The Shadows Between Us

Alessandra plans her ball, which has the theme “Jewels of the Queen’s Garden” (249), reluctantly aided by Kallias’s scribe, Epaphras. Hestia demands to know if Alessandra is truly using the queen’s rooms, eager for any detail. As they leave the ballroom, they spot Orrin, who gives Alessandra a heartbroken look. Alessandra tries to talk to him, a ruse to steal his seal, but he brushes her off. Kallias hears of their exchange, prompting Alessandra to explain her father’s efforts to secure a large “bride price” for her. Kallias is aghast at Sergio’s plan essentially to sell his daughter. Kallias asks about Alessandra’s plans for the future, and she confesses, without thinking, to wanting marriage but not being sure about children. She scolds herself for becoming too comfortable with a mark but is surprised and pleased when Kallias says he feels the same way. They discuss Kallias’s ancestors, including one who lived for more than 700 years, and Alessandra wonders if Kallias will wait that long before marrying and having children. Her reminder that she will age and die while he remains in shadows seems to give him pause.

Invoking a childhood love of mischief, Alessandra asks Kallias to help her sneak into Orrin’s rooms.