Midnight Jewel (The Glittering Court #2)(7)

Adelaide was the other girl he’d recruited—a much better choice than me in Jasper’s eyes. I was never jealous of her, but sometimes I felt guilty that Cedric had taken me on, instead of another like her who could give him a higher commission. Despite her inconsistent results, she was the picture of a real Osfridian girl—the kind those Adorian men probably truly wanted. Fair skin, blue eyes, golden brown hair. Perfect speech. Endless charm.

“Are you going with us, or just going?” I asked. Cedric would sit through an orthodox church service if his cover required it, though he avoided it when possible. Uros had created twelve angels at the beginning of time, and the orthodox believed six had fallen. The Alanzans still revered all twelve and didn’t like listening to sermons that condemned half of those angels as evil.

“Going.” He patted the suitcase at his side. “But you know I’ll miss you all terribly.”

“It’s not fair,” Adelaide told him, pretending—badly—to be stern. “You get to go back to the city for all sorts of fun while the rest of us have to sit through a dull service.”

He attempted an equally serious mien and had about as much success as she did. “It’s for the good of your soul.”

“My soul’s doing just fine, thank you very much. If you really cared, you’d tell Mistress Masterson that salvation comes second to us finding husbands and that we should stay home to study instead.”

“Salvation comes second to finding husbands?” Cedric put his hands to his chest in horror. “Why, Miss Bailey, that’s the most sacrilegious thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t believe you’d even think such a wicked thing.”

“I didn’t,” Adelaide said, finally giving in to the grin she’d been holding back. “Tamsin tells us that every time we go to church.”

I laughed with them and then realized that I’d left my gloves in my room—a true sin, as far as Mistress Masterson was concerned. “I’ve got to go back upstairs. Safe travels, Cedric.”

“You too.” He patted my arm lightly before returning to his banter with Adelaide. As he did, I heard a gasp the two of them didn’t notice.

I turned and saw it had come from Rosamunde, a girl in the house I liked quite a bit. She was huddled by the wall and murmuring something to her roommate, Sylvia. Both girls’ eyes widened when they saw me approach.

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

“He touched your arm!” said Sylvia.

“It’s true then,” Rosamunde whispered. “About you and the younger Mister Thorn.”

I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. “You know me better! How can you believe that nonsense Clara made up? Just wait. The next time you talk to her, she’ll tell you it isn’t true.”

The two girls exchanged looks. “We were with her earlier today,” Rosamunde said. “And she didn’t say anything about it not being true.”

“Caroline was talking about it,” Sylvia said cautiously. “About you and . . . uh, him.”

“And Clara was saying it too?” I exclaimed.

Rosamunde frowned. “No . . . Clara didn’t really say anything. She just listened and nodded.”

“And smiled,” added Sylvia. “A lot.”

I spun around, searching for Clara, and found her watching me from across the foyer. When we made eye contact, she smirked.

My heart stopped. The stooped man had been right. Clara was calling my bluff. Sort of. Maybe she’d stopped repeating the story herself, but it was still going to spread if she did nothing to curb it. She was tacitly confirming it with silence and smiles. It was enough to make me seriously reconsider carving up her face.

Calm down, Mira, I told myself. She’s not a fanatic trying to kill an Alanzan. She’s not some alley thug trying to steal coins. She’s just a silly girl. Ignore her. You have bigger things to worry about in your life.

Yes, I did. Things like making it to Adoria and helping Lonzo. Things that could be seriously affected if Clara’s lies ran rampant.

Information is real power.

I pondered those words as I continued upstairs. Had the shadowy man been right about that too? Was learning about Clara’s past the way to stop her and maintain my goals? Snooping and sneaking had never been my style. I wanted to face problems head-on.

She’s got something in her past. Everyone does.

Tamsin was finishing up in our room, bending over to buckle her shoes. I fetched my gloves and then stared at the robe I’d left draped over a chair to dry last night. I’d forgotten about the picks concealed in a pocket. I stared at the robe for several moments, and then, with Tamsin’s back to me, I snatched the kit and put it into my skirt’s pocket. It was time to see just how powerful information was.

Tamsin smoothed out her dress and then gave an unexpected laugh when she glanced over at me. “Well, well, you sure are serious this morning. You look like you’re on a mission.”

I managed a strained smile as I walked out the door with her. “I just might be.”





CHAPTER 3


THE RUMORS LINGERED IN THE HOUSE FOR A WHILE, but without Clara fueling them, they eventually fizzled away. She still never outright denied them, and I know a few girls continued to believe the worst of me. Others, familiar with Clara’s style, figured out that it was all another ploy of hers and let the matter go. The stories never reached Jasper—or my roommates. Tamsin and Adelaide would’ve confronted Clara, and I didn’t want them involved.