Page 25

Twenty-Five

ELSPETH

S unlight spilled into the room, and I blinked my eyes open. I was still in my dress from the night before, wrinkled and creased. Drool dripped from the corner of my mouth onto my arm, but I swiped it away and sat up on my bedroll, rubbing my eyes.

Auggie snored loudly from her bedroll, while Prue was already awake, dressed in her blue cotton dress, knees drawn up to her chest, book splayed open.

I squinted at her, noticing her puffy, red-rimmed eyes. We’d left late last night after dancing, eating, and drinking. Morty had offered to give us a ride home, and I’d been so tired I’d slept most of the way. But now, in the morning light, I could tell something was wrong with my youngest sister.

“Prue? Is everything okay?”

She sniffled, shifting and crossing her legs underneath her. “Fine.”

I scooted closer to her. “Did something happen last night? I thought everyone had a good time.”

She snapped her book shut. “Elspeth, I’m reading.” Her gaze dipped meaningfully to her book .

“Right.” I sighed, afraid I was losing her. That we were all losing her as she shrank further into herself.

“Well, someone had a good night last night.” Auggie sat up, stretching her arms and yawning.

I gave her a pointed look. “I’m not the only one.”

“I’m not the one who got caught kissing Draven Darkstone. In a closet!”

Prue set down her book. “I’m sorry, what?”

I glared at Auggie, the memory of Draven’s mouth on mine making me burn. “Who told you that?”

She threw up her hands. “Everyone was talking about it.”

“Draven?” Prue asked. “But you hate him!”

“There’s a thin line between love and hate.” Auggie waggled her eyebrows.

“The kiss was a mistake,” I said, even as I could still taste his lips, taste the sweet berry wine on his tongue. His smell lingered on me: ale, cedarwood, and leather. He’d held me so close I could feel his heart beating against mine. And he’d kissed me back. He’d kissed me so thoroughly that the entire world had faded away until it was just me and him.

I hadn’t known men could kiss like that. Then again, I’d never met a man like Draven Darkstone.

“Why are you touching your lips like that?” Prue asked, a puzzled expression on her face.

I quickly dropped my fingers to my lap. “They’re chapped.”

“They don’t look chapped,” Auggie said. “They look swollen and satisfied.”

I grabbed the pillow from my bedroll and launched it at her. She squealed and ducked.

“Where’s Adelaide?” I asked, looking around the room for my eldest sister.

“You don’t remember?” Auggie said.

“Remember what?”

A smug look crossed her face. “She didn’t come home with us last night. She decided to stay with Elm at Draven’s manor.”

I touched my hand to my head. I must have drank more than I realized. The end of the night was such a blur .

“That means it worked.” I straightened. “My plan worked. Adelaide and Elm are... well, I don’t know what they are. But if she spent the night with him, then things must be on the mend.”

Prue twirled a finger in the air. “Yay.”

Auggie scoffed. “You’re just mad no one asked you to spend the night with them.”

Prue snapped her book shut and stood, her cheeks red. “Not everyone is like you, Auggie. We don’t all just jump from bed to bed, willing to sleep with any man who will have us.”

Auggie’s mouth dropped open, and Prue raised her chin and marched out of the room.

I pushed Auggie. “Go easy on her. I think something happened last night. Something that upset her.”

“Why are you always on her side?” Auggie asked. “I don’t just jump from bed to bed. And even if I did, why would that be a problem? Men do it all the time and no one bats an eye.”

“Auggie, no one’s judging you.”

She jumped up. “Everyone judges me. All the time. I’m too promiscuous. Too flirtatious. Too friendly. I’m just a pretty face with no other attributes. Well, I’m going to show everyone. I have opportunities, you know.” With that she stormed out of the room.

I sat in shock at my sisters’ outbursts. Something was clearly going on with Prue and with Auggie. I hadn’t known she felt that way, that she thought everyone believed her to be nothing but a pretty face. I’d get myself bathed, dressed, and then I’d find my sisters and try to fix whatever was going on with them.

“Come here, you blasted thing!” I heard my mother’s voice from downstairs.

Oh, what now? Probably the cottage misbehaving yet again. I padded out of the room and down the stairs to see Mama chasing a winged parchment that fluttered around the room.

“Not this again. Where are Prue and Auggie?”

Mama waved her hand. “They both left on errands.”

I groaned. So much for talking to them.

“Are you going to help me or not?” Mama asked.

I grabbed a broom that was leaning against the wall and ran after the parchment, swatting it down .

It landed on the floor, and I picked it up. “Who’s sending us a letter now?”

“It’s the same crest as the invitation,” Mama said, pointing to the wax seal with the phoenix on it.

My throat grew thick. I wasn’t sure why we’d be getting another parchment from Draven.

“Well, open it.” Mama gestured. “Maybe it’s another ball.”

I doubted it, but then again, I had no idea what else it could be. I unraveled the parchment and let out a cry.

“Adelaide’s fallen ill,” I said, reading as fast as I could. “She’s got a fever and runny nose. And a cough. They’re taking good care of her, but she won’t be home today. She’s too sick to travel.”

Mama’s hand floated to her mouth. “Oh, your poor sister.” She clutched my hands. “You must go to her.”

“What?” I asked. “But Elm’s with her.”

“Yes, and I’m sure she wants her family. And you can observe her and Elm, see how things are faring between them.” Mama gave me a meaningful look.

“You want me to spy on them?”

“Oh, Elspeth, stop being so dramatic. I didn’t say that. But this is important. This is the closest any of you have been to a suitor in ages. This could be significant for Adelaide, but you know how shy and awkward your sister can be.”

I thought of how she spent the night with Elm. “She seems to be doing just fine on her own, Mama.”

Mama raised her nose in the air, snatching the parchment from me. “I suppose I have no choice but to go myself.”

I chewed my bottom lip, thinking through my options. Mama could go, but Mama didn’t always have a lot of... tact. I imagined her at the manor, oohing and ahhing over every detail, Draven glowering after her. His words about my intentions echoed in my mind, how I was only being nice to him because of his money. My family wasn’t like that. Mama wasn’t like that, but she might give that impression if she went.

“Fine.” I snatched the parchment. “I’ll go. Just let me bathe and change first.”