(See the end of the chapter for notes .)

Chapter Text

“How much longer do you think that friend of Cassius will be in one of my great cities?” Elodia sat at the loom, gloveless fingers working quickly as she wove the fabric at impossible speed. A plump woman with long grey hair stood beside her, watching for the smallest instruction.

“What, you’re not happy to have him?” the woman teased. In response to the minute twitches in Elodia’s eyes and the progress on the tapestry, she retrieved a shuttle—a long, boat-shaped wooden implement that held a spool of thread—from a box on the floor.

“You don’t think it’s a problem that an Australian king has decided to take up residence in one of my cities for almost a year?”

“You said Cassius gave you no choice.” The woman selected a new colour of yarn, inserted it into the shuttle, and handed it to Elodia.

“He never does, but I know my rights. I’ve been exchanging letters with Queen Zeïneb,” Elodia replied, placing the new shuttle in her lap and then using another shuttle to draw the pick through the lengthwise thread.

“And she has your best interests at heart?”

Elodia rolled her eyes. “Of course not, but I know she wants to embarrass Cassius. And that suits me fine.” She ripped the thread she was working on, slipping the frayed end under some stitches.

“Why not just declare yourself her subject, then? I’m sure she would like to take Genoa from Cassius.”

“You’ll make a terrible vampire.” Elodia smiled, and the woman acknowledged the remark with a small nod. “Cassius hasn’t done anything wrong, yet,” She continued, weaving, alternating between two colours. “But he’s got a strange fondness for William that I might take advantage of.”

“They’re both old ones, you were saying?”

“Yes, and that’s probably all it is. But I think I can push William, make him do something rash. I still don’t know what made him cancel Dipavali, but that was out of character for him. There must be something I can exploit.” The dark, brown-red thread ran out. She tied it off.

“So Cassius will like you, for embarrassing his friend?”

“So he’ll like his friend less, for embarrassing himself.” Elodia smirked, dropping her empty shuttle to the floor.