Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns, #4)(9)

Her dismissive tone drives the friends apart. ‘I think you mean Queen Mirabella,’ Bree says.

‘I am fairly certain that I do not. I am Genevieve Arron, head of the Arron family of poisoners,’ she says, and cocks her head in a decidedly sarcastic bow.

‘Genevieve Arron. I almost did not recognize you outside of Natalia’s shadow. Allow me to express my sympathy in regard to her passing. Losing a sister is never easy.’

‘So it would seem.’ Genevieve snaps her fingers, and Bree makes a sour face. ‘See to her quickly.’ She looks disdainfully upon Mirabella’s clothing. ‘And make sure she is presentable.’

As she turns to leave, a black-and-white tufted woodpecker flies past her cheek, making her swat at the air. ‘Disgusting birds everywhere,’ she hisses, and when she is gone, Elizabeth slips inside, her white hooded robe making the blush in her ruddy cheeks stand out all the more. As soon as they are alone, she, Mirabella, and Bree fall into one another’s arms.

‘I’m sorry that Pepper came in so suddenly,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I couldn’t stop him!’

‘No need to apologize,’ says Bree. ‘He was perfect. He ruined Genevieve’s dignified exit.’ She turns to Mirabella with wide eyes. ‘Did you see the way she snapped her fingers at me? Like I was her scullery maid!’

Mirabella steps back to get a better look at her friends. Bree with her quick eyes and colorful clothes. And Elizabeth, a grin from ear to ear, her dark hair wound in a braid that sticks out of her hood, and a curled hand of silver shining from inside her left sleeve. Pepper perches on Mirabella’s shoulder and pokes at her ear, intrepidly trying to find a way to burrow into her hair. She strokes his head and his little wings.

‘So,’ she says, and sighs. ‘What are they saying?’

Bree leans close. ‘You are not a prisoner. Not exactly. You are free to roam the castle and the entirety of the fortress grounds. But you are not to leave it without the queen’s express permission. The guards—there for your ‘protection’—have been recently armed with poison.’

‘Poison to kill or merely sedate?’

Bree and Elizabeth trade a glance. Not even they can say for sure.

‘Katharine said she would send you and Elizabeth to me for comfort. But then she sent you with Genevieve Arron. Another show of power? Another hint of control?’

Bree purses her lips. ‘Welcome to life at the Volroy.’

There is a knock at the door, and servants enter, carrying trunk after trunk of clothes and jewels. Elizabeth helps them to the table and directs the rest to the floor.

‘Thank you,’ she says. ‘We’ll see to the queen—We’ll see to Mirabella ourselves.’ The servants curtsy and leave, and Elizabeth begins riffling through the trunks.

‘There is not much,’ Bree says. ‘No gowns of yours; there was no time to send for them from Rolanth. But the shops here are very good, and I had some of your jewels with me here.’ She searches through cases until she finds a dark walnut box and hands it to Mirabella.

It is a necklace: three large fire-colored stones hanging from a short silver chain. Even in the box, without light, the stones appear to burn.

Mirabella runs her fingers over them. ‘These—I would have worn them the night of the Quickening. Had things not gone so terribly wrong.’

‘So you will wear them now. For luck.’

Elizabeth pulls a black velvet gown from one of the trunks and spreads it out. It is relatively simple, without much embroidery. ‘How about this one? Something comfortable after such a long journey?’

‘It is perfect. But I care nothing about these dresses. I want to hear about you. How have you fared? Elizabeth, how are you allowed to keep Pepper even in your priestess bracelets?’ She looks at Bree. ‘How have you come to be on the Black Council?’

‘One answer for two questions,’ says Elizabeth. ‘The High Priestess sought to make amends with Bree for betraying you, so she offered her a place on the council.’

‘And in order for me to play nice,’ Bree says, ‘I demanded that Elizabeth be allowed to recall Pepper.’

Mirabella grins at the bird, who clutches on to the back of Elizabeth’s robes. ‘And how is the new council, Bree? And its mix of elementals, priestesses, and poisoners?’

‘We were at each other’s throats. And we will be again once the business with the rebellion is settled.’

Mirabella would like to ask more. But it is plain that Bree and Elizabeth would rather she did not. They want this one evening to be themselves and to pretend like they are still back in Rolanth gossiping together at the Westwood house. One evening before everything begins. So Mirabella smiles and prods Bree in the shoulder.

‘And?’ she asks. ‘Who are you tumbling with these days? Some handsome queensguard soldier? Or perhaps another merchant’s apprentice from the city?’

‘Who has she not tumbled with?’ Elizabeth asks, and Bree throws a glove at her. ‘Since the moment she arrived in Indrid Down, boys have fallen over themselves to get into her path. Just last month, two from the kitchens nearly fought a duel.’

‘A duel?’ Mirabella laughs. ‘And who won? Which did you choose? The breadmaker? Or the cheese monger?’

‘Neither!’ Bree throws the other glove at Mirabella. ‘Though perhaps later I will choose both.’ She raises her eyebrow as Mirabella and Elizabeth chuckle, but then she sighs. ‘In truth, there has been no time for any of that. When I arrived, I thought I would seduce Pietyr Arron—’