. Or did I? That flash of utter hatred in his eyes had seemed so vivid in that moment. Surely those dark memories of the past, on top of the attack today, had made me jumpy. My personal guard was right outside. Besides, no harm could come to me here, under Gloriannaâs gaze.
âAll hail Glorianna.â He spoke to the rose window, and I started to echo the prayer, until I broke off, realizing heâd said it with irony, not reverence. He turned his head in an abrupt, liquid movement, and I startled, jumping back and losing my footing on the risers. His hand snaked out and seized my shoulder, steadying me. âDonât fall, Princess. You wouldnât want to risk the precious burden you carry.â
âUnhand me.â
He let me go and held up his hands, surprisingly brown and weathered for a priest. âNo offense, Your Highness. I meant only to assist in your time of need.â
âWith my balance or with prayer?â
âYes.â
âAre you playing games with me?â
âWith the future Queen of Avonlidgh and she known throughout the land as Gloriannaâs avatar? Why would I risk myself in such a way?â
âMy sister does thatâanswers a question with a question.â
âIndeed.â
âSo which is it, balance or prayer?â
âPrayer is a form of self-reflection that leads to balance, but you donât need my help. Glorianna is within you. She hears you without assistance from such as me.â
âThatâs close to blasphemous.â
âAnd yet Glorianna does not strike me down for my words.â
âWho are you?â I tried to demand in my usual way, but my words came out sounding frightened.
âWhat more do you need to know, but that I am a priest of Glorianna and thus trustworthy?â
âWho once again refuses to answer my question. I could have you punished for your impertinence.â
His gaze flashed from the shadow of the cowl, like a catâs eyes at night. âBut you wonât do that, will you, Amelia?â
âI wonât, if you leave me in peace.â
âPeace is an expensive commodityâI highly doubt you can afford it.â
âWhat in Gloriannaâs name does that mean?â
âOnly that peaceâtrue inner peaceâcomes from seeing yourself clearly and accepting who you are.â
I looked away, bothered that I couldnât see his face. Bothered that there might be nothing in me to see. âYou presume far too much for a lowly assistant priest. You understand nothing about me.â
âLooking in a mirror to fix your pretty face isnât the same as seeing yourself.â
The impertinenceâand the uncomfortable parallel to my own thoughtsâmade me gasp, and I swung on him, full of imperial rage.
âYour Highness!â High Priest Kir called from the rear of the chapel. âHad I known you intended to come here, I would have been here sooner. I will assist with your prayers.â
The assistant priest faded back, but a breath of a laugh made me think he mocked Kir and me both.
âI shall retire, then, sir.â Heâd folded those coarse, tanned hands into his loose sleeves and bowed his face.
âYes, yes.â Kir waved him away, busying himself with