He wasn’t tall enough for Dario, or Ciro.
‘I’ll be your admirer for this evening,’ he said. ‘You are the fairest maiden in all of Aurea, and your heart shines with a beauty beyond the beauty of your face, if that is possible.’
His words had the eloquence and charm of Isabella’s player admirer but he was more familiar than someone she’d met only once.
‘I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth, if you’ll allow it. It is a great honour to encounter such beauty!’
‘Jal!’ Mina said, remembering the first time she’d met the Inamorato of the troupe. He had used those very same words. The figure stepped back and gave a great bow, placing a finger to the lips of the mask. His parting words were lost in a burst of trumpeting that silenced the dancing melody.
A voice, equally as loud as the trump
