Star Daughter(76)

The despair in his face last night, the break in his words when he’d asked her to leave, ate at her. What if she’d lost him for good?

Get over yourself, she ordered. You get to have a freaking ball for your birthday!

She didn’t know why seventeen was so special by star standards, or why that made her an adult, but she’d take it. Maybe when she got home, she could tell Radhikafoi to quit bossing her around.

The sun blazed higher in the sky as if mocking her. Okay, fine. Not even magic could accomplish that.

Sheetal got up and reached for her journal in its silk bag, wanting to sink into the entries she’d read more times than she could count. Charumati’s stories, of the naga maiden, of the various heroes and heroines who had declared their goals and then set off after them. Wanting them to fortify her with their reminder that she could do this.

As she fumbled with the strings, the bag slipped out of her grasp and disappeared under the bed. So, birthday or not, it was going to be that kind of morning. She knelt to retrieve the journal, and her fingers bumped against something hard.

Her stomach took a nosedive. You’ve got to be kidding.

“Happy birthday, Sheetu!” Minal called, hurrying to her side. “I’m sorry I couldn’t grab your gifts before we left. I’ll make it up to you when we get back.”

Sheetal pointed under the bed, where two small wooden heads could be seen. “The missing marionettes? Not so missing anymore.”

Minal bent to look. She swore a very expressive string of curses.

“Happy birthday to me.” Fury like Sheetal had never felt, not even when Radhikafoi admitted to hiding Charumati’s letter, boiled up in her. She retrieved the marionettes and stood, her flame crackling until the room blazed like a quasar.

Minal threw a hand over her eyes. “Can you dial that back a little?”

“Sorry.” Sheetal picked up a hair clip on the dresser and put it back, jitters coursing through her as she toned down her light.

Still blinking, Minal took the puppets from her. “They look okay, at least.”

“They were basically out in the open. Someone wanted them to be found. And me to get blamed. Who hates me that much?”

“I think it’s more who sees you as a threat,” Minal said. “Definitely not Leela. Sachin or Jeet?” Sheetal shook her head. “Priyanka? No, too obvious.”

“One of them must have access to a key, too, or at least to a very helpful star who doesn’t mind bending some rules. Like Rati. I mean, she did tell me I wasn’t going to like what happened.”

“But who did she—”

Someone rapped at the door. Sheetal nearly burst out of her skin at the sound. Minal shoved the marionettes back under the bed as far as they’d go.

“Lady Sheetal?” Padmini called.

Okay, that’s not so bad, Sheetal thought. Padmini could help them figure out how to deal with this. “Come in.”

But it was Beena who sailed into the room with a cache of cosmetics and clothes. “Oh, this is so exhilarating!” She practically skipped over to the vanity, where she hurried to unload her burden. “I could scarcely contain myself for anticipation. Such an honor to be chosen to attend to you as your lady-in-waiting on this of all days, Lady Sheetal, and you as well, companion Minal!”

Sheetal fought not to let her annoyance show. It wasn’t like Beena knew she was in the way.

Padmini trailed in, her subdued demeanor a total contrast to Beena, who was busy hunting through drawers and exclaiming over the objects she dug out.

Elation warmed Minal’s face like a candle. “Hi.”

Padmini, though, kept her gaze down. Her strain in the astral melody was concerned, even frightened, before she veiled it. “I have requested Beena take over my duties today, as I am needed elsewhere.”

Still beaming, Minal tried to catch her eye. “You do remember it’s Sheetal’s birthday, right? Her natal day, you called it?”

But Padmini only muttered something incomprehensible. Minal bit her lip, her happiness dimming. Sheetal couldn’t decide whether to hug her or yell at Padmini.

“Your hair is quite lustrous today, Lady Sheetal,” Beena noted. “A true star’s mane.”

“You can thank Padmini for that,” Sheetal said, grateful for the opening. She smiled at Padmini, who stepped in front of her. “So what’s this magic hair cream, and where do I sign up? It felt like I didn’t even have any split ends yesterday.”

Padmini spoke coldly. “I did nothing.”

Fear knocked at the back of Sheetal’s skull. “But that’s not possible.” She separated out a shimmering tress and curved it around her hand so the ends showed. They were as smooth and level as if she’d just had a routine touch-up. “You didn’t trim it when I wasn’t looking or something, did you?”

“How should I have done that?” Padmini gripped Sheetal’s chin in one hand and angled it right, then left, examining her face while never meeting her eyes. “Beena, she will not need much in the way of cosmetics, either.”

“Why not?” Sheetal asked. She felt for the bulbous Rudolph’s nose of a zit Padmini had covered up for the past two days.

It was gone. So were the smaller bumps around her chin.

“If that is all, I will leave you in Beena’s capable care,” Padmini announced, turning to leave.