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Shying from the enthusiasm, I turned back to the tumbling acrobats. I was faintly aware of a drumbeat, playing quickly. Though I searched the great hall for a drummer, I couldn’t see one. The only music floated from the harp and gathered flautists.

“Where are you staying?” Ruven asked.

“The tower, in the sewing rooms.”

“Ah, makes sense. They’ve got me downstairs, practically in the dungeon.” I grumbled a lacklustre response, the way I always did when I was nervous and my mind was elsewhere. “Have courage,” Ruven said. “It’s only a ball.” That did little to calm my nerves. “Shall we go in together?”

“Ruven.” I backed from the rail. “You don’t want that.”

“Nonsense!” Ruven tucked my arm around his and patted it.

“I want nothing more.” We walked along the path, down the stairs, and headed to the magnificent double doors of the great hall.

A woman dressed in black offered to take my cloak.

After a brief pause in which I considered fleeing, I gave it to her.

The woman paused with the cloak, her eyes widening.

She left to tuck it away, casting a wary glance over her shoulder.

Ruven looked at me as if I were a ghost. We prepared to enter the great hall, but Ruven did not offer me his hand.

That’s fine; I didn’t need it. I walked through the doors anyway.

Pausing on the landing with me, Ruven hissed, “It’s no small thing, to insult the queen.”

“Have courage,” I whispered. “It’s only a ball.”

From my neck to my fingertips flowed a deep crimson gown.

A silk skirt pooled around my ankles, as if a river of blood poured from me.

Under the gaze of everyone, I took my first steps.

Strings of rubies fell down my bare back, cooling my skin where they touched.

I’d spent my life creating garments meant to heal, to protect.

Not this one—this was a gown of trickling blood.

Into every seam, I wove sickness and poison—every evil, cruel emotion I could muster.

When they looked upon me, I wanted those who governed this castle filled with stolen children to choke.

I descended the last step and strode into the sea of bodies.

As if tied to my anxieties and fears, that far off drum grew louder, until it was a great chorus I struggled to ignore.

People parted for me as if I were armed with a sword and not just a young woman in a pretty dress.

Next to me, someone covered their mouth.

Another doubled over and held their belly.

I paid them no mind and walked along the long banquet table.

Heaps of cheese lay around a tower of delicate pastries.

Farther down, an entire deer was cooked and laid out, as if it were only sleeping.

I passed the doe and stopped before what I had incorrectly assumed was a turkey.

Delicate blue and emerald feathers lay around a plucked and roasted peacock, it’s flesh golden and crisp.

I bit back nausea and turned, searching for Ruven in the crowd.

With a heavy heart, I watched my friend leave the ball.

Though the room bustled with music and discussion, I’d never felt more alone.

Sticking to the edges of the room, I lurked in the shadows.

It was there, hidden behind a pillar, that a hand curled around my arm.

I came face-to-face with the dark mask of the advisor.

Ripping my arm away, I cried, “Don’t touch me!

” The advisor didn’t heed my warning. They dragged me, as if I were a child, toward the great doors.

Bronwyn intercepted us. “Let her go!” The advisor gripped my arm so tight, their forearm trembled. Bronwyn’s lip curled as she hissed, “Drop her.” Those around us stared, and I wished I might disappear into the floor. One finger at a time, the advisor released me.

“What an enchanting gown.”

I stilled at the voice—the one I’d feared most when I’d first slipped into the gown.

The music, the chatter, even the chorus of drums faded as I cast my head down and turned to face the queen.

Queen Aenor greeted me as an amethyst might greet a hunter of gems in the darkest mine.

How many hours had gone into the creation of her gown, which drew all eyes in the room?

How many layers of fabric to create the skirt that kept people from getting too near?

Tassels and golden strings shimmered as the queen approached.

“In capturing the Hound”—the queen’s eyes roamed down my crimson dress—“you have demonstrated much courage.” In an unlikely turn, she smiled.

“As the person of honour, you will sit next to me.” She beckoned me forward.

Her skirts swished as she turned and headed to the lengthy dining table.

Smoothing my dress, I reminded myself to breathe and accompanied the queen.

“You might think I’m offended by your appearance,” Queen Aenor said, rounding the table.

“On the contrary, I find your dress quite…enchanting.” She sat in a tall chair.

“It brings me pleasure to imagine the daring gowns you’ll create for me, while you’re up in that tower for many, many years to come. ”

With drooping shoulders, I took my place beside the queen.

Still eying my gown, the queen said, “Did you hear? The captain of my guard seems to have died—well, been eaten.” She plucked up a grape and ate it.

“I didn’t particularly care for the man, but I must admit he possessed a healthy respect for the Hollow.

It seems odd he would wander in and allow himself to be eaten, does it not? ”

Gulping, I anxiously adjusted a vase of daffodils. “I heard they found him in a hole. Perhaps he tripped?”

“Oh, indeed!” The queen laughed. “The freshly dug hole. Do you think he dug it first, and then, falling victim to his own hubris, tripped?”

“Anything is possible,” I whispered, dusting a pile of pollen from the tablecloth.

Queen Aenor pursed her lips. “Captain Marek was quite fond of your family, was he not? Your mother, in particular, I’ve heard.” She laughed. “That is, if you subscribe to silly barrack rumours.”

I fidgeted with a spoon. “I never noticed.”

“Mhm,” the queen muttered.

Throughout the meal, I ate nothing. Food nauseated me, and thoughts of Rook preoccupied my mind. What was it like in the dungeon? Was he being tortured? During my worrying, Bronwyn took a seat beside the queen. I hoped she might divulge news of Rook, but the Hound was not mentioned once.

I couldn’t help but notice the way Bronwyn’s pinky stroked Queen Aenor’s beneath the table before she left.

A familiar face entered the great hall, and a shred of comfort eased my worry.

Lottie relieved one of the guards, just inside the doors.

She caught sight of me and grinned, eyepatch, missing tooth, and all.

Her eye widened as she took in my dress beneath the table.

She chuckled and gave me a subtle thumbs up below her waist. Suddenly, Lottie’s eye darted to my left, and the smile died.

She adjusted her cloak and straightened.

I glanced sideways and met Queen Aenor’s gaze.

“You and your sister are young, and you are reckless.” A bold statement; there were fewer than ten years between Queen Aenor and me.

“Despite what you might believe, I am not your enemy.” There was a steady pause.

“Whether you like it or not, you will obey me, and you will serve the kingdom.” I looked away, instead focusing on the napkin I’d mangled in my lap.

We’ll see about that.

My skin tingled as the queen beheld me. I’d read of a queen who had the ability to catch another’s thoughts, like passing shouts on the wind. Though I had no way of knowing if Queen Aenor possessed such a gift, I repeated a rhyme in my head, like I often did in the Hollow.

There once was a peckish bone fairy…

The queen clapped, sending a jolt of shock through me. The merry hall quieted. “Now,” Queen Aenor began, “the reason you’ve all come.” The great doors opened, and a thin shadow sliced through the murmuring crowd, splitting it in two.

Shackled and beaten, Rook stood in the doorway.

The advisor appeared like a shadow behind him.

They gripped Rook’s filthy shirt and tossed him forward.

Crashing down the stairs, Rook’s head hit the stone with a sickening slap!

The advisor hurried after Rook and dragged him up by a metal collar.

Fresh blood poured from a slit across Rook’s forehead.

Trailed by Bronwyn, the advisor and Rook shuffled toward the table.

When they neared, the advisor kicked Rook’s knees, and he fell.

With the back of their hand, the advisor struck Rook.

I winced against the beating, as if I’d received the blow.

Through my grimace, I caught sight of the queen. She wasn’t watching Rook.

No.

As Rook was beaten, Queen Aenor watched my reaction. I schooled my face into complacency. Still, the queen smirked. The advisor yanked Rook up by his hair and readied to strike again.

“Enough!” the queen shouted. With great restraint, the advisor backed off. Rook’s breathing was ragged as he crawled to his knees. He spit a gob of blood. Looking upon the queen, Rook smiled. Ruby-red blood filled the cracks in his teeth.

The defiance sent my pulse racing.

“You have plagued our land, killing wantonly, for far too long,” Queen Aenor said, eliciting a wave of boos.

“You will terrorize us no longer. Come dawn, we will see you executed.” A chorus of applause boomed.

The woman beside me clapped, and then curled her hand around her mouth to echo a cheer.

“We must all thank your captor!” The queen waved at me. “Our triumphant maiden, Liliwen Valet!”

The applause deafened me.