The Passion (22 page)

Such was my confidence in her that, until the moment was past, I had not even considered the danger.

We walked through the great gal ery with its forty-foot ceilings and magnificent tapestries depicting great moments from our past, its fine family portraits, its sculpture and enormous, glittering chandeliers. The gal ery was il uminated by a high dome with many glass panels that refracted sparkling sunlight to even the dimmest corners of the great room, and Tessa twisted her head back, awestruck, to gaze at it as we continued.

There were others in the gal ery, some in wolf form and some not. I nodded to those I knew and received their startled glances and infrequent recoils with what I hoped was cool aplomb, looking for al the world as though strol ing the hal s of Palais Devoncroix with a human on my arm was merely the latest fashion. Nonetheless, while on any other occasion I would have lingered to enjoy the treasures that were on display in that room and would have quite enjoyed sharing them with Tessa, I did not stop to chat or to browse. At times I moved so purposeful y I think Tessa's feet actual y left the ground.

At the end of the hal there was a set of double doors and two attendants, one in wolf form and one in human. It was here that the public area of the palace ended and those with business within were directed further. I was expected, and the attendant, though he did look long and hard at Tessa, told me that Mile. Devoncroix would receive me in the garden room.

We went through the double doors. Another escort took us through the maze of winding corridors to the garden room. Tessa, with thanks to al the powers that rule, was too overawed by al she saw to so much as utter a whisper.

The attendant opened a set of stained-glass doors and stepped back. Without ceremony, we entered.

I had been in this room once before and had found it quite as breathtaking then as Tessa did now. It was a large room floored with colorful Moroccan tiles which formed a mosaic of werewolves in natural and human form tumbling in play in a garden. In the center was a raised fountain whose fal ing waters, I suddenly realized, would disguise the voices within this room from al but the most astute werewolf ears.

On one wal was a hanging garden modeled after the famous terraces of Babylon, and on another a marvel ous Fragonard of maidens at play, ful y twelve meters high and ten long. The other wal was of alternating panels of clear and stained-glass, and it opened out onto an enclosed garden through a set of tal stained-glass doors precisely like the ones through which we had entered.

"Oh, monsieur," Tessa whispered, her eyes enormous and her cheeks flushed with wonder as she looked around. "I've never seen anything more beautiful!"

I was about to agree that this was one of my favorite rooms, but just then the stained-glass doors opened from the garden. Elise Devoncroix, ruler of al our kind, stood there silhouetted in a halo of bright sunlight, and I couldn't speak at al .

I had never seen anything more beautiful.

Chapter Nine

She was a tal female, and strong, with lustrous hair the color and sheen of the sun which fel in satiny waves to her hips. Her figure was long and lithe, her muscles like tempered steel encased in satin, and she was wearing on that occasion a gossamer blue garment, sans shoes, which clung to every curve and sinew with a gentle al ure that would have been envied by a Botticel i maiden. Her features were sharp and alert, her eyes fire blue, her bearing and her movements as graceful as a deer.

She could recite any poem or scrap of musing by whichever human or werewolf you might care to name at any given time. She could sing an aria in a voice so exquisite even humans had been known to fal to their knees weeping. She could play an etude or paint a landscape that could easily rival anything hanging in the Louvre, al while working a logarithm in her head or analyzing a complicated chemical formula as casual y as someone else might read a newspaper. She could outrun any werewolf in the pack, and outhunt them, too. She was perfection personified—which was, of course, why she was now our pack leader.

She came into the room, leaving the doors open to the scented garden behind her. I dropped Tessa's arm and took a few steps forward where, with my eyes politely lowered, I awaited her pleasure.

"Alexander," she said, coming toward me. Her voice was warm and throaty, and it caused the skin along the line of my spine to prickle with pleasure. "How good to see my old dancing partner again. Now that you're here, I must give a bal and show you off!"

She grasped my head and gently drew me to her, testing the scent behind each ear—which traditional y holds the seat of truth—and al owing me to do the same with her. Then she kissed me on either cheek in the way of humans, and stepped back, smiling.

Power became her. She had acquired a poise since I last had met her, a stature that had matured the enchanting young girl I once had known into a queen deserving of the name. Her scent was of certainty and determination, passion and humor, bright air and clean, living things. It was intoxicating.

She glanced at Tessa with a slightly upraised eyebrow. "And so, monsieur, you have brought your little pet for my inspection. I have heard a great deal about her."

"I thought she might amuse you," I put forth with my best effort at nonchalance.

The laughing glance she threw me told me that Elise Devoncroix knew precisely how this human happened to be within her palace wal s—through either her own ears or those of her spies—and found the entire situation vastly entertaining. I was wretched with humiliation to have been bested by a human before the eyes of my queen, but knew my only recourse was to take it in good grace.

I set my jaw, pasted a pleasant expression on my face, and extended my hand to Tessa.

"Mademoisel e Devoncroix, may I present Tessa LeGuerre, daughter of my boyhood friend Stephen, and a human."

Tessa stepped forward, her fingertips barely touching mine, the other arm crossed upon her breast, and she dropped into the most graceful curtsey I have ever seen. "Your Majesty!" she said breathlessly.

Elise clasped her hands together in delight, her eyes sparkling. "But, Alexander, she is as charming as I've heard!"

"She has her moments," I agreed somewhat dryly.

Elise reached out her hand to help Tessa up.

"Tessa LeGuerre, on your feet. And you mustn't address me as 'your majesty,' for I am not your queen, am I? 'Mademoisel e' wil do."

Tessa stood, blushing prettily, her eyes shining with the kind of admiration that Elise, simply by virtue of her nature, effortlessly inspired in everyone, both werewolf and human. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Rarely had I known Tessa to be at a loss for words.

"It's just that—just that you—al of this—you're so magnificent!"

Elise laughed musical y, and I tried hard to keep my lips from twitching. Elise drew Tessa's hand into the crook of her arm and gave it a welcoming pat.

"Alexander, she is a treasure. Come, let's sit by the fountain and be cozy. Tessa, does Alexander treat you wel ? Because if ever he is cruel to you, you have only to send me word and I wil have him publicly stoned."

I caught Elise's teasing look, but Tessa did not. She replied sincerely, "Oh, no, mademoisel e, I wouldn't want that! Although," she added in a slightly altered tone, "if the same should apply to a certain manservant, I'm sure I shouldn't object."

Elise laughed again and left us to the cushioned benches at the foot of the fountain while she took her own chair upon the dais a few steps above. It was a charming nook, surrounded by greenery and the splash of water, and one might have been deceived into imagining it a place conducive to nothing more than a harmless chat between friends.

Yet, screened from sight, sound and scent as it was, the little garden alcove would also make a perfect interrogation room.

My admiration for her skil —smooth, gracious and utterly disarming—almost overcame my trepidation.

Or perhaps it was only my guilt working imaginary anxieties. I had just spent a winter abroad in the company of outlaws, and upon my return I was summoned immediately to the Palais and taken to a soundproof, private audience with the queen; perhaps I could be forgiven my uneasiness.

Elise said, "I enjoyed a bottle of your wine last evening, Alexander. I believe this wil be your very best vintage."

"You have an excel ent palate, mademoisel e," I returned, pleased. "It wil be at its ful est flavor this year and the early part of next."

"I have put it in my personal cel ar but would like to order more, if I may, as gifts."

I told her I would have my vigneron contact her steward without delay, and we chatted for a few moments longer about other neutral subjects. Tessa was rapt upon our every word but did not once interrupt. Sometimes, I was beginning to think, I underestimated her, and on the whole it was al going much better than I had any right to hope.

And then Elise said, "How good it must be for you to be settled home again after so much travel ing. I hope we provincials won't prove too dul for you now."

"Never a danger of that, mademoisel e," I assured her gal antly.

"Wel , at least you can keep us entertained with tales of al your adventures. Where was it last—

Siberia?"

My spirits sank. She knew.

"You flatter me to take such notice of my poor comings and goings." From now on every word would be weighed and measured for its dozens of possible meanings, our very conversation a dance of diplomatic possibilities. I hated these games. And loved them.

But she was more direct than I expected. "And how did you find matters there?" she inquired, with the politest of interest.

I smiled. "Very cold."

"Winter is perhaps not the most propitious season for such a journey."

"I shal remember that in the future."

She held my gaze gently, steadily. I tried not to blink. She said,"Now, monsieur, I may have to reconsider asking you to entertain at my next soiree if you cannot tel a tale better than that. You have travel ed al the way to Siberia in the dead of winter, and al you have to say for the journey is that it was cold? Did nothing happen to you along the way worth mentioning at al ?"

It took every ounce of wil at my command to restrain my heartbeat, to keep my voice light. I could feel a smal sweat break out upon the back of my neck and knew in another moment she would smel it. The best I could do to save myself was to tel as little of the truth as I could manage to justify myself.

"Very little," I told her. "St. Petersburg was beautiful, but no one we know was there. I made a stop at the Winter Palace, but the Czar and Czarina were not in residence. I travel ed north for a time and hunted elk and caribou. I'm afraid I had a minor scrap with some northern dwel ers, but I came out of it with my skin and hurried home."

"Indeed? That sounds exciting."

I could no longer meet her eyes. "Not real y," I hedged. "I didn't acquit myself very wel and find the whole thing rather embarrassing."

She might have let it go at that. At least I convinced myself at that moment that she might have. But the instant I had finished speaking, Tessa began to fidget beside me and before I could find a way to forestal her, she burst out, "Why don't you tel her?"

I couldn't believe it. I felt my face and my fingertips grow cold, and for that one crucial instant when I might have stopped her—if anything this side of heaven or hel actual y could be thought to have a chance of stopping Tessa—I could do nothing but stare at her.

Elise's eyes narrowed, although her voice held that same relaxed, mildly conversational tone as she inquired, "So, is there a story after al ? Indeed, Alexander, why don't you tel me?"

I tried desperately to recoup. "Because there's nothing to tel . Real y, mademoisel e, the one thing you must understand about this wretched little human is that she's hopelessly given to exaggeration—"

"I am not!" Tessa insisted, and got to her feet.

"Actual y, Mademoisel e, he's only being modest.

Perhaps he doesn't want you to know how he fought for your honor and almost lost his life—"

"My honor, is it?" Elise's eyebrows went up and she sat back in her chair, her attention fixed upon Tessa. "My dear child, please tel ."

I could do nothing but listen in helpless, desperate resignation as Tessa told. Blithely, eagerly and barely pausing for breath between statements, she informed the queen—the woman I most wanted to impress in the world—that I was related to a traitor, involved with a covert, outlaw organization, and had conspired in a plot to overtake the throne. She didn't miss a detail: Denis's elaborate plan to insinuate himself into the palace using my connections and then to seduce the queen into accepting him as her mate; my initial admiration of his proposal and eventual refusal of it; my precipitous departure from the house; the trap Denis set for me; and the attack by his minions. Of course, Tessa made me sound quite the hero; of course, she couldn't have known any better; of course, in human culture, interfering in the affairs of another can be a perfectly acceptable, even admirable, thing to do. Had I had the strength left in my arms, after listening to her destroy my status and future word by word, I would have strangled her.

I expected guards to appear as soon as she had finished speaking; the best I hoped for was that I would be dragged from the grounds and ordered never to return. But even as I tensed myself for the onslaught of brutal hands—or perhaps even teeth—