Glancing up from her phone, Jaya looked toward the entrance and felt every nerve fiber icing over. Caterina LaValle was gliding through the lodge with her friends, looking celebrity-fabulous in a full-length ivory coat and suede Prada boots. Her deep brown eyes were fixed steadily on Jaya. The warning there was clear: I haven’t forgotten your refusal to help and your continued alliance with the enemy. Not even a bit. As Jaya watched, Caterina leaned in and said something to her friends, who nodded and continued forward, while Caterina pivoted and began striding toward Jaya.

Jaya sat up straighter, pasting a polite smile on her face as Caterina got closer. “Hello,” she said, gesturing to Daph’s newly vacated seat. “Would you like to sit, Caterina?”

She sat, although it appeared as if she were floating above her seat rather than perched on it like a mere mortal. “Jaya.” She held her eyes for a long moment. “Interesting friends you keep.”

Had she seen Jaya and Daph talking? “I suppose,” Jaya said cautiously.

Leaning back, Caterina pulled off her calfskin gloves, one finger at a time. “Well, it’s only that I saw you and Grey dancing rather close at the mixer. And today you two were the last ones to emerge from the building and climb onto the bus.”

Jaya didn’t break eye contact as she reached for her tea. She let the silence linger, waiting to see what Caterina was playing at.

“I have interesting friends too, you know,” Caterina said, languidly crossing her long, slender legs. “You remember Sri Devi, of course? Being a part of the royal family network in India, she’s well connected with all the royal families there.” Caterina smiled placidly, and Jaya felt her pulse jump in her throat. “She seems to know so much—whose family’s been feuding, which families might be poised for an alliance. It’s all fascinating, I have to say.”

Jaya took a sip of tea to wet her dry mouth. What did Caterina know? The details of the scandal? About Grey’s involvement in it? That news of Jaya cozying up to an Emerson would be a devastating blow to not just her family, but their future alliance with the Hegdes—and therefore to the entire Rao dynasty. “Really?” Jaya said finally. “I didn’t realize you were so well educated in Indian royal family affairs.”

“Oh, I’m not, not usually,” Caterina said, waving a hand. Her brown eyes were sharp, belying her seeming insouciance. “But when I thought about it, I realized I needed to know more. After all, as they say, knowledge is power.” She smiled, showing all her brilliantly white, straight teeth.

“Indeed,” Jaya replied, her heart thudding in her chest.

“Well, I must go,” Caterina said, standing and looking down her nose at Jaya. “I’ll see you soon, Jaya.”

“It was a pleasure, Caterina,” Jaya replied, forcing an easy smile.