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L ARISSA STARTED PROGRESSING QUICKLY . By Monday afternoon, she could turn her hair brown, though only for two minutes at a time.

Larissa was actually practicing when she wasn’t with Briony. It seemed that whatever it was that motivated her to get to Biltmore was strong.

Toven didn’t attend Sunday’s lesson, but when he walked into the drawing room on Monday to see Larissa with brown hair, he stopped in his tracks.

“Look!” Larissa said, jumping up to twirl for him, but almost as soon as she had, she lost her grasp on that thread and let her hair fade back to blond. “Ah, damn it all.”

Toven slid his hands in his pockets and moved toward their chairs as Larissa closed her eyes and tried to find the concentration she needed.

“It’s impressive, even if it needs work,” he said softly.

“Be quiet,” Larissa snapped, her eyes squeezed tightly.

Briony watched Toven, taking note that his gaze never left Larissa as they all stood in silence.

Slowly, Larissa’s hair turned brown at the roots. With her face still squished in concentration, she said, “Am I doing it?”

“A little.”

Larissa huffed and shook out her arms, letting her concentration go again.

Toven cleared his throat. “My mother would like to entertain us all for dinner this evening.”

Briony’s jaw dropped. What a happy dinner party.

Larissa’s expression was wary for a moment. “I can’t,” she said. “I really need to be practicing this evening.”

Briony’s brows jumped. She couldn’t imagine staying in someone’s home and declining a dinner invitation.

“I’m afraid it’s not optional,” Toven said, looking down at his shoes.

Larissa glanced at Toven, chewing her lip—something Briony had never seen her do at school. She shook her head and grumbled, “What time?”

“Six.”

Larissa nodded, and Toven left without Briony’s response.

Briony crossed her arms as Larissa slumped back down in her chair. “You don’t enjoy Serena Hearst’s company?”

Larissa snorted. “Much the other way around.” She rubbed her thumb across her lips, her mind drifting. “I tried for years to get that woman’s approval. I’m sure you’ve noticed how she is. Sharing a meal with her is just a chance for her to evaluate and dismiss. You’ll see.”

Later, Larissa used the dinner as a practice session, and endeavored to cloak a beauty mark on her cheek for the entire evening.

Briony sat down next to Larissa and across from Toven, Orion’s place opposite Serena at the head of the table not set.

“Thank you for having us to dine this evening, Mrs. Hearst,” Larissa said in the voice she used to use on the tutors at school. “It’s been far too long since I’ve enjoyed your kitchen’s food.”

Serena’s lips curved in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Yes, I thought it was time to have a meal with everyone under my roof.”

Briony paused in placing her napkin on her lap as a glance passed between Toven and his mother. Toven’s lips pressed together.

“Larissa is with us for only a week, perhaps a bit longer. She needs to spend some time learning some valuable tools with Miss Rosewood.”

“Ah,” Serena said, lifting her wineglass. “I presume that is the reason I see a spot appearing and disappearing on Miss Gains’s cheek.”

Larissa blanched before blushing.

“It is, Mrs. Hearst.”

“If I remember correctly, you were always well concerned with cosmetology,” Serena said. “You are in need of further effects for your appearance?”

Briony blinked. It was so strange to hear Larissa call her “Mrs. Hearst” when Briony had been permitted to call her Serena.

“All is necessary, Mother,” Toven said, readjusting his napkin. “I promise.”

Briony cleared her throat. “Thank you for having us to dinner, Mrs. Hearst,” Briony said, lifting her fork.

“I’ve told you to call me Serena, Briony.”

Briony paused, her entire body flushing with secondhand embarrassment. Larissa was still as stone next to her.

Throughout the rest of the meal, Briony tried to make easy conversation while Serena ignored Larissa, Toven ignored Briony, and Larissa shrank into herself, ignoring everyone.

***

“Let’s go again,” Larissa said, gulping down her tea.

It was Friday morning, and Larissa could turn her eyes green for twenty minutes. It was truly impressive, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. She’d need to cloak herself as another person for far longer than twenty minutes.

However, Larissa hadn’t quite yet accepted that she would not be going to the Biltmore party that evening.

She slapped her own cheeks to perk up, having nearly passed out from exhaustion in the last session.

“Larissa,” Briony started.

“No. We go again.”

Briony stared at her. “You can try as often as you want today. It won’t change the fact that you’re not ready for this evening.”

Larissa narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Rosewood.”

“That’s precisely what she can tell you,” said a voice from the doorway. The two women turned to see Toven, observing them silently.

“Toven—”

“It won’t be tonight, Larissa,” he said softly. “Be all the more ready for next Friday.”

Briony watched a fire burn behind Larissa’s eyes as her lips pressed into a thin line.

“Finn will make an excuse why he can’t attend, and you both will appear next week,” Toven said.

Larissa stood with the petulance of a toddler and marched toward the door. As she passed him, Toven said, “And I assume you will hold up your end of the bargain with Rosewood this evening, as she has spent six days working with you.”

His words went unanswered as Larissa’s heavy footsteps echoed farther and farther away.

Without a glance in Briony’s direction, Toven excused himself.

Later that evening, Briony was just stepping out of the bath and draping her robe around herself when Larissa barged into her suite.

Briony peered out of the bathroom door and sputtered, “It’s polite to knock, you know.”

Larissa waved her off and went directly to her vanity to open the bag she’d brought with her. She started taking out brushes and powders.

Briony blinked, remembering what she’d said last week. I’ve heard from multiple sources now that you were a spectacular disaster at Biltmore. You looked a mess.

Breathing deeply, Briony said, “You’re here to make me look good?”

Larissa smiled condescendingly. “But of course. Looking good is my only talent,” she said, as if repeating the words from someone. She patted the back of the vanity chair and gestured for Briony to sit.

Briony didn’t know if she was supposed to disagree with Larissa or not. She followed instruction and sat.

As Larissa started organizing all the powders and rouges, Briony frowned at her in the mirror. “Not every girl is done up and dressed to the nines.”

Larissa dragged the chair to face her with surprising strength.

“Not every girl fetched sixty-five thousand gold,” she said, leaning down to meet Briony on her level.

Briony froze at the knowledge that Larissa had finally figured out how much Toven bought her for.

“Not every girl is on the arm of the wealthiest heir in line. Trust me when I say that you need to look and act the part. If you can’t maintain the lie, Rosewood,” Larissa said, voice sharpening, “you’ll endanger the entire Hearst family. ”

Briony pressed her lips together. “I’m well aware of that, thanks.”

Larissa stood upright, a bright smile breaking across her lips. “Good.” She pushed a tube of something into Briony’s hands. “Now moisturize.”

Brushing the cream over her skin, Briony turned her eyes to Larissa’s left forearm. The flesh was mangled and silver-white from the acid that Finn had used. Briony realized that she now had access to someone who could possibly give her a clue about the tattoos.

“Did it hurt?” she asked quietly.

“Don’t be an idiot, Rosewood. You heard me screaming. Now go ahead and ask the real question you want to ask.”

Larissa came at her with a large brush at that point, promptly covering Briony’s embarrassed flush with a beige goo.

“What do you know about the tattoos?” Briony asked, once the brush was away from her mouth.

“Absolutely nothing.” Larissa dipped the brush again. “All I know is that I can come and go as I please.”

“Because you’re ‘dead.’”

Larissa’s lips twitched. “Well, yes. That does tend to be helpful.”

“I woke up with my tattoo already on my arm. Do you remember anything about the spell they used?”

“I don’t remember a spell,” Larissa said. “Just the elixir.”

Briony felt her skin prick as every hair on her arms stood on end.

“What kind of elixir?”

“Well, gee, Rosewood, when I was allowed to examine it, my findings were inconclusive—”

“You drank an elixir?” Briony grabbed her wrist, forcing Larissa to tug her brush back. “You’re sure?”

She scowled at her. “I’m positive. I remember having my jaw pried open.”

Briony’s mind raced at breakneck speed. She’d thought that the tattoo was a spell cast upon a person, an external charm. Was Briony given this elixir while she was unconscious?

An elixir had an antidote. She tucked away this new information, excited to examine it later in the Hearst library.

Briony let Larissa continue in silent concentration, dabbing at her face and smudging powders onto her cheeks.

She hadn’t bothered with any of this since before her father died.

If there was a state event, the palace hired a team to come in and tend to her, but that was all she knew other than where to swipe rouge.

Larissa, on the other hand, had already perfected a powdered and contoured face when they started school at sixteen.

The only time Briony had ever seen her without a face on was when they were held captive together.

“You said you envied me in the Trow dungeons.” Briony’s voice was soft, as if she were speaking to a skittish cat.

Larissa didn’t look up from her palette.

“You said you were envious of ‘what my life would be,’” Briony said. “What did you mean?”

Larissa laughed, a bark of glee that made Briony jump in her seat. Larissa looked around the bathroom suite, gesturing with her brush.