I explained about the photograph I’d taken of Bob’s foot and how it’d been passed around in Pete’s Eats.

The creature sighed. “A more absurd cause of death can hardly be imagined. Who ordered the execution, and who carried it out?”

“With all due respect, Lady Ambassador,” Kara said from behind me, “that’s something you should probably take up with Lord Cordus.”

The snowman’s eyes flicked briefly over my shoulder at her, then focused on me again.

“I certainly shall. But for now I am asking Miss Ryder.”

I took a deep breath. “All I’ve heard is hearsay. I won’t pass that along as though it were fact. I’m sorry.”

Kara stopped breathing. I felt her take hold of my elbow.

“Perhaps this is an issue we should discuss privately, Lady Ambassador,” a super-sexy voice said from behind the snowman.

The creature stepped aside with surprising grace, revealing Cordus.

“Gnaeus Cornelius Marci Filius Cordus,” it said, and bowed. “I will look forward to discussing the fate of my kinsman, at your convenience.”

It nodded at Kara and me, inclined its head to Cordus, and moved away.

Cordus turned toward us.

“Elizabeth Joy Ryder, you look quite lovely,” he said, looking me slowly up and down.

You’d think I’d have been used to it by that point, but I blushed hotly. His eyes dwelt on my face and neck, perhaps enjoying my evident embarrassment. Usually I looked down when I blushed, since it made me so self-conscious, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I just stared back.

Finally, his gaze shifted over my shoulder.

“Kara Dolores Sanchez,” he said in a different voice, one that tugged at my insides even though it wasn’t directed at me.

Kara gasped, and her hand tightened painfully on my arm. I felt her press her face against my bare shoulder. Cordus let the moment hang. He seemed to be enjoying it.

Then he smiled slightly and said, “I would speak with Miss Ryder alone.”

Cut free, Kara wrenched herself away from me and stumbled off into the crowd.

Cordus watched her go, then turned back to me. He was wearing a slim-cut white shirt and dark pants. I absolutely was not going to look down to get more specific than that on the color. My heart was still racing from catching the edge of what he’d directed at Kara.

“You handled your interaction with the Lady Ambassador reasonably well, Miss Ryder. However, the death of the ice man in Wisconsin is not your responsibility. You had no cause to apologize.”

Burgundy. His pants were burgundy.

Oh my god, what is wrong with me?

“On the next such occasion, it would be best simply to refer the matter to me, as Miss Sanchez attempted.”

Huh. It would’ve been nice if he’d complimented Kara, rather than tormenting her and then praising her once she was gone.