Marion Basilisque could not believe how much her life had changed in the past year. Why, it seemed just days ago she had been following that brat Oudine like a shadow, doing her bidding and putting up with her nasty demeanor. Now here she was, on the morning of her natality, in the fine patron quarters on Balm House, in bed with her lover, the man she had pined over for as long as she could remember. He had taken her to Balm to celebrate her—to celebrate her—with a night of relaxation and love, brought a handsome young man to attend to them, and now here they were, nude in bed, enjoying an overabundance of delicious chocolates from her favorite chocolatier. The bedclothes were piled with wrappings from the candy they had been feeding each other.
“Oh, Évrard, I still cannot believe you have done all of this for me!” Marion said happily. “You are so attentive. No one has ever done anything this kind and generous for me before. Why, I don’t think even my family has taken so much care on my natality.”
Évrard chuckled. “Well I certainly hope you have not spent nights like this with your family, my love.” He gave her a gentle kiss and picked up a chocolate, unwrapping it and feeding it to her. He tossed the pretty paper onto the duvet.
Marion gave a squeal of surprise and playfully smacked his bare shoulder as she chewed the candy. “You know that’s not what I meant!”
“Of course, dearest.” His eyes sparkled. “I just love teasing you.” He lay back in the bed, pulling her into his arms. “Did you have an enjoyable night?”
“You know I did.” Marion sighed and looked into her lover’s eyes. She could not believe that Évrard had chosen her. That he was with her. That he loved her. “This has been…everything.” She ran her hand down his chest, tracing circles with her fingers. “Did you catch what the adepts were saying in the salon last night while we were eating?”
Évrard’ ears perked up. While he considered himself a proper gentleman, city gossip had always been a weakness of his, and Marion knew this. “Why no, I did not. What did you overhear?” He curled his body around his lover’s so that they were face to face. Wrappings from their chocolates fell to the floor as they moved under the bedclothes.
Marion’s eyes lit up. She, too, adored city gossip, and they spent many an evening speculating on all manner of social politics. “Two young girls were speaking of a meeting of all the Dowaynes—all of them, Évrard, can you imagine!—just a few weeks past at Cereus House. In addition to the Dowaynes, Odilia was there! So, they must have been talking of her ‘situation,’ as it were. You know she left the city several months ago and was gone for weeks? Well, the adepts were starting to say something about the Duc de Chalasse when the Second came over and chastised them for gossiping in front of patrons. Now, we all are well aware that everyone in this city speaks to everyone of goings on, so this must be of great importance and secrecy if this is being kept quiet.”
Évrard nodded and stroked Marion’s hair. “Yes, that is strange. And the entire city is on tenterhooks over Odilia’s situation, so I do not understand why this would be kept from anyone. Perhaps we chose the wrong adept to join us last night.” His gaze was wicked.
Marion giggled. “Well…I don’t know about that…I enjoyed myself…and it appeared you did, too, my darling.” She blushed, thinking back to the prior evening’s activities.
“Oh yes, I certainly did.” He gave her a soft smile. “But it is most important that you were pleased.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I only want you to be happy.”
“Oh Évrard.” She cupped his cheek. “Some days I have to pinch myself simply to ensure that I am not dreaming. That this is indeed real. How am I so fortunate as to have you?”
“Blessed Elua and Naamah have smiled upon us, have they not?”
She sighed and smiled at him. Then her eyes widened. “Oh! I forgot something else I heard.”
Évrard blinked, shaken from his reverie by Marion’s sudden change of demeanor. “Oh, yes, love?”
“Well, it was quite fascinating. There appears to be some…something…going on at Cereus House. No one will say what, but shouting has been overheard by the stablehands and grooms. No one inside the house will say anything about it. Quite tight lipped, they are. Adepts of other Houses and Cereus patrons have noticed an Eisandine chirurgeon visiting—and not as a patron, it is said. And, again, everyone is quite tight lipped about it. It is the strangest thing. No one can discern if there are instructions not to speak or if the adepts and servants simply do not wish to speak out of loyalty to whomever is ill, but you must admit it is odd.”
Évrard nodded, his face drawn in thought. He ate a chocolate, his mind spinning. “Hmm…that is odd, although I have heard nothing of this.”
“It seems no one has, and no one can pry any information out of anyone. I do wonder what is happening.”
Évrard hummed in agreement. “My cousin is visiting Cereus House tomorrow night. I shall ask him to look into this.”
“Oh, yes! You must. Évrard, we have these two large secrets here in the Night Court. Why do you think that no one wants them getting out? What could be of such great importance?” Marion felt almost concerned. “Do you think there is something amiss here? We know what happened with the Judiciary last year. Do you think there is somewhat similar going on? Is there some danger or threat to the Night Court that the Dowaynes wish to keep hidden?” Marion took another piece of chocolate and bit into it. The pile of wrappings on the bed continued to grow as they spoke.
“Hmm…that could be. But how might an illness at Cereus House and the Dowaynes meeting about Odilia be connected?”
“Well…” Marion thought for a moment, her brows drawn. “What if they weren’t meeting about Odilia, but she simply attended the meeting in her position of Second of Dahlia House? Surely that could be allowed, yes?”
Évrard nodded. “True enough. So, what then?”
“What if the meeting was to discuss this illness at Cereus House? What if, say, the Dowayne or Second of the House is…dying?” Marion’s voice rose. “What if one of them has some terrible sickness? What if that is why all of the leaders had to meet? What if they must plan for another funeral?” Her hand flew to her mouth.
Évrard gathered her in his arms, chuckling. The chocolate wrappings crinkled as the sheets tangled underneath them. “Oh, my darling, you are working yourself into a tizzy. I am sure it is nothing that dramatic. If the Dowayne or Second of the House was ill or had some…condition…that would not be kept quiet. No one could keep a secret like that!”
Marion sighed, calming. “Yes. Yes, you are right. If anything were happening to the Dowayne or Second, the news would have gotten out.”
“Of course. I suspect one of the adepts has taken ill or has injured themselves in some embarrassing fashion, and the House has been instructed not to speak of it. The yelling is likely some discipline gone awry. Again, embarrassing to the House if word were to spread.” He fed Marion another chocolate, which she chewed daintily.
“Ohhh, yes, that is like to be the situation. And the Dowaynes?”
Évrard thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Unconnected. The royal wedding is coming. It is like the House leaders met to discuss plans for it. As I said, Odilia was attending as Second of Dahlia.”
“But what of her situation with the king? Or the Duc de Chalasse?” Marion questioned.
“I think that, with the king being wedded, her days as his lover are sadly over. The king must produce an heir, and an adept of the Night Court cannot do that. The king must focus on his new bride. No queen would allow for formal or long term liaisons on Mont Nuit. Perhaps Odilia will be attending the wedding with the Duc de Chalasse?”
Marion made a sound of agreement. “That would make sense.” She sat up and made to grab for another chocolate, but found only piles of empty wrappings. She grasped, looking around the bed. “Oh, Évrard! We have eaten the entire bag of chocolates! Look at this terrible mess we have made!”
Évrard surveyed the bed, which was indeed, covered in candy wrappings. He craned his neck and saw more wrappings on the floor. Seeing Marion’s shocked expression, he could not help but burst into laughter.
Marion’s hand flew to her breast. “How can you laugh? Look at this!”
Évrard’s laughter grew harder, and he clutched his belly, tears springing to his eyes. “I am sorry, my dear,” he gasped. “But I do find it comical!”
“How can you laugh? Someone will have to clean up!”
After a moment, Évrard was finally able to calm himself. He took a deep breath. “Marion. How can you not appreciate the humor in the two of us eating an entire pound of chocolates? I meant for that to be a gift to you to enjoy over time. And here we are, having devoured the entire bag in a single morning, before breakfast. And you must admit, this is quite the sight.” His eyes grew soft as he saw her concern. “My darling. I can think of nothing better than lying in bed, eating sweets with you.”
Marion nodded slowly. “Well, yes. Yes, I suppose this has been a lovely morning.” She gave her lover a small smile. “And I, too, can think of no better way to spend my time than here with you.”
The two embraced and fell back under the covers.
Distracted as they were, they had not heard the adept in the hallway, knocking to announce their breakfast. The young man had been standing in the slightly opened door for several minutes, listening intently to their conversation.