Veiled Innocence (Book One, The Soul Cycle) Read Free Page B

very moment. Eventually, she would have to give it back.
    At the thought, a surge of protectiveness surged through her . Who said she had to give it back? Maybe whoever lost it didn’t even realize it was missing. And if they didn’t know, who was she to cause them false alarm? Maybe, just maybe , she would hang onto it for a while and wait to see if anyone said anything about a missing necklace.
    She blinked hard. Where had that come from? She ha d never been dishonest a day in her life. Well, at least not when her life hadn’t depended on it. Of course she’d give it back. “Don’t be selfish,” she said aloud. “You’re going to give it back to whomever it belongs to,” she added, as if saying it would give her conviction.
    Someone knocked on the door , and she jumped. “Lian, may I come in?” said a soft voice.
    Lian hastily wiped her face on her already dirty sleeve. “Y es. Come in, Ursa,” she called.
    T he door opened a moment later, and a petite girl about her age stepped inside, her freckled face illuminated by the dull yellow glow of the candle in her hand.
    Ursa was her best friend of eleven years and her chambermaid. It was also Ursa who had started the nickname of “Lian” when they were both too little to pronounce “Lianora.”
    Lian sighed, relaxing. She woul d worry about the necklace later. Righ t now, happiness overwhelmed her at seeing her dearest friend.
    “It’s dark as Hesperides in here,” Ursa said, flitting about lighting sconces and candles. Once it was barely light enough to see, she turned around. “Dreaka help me. What have you been doing?” Her eyes rested on the teardrop dangling from Lian’s hand. “That’s very pretty.”
    Lian shifted her weight. “Father gave it to me. He bought it off one of the trave ling merchants from Irilah, uh, as an early birthday present.” As she was abandoned at the castle door as an infant, no one knew exactly when she was birthed. Since no one else had taken it upon them to name a proper birth day for her, she eventually picked the sixteenth day of summer because it was her favorite season and the number sixteen sounded pretty and petite.
    She slipped the chain over her head and hid the teardrop in her blouse, hoping the guilt didn’t show on her face. Why did I just lie? I share everything with Ursa.
    Ursa arched a brow. “That… was nice.”
    When it became clear Ursa wouldn’t pursue the subject, Lian exhaled with relief. That’s what she loved about her; she knew when to back down, trusting Lian to confide in her at her own pace.
    Ursa scurried over to Lian and helped her out of her blouse. “By the g ods, Lian!” Ursa’s fingers hovered over the spreading bruise. “What on Eresea happened? Should I fetch a healer ?”
    “No,” Lian said quickly, covering her arm. 
    When Ursa looked at her in surprise, she added, “It’s just bruises, nothing to make a fuss over.” She grinned. “I thought my clumsiness was legendary?”
    “At least some things never change,” Ursa muttered, walking over to an over-sized wardrobe teetering precariously on three legs. The fourth had been broken for as long as Lian could recall.
    Ursa threw open the doors of the wardrobe and began searching its contents. “Remem ber when we were five years old and you wanted to help me and my mother, rest her soul, in the kitchen for a day? You accrued more burns and bruises within a half hour than our entire kitchen staff combined gets in a day.”
    Lian laughed, fingering the smoothed scars along her arms and hands. “Yes, I remember deciding afterward that I no longer cared if I knew how to cook or not.”
    Ursa giggled. “If only life were still that simple.” She placed a finger to her lips, muttering something about lace and gems.
    “Forget it,” Lian called. “ You know I detest lace.” She perched on the edge of the bed so she could work off her boots without jostling her arm.
      “So,” Ursa said hesi tantly, changing the