“These people,” he says, as if he wasn’t among their number, “they can smell blood in the water. They bide their time, waiting to strike, but we can show them that even in the wake of tragedy the Sonza family is not one to be trifled with. That you have the protection of the viceroy himself.” He steps closer to me. From his vantage, my father cannot see how Sebastian’s nose crinkles ever so subtly at my stench. But the gesture, however involuntary, is not lost on me. “And that any slight against your family, any infraction, is a slight against me.”

“What slights?” I ask. Oh, how I long for him to say something incriminating in front of my father.

“There have been movements against our interests,” my father says quietly. “Efforts to usurp the contracts we have with the throne.” He draws in a breath, as if steeling himself to make some great gesture. “I know you are angry with me, and I will not argue with your right to be so, but please, Kiki”—he looks at me plaintively; he is not the man I once thought could topple mountains with a mere glance—“put in an appearance. Make a show of it.”

Sebastian reaches for me. He takes my hand in his and cuts a courtly bow. “I will be by your side, every step of the way.” His eyes roll up to meet mine, and even now I cannot read what lies within them. He brings my hand—filthy as it is—to his mouth and brushes his lips against my knuckles. “Will you join us? It’s a masked ball. I remember how fond you are of those.”

I have attended several at the viceroy’s villa over the years. I did love them. The pageantry. The costumes. The air of mystery. But now I have real mysteries of my own to solve.

With my hand still in Sebastian’s grasp, I glance back at Ana. I expect to see anger on her face. Or maybe jealousy. But instead, I find something approaching curiosity. Eagerness. She offers me an almost imperceptible nod.

This is an opportunity. We know Sebastian found one of Cristobal’s victims. But what else does he know? And is his father involved?

All the men we suspect, located conveniently under one roof. Cristobal, delivering himself to us on a silver platter? It’s almost too good to be true.

“I’ll go.” I turn back to Sebastian. “But only if I can bring Ana.”

A vaguely pained expression flits across Sebastian’s face. But to his credit, he nods. “Of course. She is dear to you, and now, to me. When our families are joined, she will be like a sister to me as well.”