I moved, probably to do something nonsensical, but a stabbing pain in my head stopped me.
I raised a hand to touch my aching temples. Someone had bandaged my head injury. I’d also been changed into a lacy nightgown. Even if it had been necessary, it was still unnerving to have been changed in my sleep. Looking down at my thick, pale, naked thighs, I felt an even stronger sense of disconnect. Did it even matter who touched this body? It wasn’t mine. But it was still unpleasant. I felt a grumbling in my stomach and an ache in my back from where I’d slept wrong. If only I could leave and get back to my own comfortable skin.
“May we come in?” Araceli called.
“Yes,” I replied in a hoarse voice. I could use someone to stop me from being alone with my thoughts.
Araceli entered, wearing a maid’s uniform. She tugged the young Queen Antonia behind her. “Antonia—Her Majesty—heard about your injuries and wanted to see you.”
“Just call me by name when we’re alone. It feels weird otherwise.” Antonia pointed at my bandage. “Did people do that to you because they thought you were the real duchess?”
“Err …” I glanced at Araceli for help. I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t want a child to blame herself either.
Gently but firmly, Araceli said, “They did. That’s why we’re researching to help Bora return to her correct body.”
Antonia gnawed at her lip and peered up at me from under her lashes. “You must be angry at me. I understand. I wouldn’t want to turn into the duchess, either. She’s mean and a lot of people don’t like her.”
I winced. “This situation isn’t ideal, but I don’t blame you. It was an accident. And if you hadn’t swapped us, the duchess would have killed Donya before I could stop her.”
“I don’t want the real duchess back.” Antonia looked at her golden slippers. “But I don’t want you to get hurt either. And I don’t want to be hurt myself.”
“I promise I won’t leave you with that horrible woman,” I said. “We’ll get rid of her and let Donya be your regent instead.”
Araceli nodded. “That’s right. If Arahasnor doesn’t allow executions, then there’s always poison. A friend of mine has poison that can melt someone’s innards. We can make sure she suffers for all the pain she caused us.”
I frowned. Was that an acceptable thing to say in front of a child? But Antonia looked thrilled. She bounced up and down. “Finally she’ll die instead of other people! It’s a promise!”
I worried about this kid.
Just when my last set of visitors had left and I’d started to drift off, someone new knocked on my door.
“Huh?” I called in a sleepy voice.
“It’s Donya. How are you feeling? Should I come back later?”
“Ahhhhhh!” I sat up and started straightening my hair. I must look a fright, with my forehead bandaged and one of my nails chipped in my fall.
Why did it matter? This wasn’t my body. But I still didn’t want Donya to see me like this. I gave up taming my hair for fear I’d disturb my bloody bandages.
“Are you all right?” she called. “I thought I heard a cry of pain. Should I summon the doctor again?”
“No, no, I’m fine, I was just …” I didn’t have an excuse. “Come in!”
As Donya entered my bedroom, I yanked my sheets up to my neck to cover as much of my body as possible and huddled in my burrow of pillows like a small furry animal.
Donya took a seat by my bed. “We need to talk about the fallout of arresting a diplomatic representative.”
I chuckled nervously. “How much trouble am I in?”
“I don’t blame you, Bora. Not one bit. What Arrand tried to do …” Donya’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “I’m furious, too. There was no other way to stop him. He had permission from the real duchess to bring his Gifted Knights into the city and use them against civilians. Taking him hostage was a reckless move—but it worked. We successfully forced everyone connected to the guild to leave the city by threatening Arrand’s life.”
“Oh.” I gnawed on my lip. It surprised me that anyone cared about him, but I figured he paid their wages. “What about the debt?”
Donya rubbed her forehead. “We can’t pay that debt. We simply can’t. I’ve run the numbers thousands of times … and we don’t have the money. Not if we sold this entire palace. I suppose just flat out refusing to pay them was unethical, but not as unethical as handing over our innocent civilians to cover the late king’s reckless spending.”
“They’re going to complain to the Conclave of Kings.”
“I’m sure they will. But complaints take time. Dark Lord Kaine built up an army while the Conclave was still trying to figure out what to do about him. Ideally, I hope we can swap you back before the Conclave acts.”
