I stiffened. Not worthy? He was obviously trying to cover for what we were here to do, but still, the idea that we weren’t worthy of her rankled. Hard.
I wasn’t having it.
“Actually, we’d love to join you.” I pulled Henri toward my aunt.
“Welcome,” the Red Queen said when we stopped before the table. “I must apologize, my ladies-in-waiting sent out the invitations, and clearly they didn’t explain the seating protocol to you. That being said, I’m afraid I don’t know your names.”
“Camilla Thorn.” I used the first name I often took when on missions, and then tacked a nature-based surname onto the end, as was common in Faerie.
“And I’m her escort, Ernie Longfog.”
Sansu and Alran introduced themselves honestly. Apparently, neither had a troubled family past, or had been involved with the law.
“Now that we’re acquainted, please come sit.” The Red Queen gestured for us to join her and the king consort.
Henri and I sat next to the queen, while the other two took the king’s side of the table. I lowered myself with as much grace as I could muster, hoping that the queen didn’t feel the tension rolling off me in waves.
As soon as we settled in, the servants began taking orders, allowing everyone a few much needed minutes to pull themselves together.
And I needed every single one of those minutes.
Xavier had schooled me well in deception, so I managed to keep my face calm, my body loose. But other, more visceral reactions were not so easily dismissed.
Goosebumps pebbled my arms, and I practically had to choke down air because her rose-scented perfume was so cloying.
“So, Camilla,” the Red Queen turned to me once the servants had left. “Tell me, what part of Heartstown do you call home?”
Not missing a beat, Henri came to the rescue, leaning forward as if he was an enthusiastic subject. “The north end. We both live in Watercrest.”
“What a wonderful area. And do you work? Or are you too young for that?”
“I have no position yet,” I replied. “Although my mother is teaching me the ways of the court, so hopefully, I can spend more time here.” I gave my aunt a confident, bright smile.
“And I’m apprenticing in my father’s trade—personal finance. He’s up and coming in the sector.”
If I wasn’t in character, my jaw would have dropped at that one.
Personal finance? For who? The hundred people in this room?
There didn’t seem to be other fae in Heartstown with any sort of financial wealth to speak of.
While I thought Hatter’s choice was absurd, the Red Queen didn’t balk. In fact, she smiled and leaned closer to us. “Personal finance! In that case, I have many questions.”
Henri and the queen chatted about the state of the Wonderland economy. All the while, servants set glasses of wine and plates of food in front of us.
The queen barely seemed to notice the arrival of her food and drink, and I’d just begun to eye her glass and contemplate a poisoning when she snapped the goblet up. Once she drank her fill, she set the goblet down, further away from me, and continued chatting.
I slumped back in my seat.
Henri couldn’t help that he chose a topic that interested the queen, and yet if I were to have a chance at poisoning her, I needed her to look the other direction. I wished that Alran or Sansu would step it up and occupy her attention.
“Oh yes!” the king consort exclaimed loudly. My ears perked up. Perhaps the king might provide a better distraction? “The queen and I are very much looking forward to the Wonderland summer games this year. Ezekiel is one of our favored croquet competitors.”
A croquet competition? Seeing as I didn’t know jack about croquet, the topic was risky, but I could work with it. I only needed a moment of distraction.
“I’m sorry,” I leaned back to peer behind the queen, which caught her attention. “Did you say Ezekiel? He’s one of my favorite players, too. Who will go up against him?”
The king beamed at me, and as I’d hoped, the queen leaned back into her throne so that one side of the table could see the other.
