I thought of Zaira, stuck in the Mews because I was here instead of with her. Guilt pinched my middle. I nodded in reluctant acknowledgment. “To the consternation of virtually everyone involved, yes. Except me.”

He ran a finger along the rim of his untouched teacup. “I’m sure you realize this makes you quite a delicious catch yourself.”

I laughed nervously. Another servant placed a tiered tray of cakes on the table, buying me time to swallow my bile and think of a response.

“A Cornaro is no fish to be caught,” I said at last, bringing my cup to my lips to steady my hands. “We are the masters of the fleet.”

The spark in Ruven’s eyes sharpened to a hard gleam. “There is nothing more attractive than power.” His reach for a cake strayed in my direction.

Thud. A heavy, leather-bound book thumped down on the table next to me. “Amalia! What good fortune! I never dreamed I’d meet you here.”

I spun in my seat, choking on my tea. “Domenic?”

There he was, like a miracle: Domenic Bergandon, resplendent in a slashed-sleeve doublet and a dashing swagger, throwing himself into an empty chair at our table with the ease of a man always sure of his welcome. The frizzy coils of his hair and the deep-brown skin he’d inherited from his mother, an Ostan princess, presented a polar opposite to Ruven’s sleek paleness.

“My abject apologies for being late.” Domenic placed his hand over his heart and bowed to Ruven from his seat. “My carriage lost a wheel on the road from Ardence, and I only arrived in Raverra this morning. I almost missed your invitation entirely.”

Ruven glared across the hall at the Vaskandran ambassador, who was caught in conversation with another late guest and hadn’t noticed Domenic’s trespass at the prince’s table. “That would have been a terrible shame,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were visiting Raverra.” I tried to pour all my gratitude into my smile. “This is such a pleasant surprise.”

“I do like to make a well-timed dramatic entrance.” Domenic’s near eyelid twitched half a wink at me. So he’d noticed what was happening, and rescued me on purpose. “But in truth, I didn’t know I was coming either, until the morning I left. The squabbling on the Council of Lords got to be too much for me, and I needed to get away from the pompous old scoundrels.”

“I see you know each other.” Prince Ruven showed his teeth. “I had no idea. I made the viscount’s acquaintance during my visit to his charming city on my way here from Vaskandar.”

Domenic nodded. “We met in the Ducal Library. Did you know Prince Ruven is a scholar?”