Crewel

that would be your stance.’
    ‘So which of our lascivious ambassadors do you have in your sights?’ he asks, scanning the room thoughtfully.
    ‘I’m not sure I follow.’
    ‘They do this every year. Host the State of the Guild here so the officials can drool over the new girls. The other coventries host similar state dinners throughout the year.’
    ‘Gross,’ I mutter.
    ‘It is, isn’t it?’ he whispers, amused. ‘But, really, no lucky bachelor this year?’
    ‘I think I’ll let Pryana have her pick,’ I say, watching her simper and pout at the minister.
    ‘I doubt his wife will let him bring her home,’ Erik responds with a wink.
    ‘Wife?’ I pretend to gag.
    ‘Oh, they’re all married,’ he informs me. ‘The young ones’ wives insist on coming, for obvious reasons, but by the time your husband looks like that –’ he tips his head at an older man with more hair in his ears than on his head – ‘you’re happy to let some poor girl take care of business for you.’
    I sigh. ‘I should tell her. She’ll break purity standards and then . . .’
    ‘Why? She hasn’t done you any favours.’ He tightens his grip on my waist to keep me from pulling away to go to her.
    ‘So? She’s being used.’
    ‘As far as I’ve seen, she’s throwing herself at him,’ he says. ‘Shamelessly, I might add.’
    ‘You have a point. It just feels wrong.’
    ‘She’s hoping to move up,’ he says. ‘You all hope there’s some way to rise in the ranks or to escape. The sooner she learns there isn’t, the better.’
    His cold response sucks the air out of me. He may have been talking about Pryana, but he knew I was thinking the same thing.
    ‘Don’t be offended.’ He takes my chin in his hand and draws my face up until our eyes meet. I can see the red of my hair flaming in his deep blue eyes. ‘You aren’t throwing yourself at a fat, old letch.’
    ‘But you know I would take any opportunity to escape,’ I whisper.
    ‘The difference,’ he says, matching his voice to mine, ‘is that you’re smart enough to realise a ploy like that won’t work. You’d have a plan.’
    I blush and turn my face out of his hand so he can’t see my embarrassment.
    ‘In fact,’ he murmurs, leaning against my hair, ‘I can’t wait to see what you’ll try.’
    ‘Try?’ I ask innocently.
    ‘To escape,’ he clarifies, and I stiffen in his arms. ‘No, don’t worry. If you can get out, more power to you. No one ever has before.’
    ‘Perhaps because they depended on men to do it?’ I offer, and look up to see his mouth split into a wide grin.
    ‘See what I mean?’ He laughs and pulls me closer. ‘You’re already smarter than every girl here.’
    ‘Including Maela?’ I spy her out of the corner of my eye, chatting animatedly with a gentleman at the bar. I’m glad she’s otherwise engaged.
    ‘Especially Maela,’ he says, and sighs. ‘She’s not an intellectual. She acts on her whims.’
    ‘She must have had a rough childhood.’
    ‘Yes,’ he says solemnly, ‘there was a serious lack of puppies.’
    I laugh and settle against his chest, glad I’m smart enough not to be cosied up to a drunk old man, but wondering exactly what I’m getting myself into with a charming young one.
    Enora’s voice hissing in my ear pulls me away from the moment. ‘Come with me now.’
    As she drags me away, I shoot Erik an apologetic look. Without wasting any time, Enora pulls me into the powder room.
    ‘What are you thinking?’ she demands.
    ‘I don’t—’
    But she cuts me off with a finger and throws open the door to the toilet. It’s vacant, so she crosses over to the main door and locks it.
    ‘Now?’ I ask.
    ‘Yes,’ she snaps.
    I fold my arms over my bare chest. ‘I’m not sure what you mean.’ Except, of course, I am.
    ‘Don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you.’
    ‘I wasn’t aware that I couldn’t dance.’
    ‘Of course you can dance,’ she responds irritably. ‘You can dance with the old officials. You can even dance with a young one if his wife will let you.’
    ‘But Erik is off-limits because he’s unmarried?’
    ‘No, he’s off-limits because he’s Maela’s,’ she says, throwing up her hands. She’s not usually so dramatic. ‘And in case you missed it, she already hates you.’
    ‘No, I caught that.’ The fun I was having moments ago leaks away. ‘And what do you mean “he’s Maela’s”?’
    ‘Adelice, I know you aren’t stupid.’
    ‘Let’s pretend I