CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
In the days I’d been AWOL, my suite at the palace had changed. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I expected to find my belongings still rummaged through and a sickening blood stain in the foyer. Instead, the rooms shined as gold and opulent as they had on that first morning almost a week—or more like a year—ago.
Everything picture perfect. Like nothing ever happened.
Movement in the bathroom had me stalking further into the room, searching for . . . right, no weapons. But as a frail young girl with auburn hair walked through the vanity area and into the bedchamber I bolted to her side.
“Elani.” I flung my arms around her tiny frame and felt her stiffen. Right. Through Rowan, I felt as if I knew the girl, but she didn’t know me. Likely didn’t even know I was close with her brother. I took a step back. “Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
Her dainty fingers clasped together as she drew a deep breath. “No, Princess, of course not. Are you all right? No one has . . . hurt you, have they?”
I knew by the tightening in her voice what she worried about on my behalf. And though my mother had chosen physical brutality to keep her and her brother in line, she must have known that tack would never work with me. “I’m fine. Are you all right? Rowan was so afraid that the dirt I stirred up would settle on you. Have the Strati come after you? If they came after you because of me, I’m so sor—”
“He told you?” She whirled away, her arms wrapped tight around herself. “He swore no one would ever know. I can’t believe he broke his word. What you must think . . .”
Stepping behind her, I squeezed her shoulder. “It’s not what I think, but what I know. What happened isn’t your fault, Elani. None of it. I’ve dealt with this kind of evil before and it’s sick and twisted and—”
She shook her head and turned to me, her eyes glassy. “What the Queen has done cannot be undone . . . but to know my brother speaks of it . . .”
“Oh, gods, Elani, I’m sorry. Don’t be angry with Rowan. I swear, he only told me so that I can help end this nightmare.” I remembered the pained expression on Rowan’s face as he’d warned me what they did to his little sister if I didn’t stop. Now, I couldn’t stop and he would never forgive me if Elani paid the price. “And Rowan? Have you seen him?”
She shook her head. “One of the Queen’s Strati will come and take me to the consort quarters after. It is the only time he’s allowed to see me . . . and only if he pleases her.”
I pressed my fist against the sharp stab in my gut. My stomach being empty was the only thing that kept me from throwing up. After. That one word stole my breath.
A bright-eyed girl burst through the door and scurried into the foyer. “Everyone, she’s here. She’s back.”
Everyone? Yep. Half a dozen people popped into my personal space, all of them eyeing me like a prize sow at market. I was sooo not in the mood. “What is this?”
Elani transformed from the weepy young girl I’d been speaking with into her servant-girl persona. Emerging from my walk-in closet, she offered me a sad smile. “Your marriage to Lir-Zale is the final event of the Leap Year Celebration. There will be five Eligible’s marrying. Your sisters arranged the ceremony months ago, but there are dozens of last minute preparations to be made. You will begin with beauty treatments, gown, hairstyle, paint colors, what gems you want in what pattern—”
Oh gods. Only by sheer force of will, I struggled against my instinct to kill someone. The dye was cast. Denying Zale would only put everyone in more danger. Gesturing to the little army of carts now lining both sides of the outer bathroom I sighed. “Okay, so what’s all that?”
“Your illusionist’s tools for your beautification.”
“My who . . . for my what?” I followed Elani’s pinched gaze to a skinny, green-skinned male wearing a glittery silver vest. “The Nobles and royal guests are here, gathered for the formal reception tonight. The festivities go well into the morning ending in the outdoor theatre. As the sun rises for the dawning of the new day, you and your sister Eligibles will be presented on stage and wed.”
“Gods, this is all such a nightmare.”
The expression on Elani’s face was far too old for a girl so young. I had seen the same look in too many faces since I came to Attalos.
I looked at the spot where I’d found Tham’s body and closed my eyes. I could still see every stab wound, every score of his ivory flesh, every bruise. What if that was done to Coal, Terran, and Rowan. This was so much bigger than me.
So many others had it much worse than I. If the only way to evoke change in Attalos was through the Noble Council then I needed to get access to the people on that council. With a sickening dread, I solidified my resolve.
Marrying Zale had become the option of necessity.
Mrs. Lir-Dickhead.
“Princess Grace.” A voice from the doorway had me turning. It was Stitch. Pale green hands fidgeted with the tie of his cloak and freed the knot. When he tossed it over the back of the sofa, his hair swayed like a baby duck’s down in a strong breeze. The sight of his mourning band sucked the air from my lungs.
He rushed across the floor. “Thank the Fates you are well. When you failed to return to my shop and I heard about the killings . . .” He pulled a kerchief from his pants pocket and rubbed his face.
“I’m fine.” With an arm across his back I helped him to the sofa and away from prying ears. “I’m sorry you worried. Things happened and I—”
He touched the soft black choker on his throat. “I know what happened.”
Thankfully, before he made reference to Tham, the wedding makeover team kicked into high gear. It seemed, my mother wasn’t convinced a couple of illusionists could whip me into any shape worth presenting to her royal ass-kissers. I ranked having the entire flock swoop in, squawking and flapping like geese. Ordinarily I would have ejected the whole gaggle but as long as no one was safe, I couldn’t make waves.
First came the acid peels, foot scrubs and all manner of spit and polish, thankfully minus any actual spit. Next came the pluck and primp. My put-yer-eye-out hair-spikes were replaced by downy soft curls while my skin was conditioned and my follicles scraped, shaved, moisturized and then massaged. The man was gifted. After stalking the streets on my assassin spree the past two nights, I could have suffered through that kind of torture all afternoon. I even managed an hour of sleep while he worked on my back.
The final makeover brought on the artistry. My nails and face were painted and then two supercilious teenage girls with iridescent wings went to crazy-town gluing tiny purple gems in intricate patterns of filigree down my right side. Their little Bedazzling trek moved across my forehead, down my neck and then headed south, decorating the modest curves of my breast, ribs, hip and thigh.
“I don’t recognize myself,” I said once they finished.
“Success,” the giggle twins chimed in perfect unison, “that’s what we were going for.”
Allrighty then.
In the end, every pore was breathing, every bruise was concealed and with all the customizing of my girl parts I was starting to panic. “Attaloseans don’t get married nude or anything kinky, do they? I will be wearing something at this reception, right?”
My entourage exploded into another fit of giggles as they headed for the door. Even Elani and Stitch chuckled.
“The jewelling is for the pleasure of your Noble,” Elani said, closing the door behind the troop. “It’s tradition.”
That gave me an idea. Shuffling to where I’d dropped my clothes, I retrieved my vest and removed the small spy camera disguised as a rhinestone from the front snap. A little dab of the giggle twins’ gluey-goo and it blended in with my decorated forehead and became my third eye.
The size of a postage stamp and almost as thin, I removed the control pad from where it remained hidden in the lining of my vest pocket. I turned it on and tucked it in my bra. “If anything happens to me, make sure this gets to my family in the other realm. They’ll finish what I started and make things right here, I swear.”
Elani retrieved a fabric garment bag from the back of my closet door. “Come. Let us dress you.”
Happy to be offered something to wear, I tested the stick of the gems as Stitch and Elani helped me into my outfit for the evening. No need to worry. Those sparkling little stones weren’t going anywhere.
Awed, I straightened in front of the mirror wearing Stitch’s masterpiece.
“It’s wonderful,” I breathed. Regardless of the growing dread that the Queen would hurt Coal if I didn’t marry Lir-douche-bag, and crazy about what she might be doing with Rowan in her consort quarters, the outfit was perfect.
Sleek gold slacks with Stiletto boots might seem understated for a wedding, but with the violet, backless top that dropped into a full-length train it was more than elegant. I ran my fingers up the crushed velvet halter to where the delicate ivory and gold lacework bib clasped around my neck, just below my mourning band.
Elani slid the dangling, gold leaf earrings in place and all I could do was stare.
“Your sisters chose traditional gowns,” Stitch said, “but I thought you’d appreciate something more functional. I gave you as much mobility as I could and incorporated hidden pockets in the underside of your skirt to hold your weapons. I would have put some in place, but the Strati are screening everyone entering the Palace. I’m sorry.”
My ache from having no knives swelled. And the fact that Stitch had recognized that had tears rising in my eyes. “It’s perfect. Thank you. I appreciate the thought.”
He bowed. “From the one with forethought and prudence, a leader shall rise.”
That must be an Attalosean proverb or something. I stepped back to the full-length mirror and it dawned on me. “What’s your true name? It’s not really Stitch, is it?”
He shook his head. “My given name is Bay. My matris is of water and my patris is of earth. Bay, fits both.”
Something occurred to me. “Elani, why is your brother named Rowan if your parents were both of water and your grandmother was of fire? Rowan is a tree.”
“Patris had a childhood friend who was like a blooded brother. When Rowan was born his friend became an Abbatis priest at the Fae Trinity Temple and forfeited his given identity. Patris said that since his friend no longer needed the name, it would put it to good use.”
“Rowan is a good name,” Stitch . . . no, Bay said. “It is strong and vital and a man’s name must reflect his identity in the community.”
I felt the presence of someone entering the room and turned. “In that case,” Zale said, “he should have been named Pornos, because that’s all he is and will ever be.”
I squeezed Elani’s wrist and considered the benefits of strangling Zale. He strutted into my suite as if he owned the place, primped, polished and preened to near perfection. He really was an Adonis until he opened his pie-hole and the spell was broken.
“Would the two of you excuse us?” I asked. “My fiancé and I need a moment.”
Elani glanced to the mantle clock and back to me. Time marched on.
“I’m sure Zale can escort me to the reception,” I said, gesturing to the door. “Go back to your suite in case anyone is looking for you. Bay, thank you. This outfit is spectacular. No one could have gotten me and my tastes better.”
Bay dropped his gaze and bowed. “You honor me, Princess.”
When Zale and I were alone, his smile spread until it lit a malicious gleam in his eyes. “Well, well. Don’t you look the part of the blushing bride. New clothes, new hair and thanks to your mother’s forethought in giving you my little slave boy, a new attitude.”
He pressed a finger over his lips and looked me up and down. “Submissive is far more becoming than the slumsnipe bitch you’ve been thus far.”
“Oh, I assure you, it’s just the hair and makeup.”
“Well, with you on your best behavior, and me—well, simply being me—all eyes will fall to the two of us.”
“I’m sure we’ll be the talk of the ball.” I snorted. It was taking all my strength of will to play coy with this asshole, but for my boys, I needed to be in control. “What about Freya Love? You mean the three of us, don’t you?”
Zale rubbed his fingers over his mouth, covering a smirk. “This will be interesting. And since, the consummation of Noble marriages must be witnessed, the council is already abuzz. They pretend to be enlightened, but down deep they’re just as perverse as the common.”
“Witnessed?” Oh, this was getting better and better. “As in . . . a threesome peepshow?” When his smirk widened, my stomach flipped. I needed to find Coal and get my boy somewhere safe. “Voyeurism isn’t my thing.”
“That’s a shame. I’ve already arranged a surprise for you.” Zale strode to the bar console and slid the marble countertop backward until some hidden mechanism clicked. A moment later, a viewing-screen rose from inside the cabinet. He swiveled it toward me.
I was just about to tell him where he could shove his surprise when the screen flashed to life. No. Oh, hells no.