Page 43

"Just a small cup," said Lady Helena. Then she removed a leather pouch that had been slung across her hip. She unfurled it, revealing a vast array of dazzling rings, necklaces, and earrings. There were also pockets of loose stones and metal to twist and bend. No one but a redcap would dare stroll around with such riches.

"These are lovely," I said.

"There’s no need to be polite. The king said not to leave until you’d selected at least ten pieces. If these don’t suit your needs, I can craft anything you can imagine."

"Ten pieces?"

She looked confused. "Yes. I’m not to leave until you make your selection."

I thought through my gowns. What would look well together?

The first dress that came to mind was a gold, sequined one. So, I turned my eyes toward golden accessories. I saw an arm cuff with beautiful intricate leaves and a matching ear cuff that came up in a point like fae ears. It wasn’t something I would have ever worn at home.

I pointed to the items. "Rosie, what do you think?"

She stepped closer and squeaked in delight. "Oh, you must. You absolutely must. Mistress will look like a proper fae queen."

I laughed. "These two then."

Helena nodded and set them to the side.

There were so many beautiful pieces. I wasn’t sure what else to choose. The gowns had just appeared. The shoemaker had hoisted shoe after shoe upon me. Helena was asking me to select, but I wasn’t sure how. I didn’t understand their fashion, and I had never been particularly good at human fashion either.

I considered Helena’s bejeweled dagger at her side. Would that count as a piece? No, I was more likely to be beguiled by a fae into stabbing myself than to actually use it for defense.

Sensing my hesitation, Helena asked, "Is there something you want but don’t see? I can make anything you’d like."

"The truth is I’m not accustomed to fae style, and I’m not sure what would be appropriate."

She nodded and stood. "That’s no trouble. Show me your gowns. Perhaps, I can point you in the right direction."

I eyed her warily. The woman despite her title of lady was dressed in leathers with soot on her cheek. I wasn’t sure she was the person I wanted to take my fashion advice from.

She followed my gaze and laughed. "I assure you I’m not always fresh from the forges. I do know how to dress for court. And I’m sure your lady’s maid would lend us her opinion too?"

Rosie hopped up and down. "Oh, yes."

I agreed and went to shuffle through the many gown boxes. I pulled out the gold sequined one first, then a petal pink dress with two iridescent flowers as the bust, and a silken seafoam gown with a slit up to the thigh.

As I did so, Rosie scrambled to find matching shoes.

Helena brought the golden arm and ear cuffs and placed them next to the first gown. They looked lovely. We were all in agreement.

For the pink dress, Helena suggested a pair of long, dangling earrings crafted from iridescent butterfly wings, each with a little diamond drop. They looked just as otherworldly as the gown. Rosie nodded her approval.

Rosie insisted on an emerald ring and necklace set to match Forrest’s eyes. Forget his eyes, how about his frog form? I thought bitterly.

Rosie and Helena made several additional selections, and we were finally done.

As I looked over the ensembles, I noticed how bits of nature were worked into each of the fashions—golden leaves, petals, butterfly wings. This gave rise to a positively wicked idea. "Rosie, would a dress with feathers be fashionable?"

"Yes, very," she said.

"I have a favor to ask then."

She nodded happily. "Of course, mistress."

"Can you ask your finest dressmaker to fashion me a dress for the revel featuring feathers? Something that will take Forrest’s breath away."