37
G iselle barged in the next morning, a wad of royal purple fabric tucked under her arm. I winced as the door slammed.
“You managed to rework a charm and make us matching clothing?” I whispered, surveying her ensemble made out of the same fabric. She wore flowy trousers and a pin-tucked blouse decorated with braided gold trim.
Lady Vanessa breathed softly across the room, still miraculously asleep after the racket. I had spent the night in her room instead of mine, claiming loneliness. In reality, it was because of a certain rioter in my wardrobe, but I decided to spare her the details.
“Of course! I finished the charm in the first two hours. Had to destroy my old enchanted object to test it, but oh well. Never can be too sentimental.” Giselle sighed woefully, but brightened as she laid out the pieces on the floor next to my cot, a voluminous blouse and a skirt similarly trimmed. “I had the whole rest of the night and, well, everyone knows matching outfits are absolutely essential when committing mutiny.”
I ran a finger over the deep purple silk. “The color is...”
Bennett’s favorite, I was going to say. But my throat seized, refusing to speak his name.
“It’ll help us blend into the auditorium,” Giselle said. “Besides, we all look divine in purple.”
“I’m assuming we’re not making a public appearance?” I said, raising my brow.
“Maddox and I won’t. But you are,” Giselle said.
“That wasn’t part of the plan.”
The seamstress shook her head. Her usual braid was replaced with a slick ponytail. “The witches of Alevine deserve to see their crown princess right before she saves them, don’t you think?”
I shuffled back into my cot, comforted by Misty and Pippin’s slumbering forms. “I wasn’t invited. Celeste will suspect something is off. I’m supposed to be with Dominic now, remember?” I said, shuddering. I hoped his night in the wardrobe was a miserable one.
Giselle grabbed my shoulders. “Exactly. That’ll show her that nothing she’s doing will stop you. That you’re stronger than she thinks you are. Those rioters will think twice before attempting another scheme again.”
I set my jaw and nodded. Appearances were everything. The tour was over and done, but I was not.
“Shouldn’t you have made something a little more...grand?” I asked, looking at the ensemble. It was lovely, but not exquisite like her usual dresses.
“The audience tonight will be witches,” Giselle said. “Most aren’t too impressed with luxury. What are you waiting for? Try it on.”
It fit perfectly, as always, though the blouse and skirt made me feel freer than I did in my usual evening wear. Giselle left to catch some sleep, stumbling over Maddox’s foot on the way out.
“Watch it!” they said in unison. Giselle blushed, dumped a pile of purple on his lap, and disappeared down the hall.
I decided not to comment on their strange exchange as I stuck my head out the threshold. “You didn’t have to stand guard all night, you know.”
Maddox rubbed his eyes. “Lord Frederick trusted me to do the job.” He stretched his back and blinked. “I should check if Dominic is still alive.”
I gladly let him do that, having no wish to see the general’s son ever again if I could help it. I’d have to have the remaining dresses in my wardrobe burned.
“What are you two talking about?”
I ducked back into the room. Lady Vanessa sat up in the bed, yawning into her hand.
“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Good morning, Lady Vanessa.”
“Good morning.” She smiled sleepily, pulling her braid out from her chemise. It was mussed, like Misty’s fur would be after rolling around in the grass. “It’s nice that the two of you are getting along.”
I busied myself with rearranging my cot. Misty was still asleep, curled against Pippin. “Right,” I said, tucking the edges of my blanket around them. “I suppose we got used to each other in the past few months.”
Lady Vanessa stood, straightening her sheets. “It’s more than that, surely. Maddox never gets along with anyone unless he respects them in some way.”
I shrugged. “Or maybe he likes the idea of having a sister to order around. ”
“Maybe.” She laughed. “Your father will be very pleased with both of you once we return.” Her smile dimmed at the mention of Father. He had abandoned her without so much as a word a few days ago. Though it wasn’t his fault, it still must have hurt.
“You’ll see him soon.” I sat back on my heels, cheeks warming. Lady Vanessa’s kindness was something I’d never forget. If only I wasn’t so uncomfortable repaying it.
“I know. I always do,” Lady Vanessa said softly. Her lips quirked up again. “You look lovely in purple.”
Misty rolled over onto her back, paws in the air as Lady Vanessa disappeared into the washroom. I rubbed her ears, smiling at how comfortable she looked. Pippin yawned and licked Misty’s head fondly.
“You two really like each other, don’t you?” I murmured, hugging my knees to my chest.
Pippin meowed in affirmation. I blew out a breath, displacing a few curls. “I’m sorry I overreacted,” I whispered, scratching Misty under the chin. “I was just scared. Maybe a little lonely...but not anymore.”
Misty mewed.
“You were right all along. I bet you love that.” I tweaked her nose and looked at Pippin. “And you have a lot to explain to me after tonight. You looked extremely well-groomed for a cat Bennett picked up off the street.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on his little face. Somehow even if I didn’t understand them, my heart felt much lighter than it did yesterday.
THE STEPS OF THE GRAND Alevine Opera were flooded with witches, bundled up to the chin with gray wool coats and colorful knit scarves. A bracing wind howled through the glistening streets. It had rained in the afternoon but the clouds had since cleared, exposing an indigo sky speckled with stars.
I smoothed my skirt, straightening as I approached the golden entrance of the auditorium where witches were filing in. Giselle had slipped off earlier and Lady Ruan had taken Maddox backstage upon my request. The poor woman looked anxious, as if Maddox was going to single-handedly ruin the show.
Well, he was. But hopefully, she would find it in her heart to forgive us once the truth revealed itself.
“Is that Lady Narcissa?” an elderly witch whispered. He had a snowy white beard adorned with a variety of beads.
“I think so, grandpa,” said his young companion. The boy couldn’t have been more than ten, drowning in a maroon scarf. He stared, wide-eyed. “She looks just like the pictures.”
I gave the pair a nod when they approached. “Good evening,” I said, my voice barely audible over the footsteps on the marble floor.
“Lady Narcissa?” the elderly man asked. His eyes lit up when I nodded. “What a pleasure. I’m Ferdinand. This is my grandson, Giovanni. Go on Gio. Say hello.”
The boy murmured a shy hello.
Ferdinand wedged himself and his grandson to the side, letting the witches behind him pass. “I heard you were here in Alevine but I didn’t expect to meet in person,” he said jovially. “You’ve made quite the impression this past year, haven’t you?”
I smiled, wringing my hands behind my back. “A good one, I hope.”
“Absolutely!” Giovanni exclaimed. The word echoed in the hall. He ducked his nose into his scarf. “You’re a hero.”
I laughed in surprise. “A hero?”
“The boy’s serious,” Ferdinand said, raising a bushy white brow. “Not only did you douse the fire in Vandil, but you also helped a great deal of magical business owners figure out what they were doing wrong. Old William told us everything.”
The fire and William’s produce shop seemed so long ago, yet I remembered my crippling guilt like it was yesterday. Dousing the fire had been an impulsive decision, but William’s shop? I hated that I used the schemes Mother taught me, but now it seemed silly. Mother gained nothing from it and William, everything.
“I only did what I could,” I said, cheeks warm at the grandson’s awe-stricken stare.
Ferdinand grinned a toothless grin. “It takes courage to go against someone like your mother. You’ll make a great queen one day.”
I bid them goodbye as they followed the rest in, my face hot. The witches behind them seemed to have noticed my presence. Soon, a smaller line formed with those who wanted to greet me. None of them asked why I was blushing like a schoolgirl, which I was grateful for. The usher seemed scandalized as I exchanged cordial hellos and handshakes with the witches streaming in.
“Good evening, Lady Narcissa.”
“Lovely to meet you, Lady Narcissa.”
“What a stunning skirt you’re wearing! Is it witch-made by any chance?”
“Never in a million years did I think a witch would be in the place you’re in. How wonderfully inspiring.”
A few witches grew teary-eyed and expressed their gratitude for everything I had done during the tour. I found myself in a few awkward embraces, and by the time the line had dwindled, my ears were hot and my heart throbbing from the sheer amount of praise I had received.
Everyone was so friendly. Friendlier than any group of strangers had ever been to me. My resolve hardened. Celeste wouldn’t touch a single one of them if I could help it.
“Lady Narcissa! Enchanted to meet you in person.”
I started at the nasally voice that cut through the noise. A woman in a burnt orange coat and a sleek updo stood before me, pen and notebook in hand. The bright rouge on her lips made her easily identifiable.
“Sister Scarlett,” I said, inclining my head.
She tittered. “Oh! I thought I would have to introduce myself. Well, since we’re both acquainted,” she said, tilting her chin conspiringly, “would you mind doing a short interview?”
I held back a sigh. It didn’t seem like I had a choice, from the way the woman was standing. She was so close I’d have to use magic to escape. “Of course,” I said, keeping my face neutral.
“Wonderful!” Sister Scarlett scrutinized my ensemble and scribbled something down. I could only imagine what she was writing.
Lady Narcissa Greenwood was spotted at the Grand Alevine Opera dressed plainly in a blouse and skirt, greeting witch civilians as if she were one of them. What could possibly be the purpose of this plebeian display?
“So. I’ve heard from my sources that you are acquainted with a certain Dominic?” she said, raising a perfectly groomed brow.
“Dominic?” I said slowly, looking off to the ceiling. “Never knew one. ”
“Oh.” She flipped back a few pages and scratched something out, a disappointed frown on her lips.
Good. Whatever lies Dominic had fed her about me would never see the light of day.
“Well, never mind that. Let’s talk about what happened two nights ago,” Sister Scarlett said brightly, refocusing her attention on me. “The king had the rioters surrounded. It must’ve been a frightening experience.”
“I wasn’t there.” Perhaps if I kept my answers short she’d leave faster. The last of the witches had filed into the auditorium. Any minute now the show would start. I wanted to make sure Celeste failed.
“His Majesty and the crown prince left you here shortly after,” Sister Scarlett continued. “Why is that?”
I forced myself to meet her shrewd eyes, though her words brought a pang from the memory of their sudden departure. “They had prisoners to take care of in Delibera. It would be unseemly for me to join them.”
“Of course.” She wrote a few words before looking up again. “And how do you feel now that you are separated from the crown prince?”
Another pang. I pushed it down. “Fine. We both have duties outside of being in each other’s company.” My words sounded more bitter than I intended.
I cringed inwardly as a flow of sentences appeared in Sister Scarlett’s notebook.
“How would you describe your relationship with His Highness?” Her fervent expression made it clear this was the main reason she was here. “I’m sure all of Olderea is wondering how you and Crown Prince Bennett went from strangers at the beginning of the tour to the close—ah, individuals—you are now. ”
The auditorium lights had yet to dim, but the audience had all been escorted to their boxes. “Our relationship?” I murmured distractedly. “It’s fine.”
Sister Scarlett furrowed her brow at the vague answer. My legs grew restless as the ushers began to snuff out the candlelight.
“Could you elaborate on that?” she said.
I repressed a sigh. Short answers weren’t working.
“We’re head over heels in love with each other and we plan on having five children once we’re married. King Maximus is already scouring the kingdom for nannies. It’ll be a grand occasion,” I said, barely able to keep the irritation out of my voice. “Is that all? I would like to attend the show.”
“Yes! Yes, of course,” Sister Scarlett said, scribbling profusely. “That is perfect.”
She blathered something else about children and how darling they were, but I slipped into the auditorium, glancing up at the box I had occupied during the past two shows. It was full. I scoured the dim room for an empty seat. A shock of white hair caught my eye in the center front.
“Oh, hello Lady Narcissa,” Ferdinand said in surprise as I squeezed into his box. Giovanni gaped at me as I sat in the empty seat beside him.
I felt sorry for the intrusion, but the two weren’t going to have a pleasant night either way. “I hope you don’t mind me joining you,” I said, smiling as if barging into other people’s boxes was a normal occurrence.
Luckily, the old witch didn’t seem to be versed in the rules of society. “Of course not! We’ll be honored.”
I thanked him and leaned back, trying to look relaxed. My nerves were practically humming. Had Maddox made it to the wires? Was Giselle prepared to cast her spell ?
Unfortunately, I was stuck in my seat. Was this what being royalty was like—making all the decisions but never carrying them out personally? It was maddening. Perhaps this was how Bennett felt before the tour.
I gnawed my lower lip as Ferdinand chattered about his experience with theatrical productions. I did my best to appear engaged. At last, the curtains began to lift. A sliver of bright light and an ethereal background appeared, then the bottom of the hovering moon, then a train of a glittering robe, then Celeste herself, hovering over it all.
Oohs and ahs filled the auditorium. The orchestra began playing the soulful tune to her opening song. Celeste parted her lips.
Now, Maddox , I thought fiercely.
A loud twang sounded before the soprano could sing a note. The moon she hung from dropped, swinging violently to the side. The audience gasped.
“Is that part of the show?” Ferdinand asked, baffled.
My satisfaction with Maddox’s timely efforts didn’t last. Celeste clung onto the swinging moon with surprising strength and grace, reaching an arm out to the audience. She began to sing.
I cursed when the first note hit the air. Giovanni squeaked, but seconds later he froze, eyes glued to the stage.
“Ferdinand, cover your ears,” I said desperately, but the elderly witch was in a similar state. So was the rest of the auditorium.
I should have known it wouldn’t be that simple. Breaking the suspension cord wasn’t enough to delay the show, much less buy Giselle time to destroy Celeste’s enchanted object .
Lurching from my seat, I rushed out of the box, making sure to duck so the singer wouldn’t notice my presence. Past the backstage stairs and protesting stagehands, I burst into the back hall where Celeste’s room was. The red door was ajar.
“Where in the blazing fires did she put it?” Giselle muttered to herself as I barreled in. She whirled around. “Narcissa? What are you doing here?”
Maddox was with her, frantically flipping through drawers.
“Celeste is singing,” I said between breaths. I stared at them both standing in a mess of bottles and embroidered pillows. “Have you found the object?”
Maddox shook his head. “No luck yet.”
Giselle held out a knotted charm. “This is supposed to track enchanted objects, but it’s not sensing anything.” She waved her hand around the variety of vials and bottle around her. “Do you have any idea what this container looks like?”
I cursed again. We should have asked Dominic when we had the chance, but somehow it slipped our minds. Those witches in the auditorium would suffer for our negligence.
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Wait,” I said, hiking up my skirts to Celeste’s vanity. I recalled the large iridescent container on the top shelf. Sure enough, it was there. I pointed it out. “Is it that?”
Maddox climbed onto the tabletop and retrieved it, knocking over a few vials. He inspected the glossy surface and pulled on the diamond stopper. It did not budge.
For a second, the center flashed gold. Maddox yelped, nearly dropping it.
“Ha! I knew it,” Giselle said, taking the container from him. “She concealed it from tracking charms. ”
“Hurry and destroy it.” I didn’t mean to sound so snappy, but my anxiety made my voice harsh. The echo of Celeste’s singing drifted over from the auditorium. I slammed the door shut.
“In a moment,” Giselle said, tucking the glass under her arm. “We’re going to have to take this outside. Enchanted objects contain a great deal of magic, especially one of this size. Destroying it could be explosive.”
I gritted my teeth. “If we walk out we’re going to hear Celeste singing. You can’t afford to lose your magic.”
Maddox furrowed his brows. “One second.” He unsheathed his dagger and hacked into a velvet cushion. I was going to ask him why he was gutting a pillow until he picked out a pinch of stuffing and took Giselle’s chin, turning her to face him.
“Really, this is hardly the time to kiss me,” she said.
“I was not going to kiss you!” Maddox jerked his hand away, cheeks turning bright red. He shoved the fluff into her hand. “The guards stuff their ears with cotton when they don’t want to hear each other’s snoring. Pack it in as densely as you can.”
Giselle took the fluff nonchalantly and put it into her ears. “Kissing me would’ve worked just as well. Then I wouldn’t be able to hear anything but my own gagging.”
Maddox scoffed, muttering something about despicable women. I found their exchange rather amusing, but the smile on my lips died when the three of us exited the room and Celeste’s song rang through the halls loud and clear. Giselle pressed her hands to her ears. We increased our pace.
Patrick the stagehand stood with his arms crossed as we emerged backstage, mouth parting. I motioned Maddox and Giselle to go on. They slipped off. The stagehand paid them no mind. No doubt he thought I was the threat.
“You may have escaped King Maximus’s guards but you won’t escape mine,” I said before he could speak, giving him my best condescending glare. I hoped I looked intimidating. Like a proper princess.
He paled, but didn’t move. “The mistress will get rid of you. She’ll get rid of you all.”
I raised a brow. “Will she?”
I began to leave, but Patrick grabbed my wrist with a large, bony hand. He couldn’t have been older than fifteen. There was a mad panic in his eyes.
“Not so fast, witch,” he spat. “King Maximus and the crown prince left you here. You’re no longer under their protection, are you?”
My jaw clenched, but I forced a smile. “Perhaps not. But I can order the sewer rats to eat you alive if you don’t get your hands off of me.”
Patrick’s eyes widened. He didn’t know Celeste had taken my magic away, then. He stepped back, letting me go. Somehow, his fear did not ease the knot in my stomach.
He was just a boy who thought his livelihood was being threatened, like all the other rioters. They were desperate because their ruler had failed them.
I took a breath, smoothing my expression. “I hope you will have more faith in the crown, Patrick,” I said quietly, “once we set everything right.”
He merely stared, his brows furrowed. I pushed past him and hoped with all my heart that I hadn’t made a false promise.
Outside the opera house, Giselle stood at the bottom of the steps with Maddox. She set the iridescent bottle onto the sparse grass. The night was still and the stars illuminated just enough. I ran down to join them, a chilled breeze raking through my clothing.
“You might want to stand back,” Giselle shouted.
Maddox and I obliged, tucking ourselves behind a tall white pillar. Giselle whipped out a slip of paper, not unlike the one she had put on Dominic. She took a deep breath and made a complicated motion with her hands, too fast to decipher.
The bottle shuddered, teetering on the bumpy ground, then shattered into a million shimmering pieces. A mound of iridescent sand pooled at Giselle’s feet.
“Huh,” she said, regarding it. “I thought it would be more dramatic.”
A whoosh of something blew past me, tickling my cheeks and tousling my hair. It was not wind, neither cold nor hot. I knew it from the moment it touched me that it was magic. Pure magic.
WE FOUND LORD FREDERICK dozing off in a dim parlor on the third floor. His gray eyes widened when I explained everything to him, from Dominic’s stunt double to Celeste’s plan. His face softened when I told him of King Maximus’s decision to separate me from Bennett.
“What do you need me to do, milady?” Lord Frederick said. I was immensely grateful for him in that moment.
“Help us escort Celeste back to Delibera,” I said.
He nodded. “Anything else? As His Majesty’s former advisor I believe I can convince him to change his mind about— ”
I shook my head. I knew what he was going to say, but I couldn’t bring myself to hope.
We waited until the end of Celeste’s show to return to the auditorium. It seemed the singer hadn’t noticed any change until the moment she saw us backstage. Maddox and another guard seized her upon arrival.
“What are you doing?” Celeste spat, still dressed in her sparkling robes.
“You can’t steal magic and expect no one to notice, Cecelia .” Giselle crossed her arms, arching a brow when the singer’s face twisted from surprise to malice.
“Giselle?” she screeched. “You b—”
Maddox yanked her arms back and tied them with a length of rope.
Celeste glared. “You don’t have any proof! You can’t incriminate me without solid evidence.”
“Oh we have evidence, alright,” Giselle said, dangling Celeste’s throat spray in front of her face. She looked like she was enjoying herself immensely. “ And we have someone who will attest to your crimes.”
The singer narrowed her eyes, just noticing my presence. “Dominic,” she said with a hiss. She turned to Giselle. “I’m surprised they haven’t arrested you too. My magic isn’t half as bad as yours.”
Giselle’s expression grew dark. Before she could retort, Lord Frederick approached Lady Ruan who had rushed in from the back hallway, mouth gaping at the sight of her star soprano bound up. He explained everything to her. The poor woman looked heartbroken as Maddox and the other guards led Celeste away.
“None of this is your fault,” I assured Lady Ruan as I passed .
She merely blew her nose into her handkerchief.
The witches filed out of the opera house. If anyone noticed their magic almost being taken away, they were impressed enough with the show to brush it off as their imagination.
Witches were a passive people, after all.