Legs out wide as she sat on the cold marbled floor, Elysia reached for the last book from their little avalanche. This bookhad fallen on its binding, gilded pages crashed open. Just out of reach, she crawled over to slide it closer. Skulls littered the background of the page and a man stood amongst them with a hood pulled over his shadowed face. A dark, winding river ran beside the lone figure. The sketched drawing made her skin prickle with vague recognition. Eyes moving fast, she scanned the words on the opposite page.
Shock had a small gasp tumbling from her lips and her wrists folding like paper. The book crashed back down to the floor as she continued to gape. Hastily, she grabbed it, shutting the book with a loud clap, and shoved it back onto the closest shelf. She sprang to her feet, wishing she had never looked inside that dark book.
Elysia staredat the gorgeous iron-paned windows nestled into the stone walls of her mother’s sitting room. The rain beat a steady tempo against the glass.
The song might be a dirge.
She glanced at the clock and stopped herself. Beatriz would not be attending, regardless of the time. She knew this down to her frozen toes. But it didn’t matter.She wouldn’t have been any help, anyway.The rain dirged on, agreeing with her thoughts. Elysia knew better than to expect anything from her sister.
A person didn’t have to be a keeper of secrets to hear what was whispered about Beatriz Parker. Sharp as glass. She left impossible slivers in your skin. A woman who hid herself in debauchery instead of perfection. She slid in and out of carriages, and waltzed like smoke through dark, liquor-filled parlors. Boys, girls, dresses, or suits. It did not matter to Beatriz as long as she had a good time.
Elysia still wouldn’t have minded her company. Their relationship had always been strained, but now that they both lived beyond the castle walls their main contact was limited to the occasions on which her sister slyly asked for information about certain Kavians, and then she disappeared again until she needed to be fed another secret.
She always did seem to need another secret.
But Elysia worried, so she doled out the secrets like money that might keep her big sister safe one more night.
Elysia’s thoughts were broken as Georgia Parker walked briskly into the room. She adjusted the position of three priceless works of art by just a hair and fluffed all four pillows in the room before Elysia could even blink. A breath later she was on to refolding the rich maroon blanket that lounged upon the overstuffed loveseat.
Elysia straightened in her chair before she could become the next possession to be adjusted.
Her mother finally settled onto the intricately stitched armchair resting across from her. She crossed her ankles. “Did you call for drinks yet? No? Good, they’ll be hot then.” Georgia stood and lightly tugged the golden cord that would alert her staff to haul ass like the Kavian winds.
Elysia was caught between a laugh and a cringe at the thought of how fast her mother’s servants must dart through the castle halls. The same servant Elysia had nearly collided with days before, curly haired and with cinnamon freckles dusting her face, appeared in the doorway. The girl was breathless and color spotted her cheeks.
“Yes, Mrs. Parker?”
Georgia looked the girl in the eyes. “Two steaming bumblebees, please.”
She was gone without a word.
Georgia smiled with closed lips and leaned back in her chair.
“Skittish that one. Still haven’t caught her name.”
She shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but Elysia knew she would find out. Georgia Parker was both the best and worst person to work for in this castle. She would run you ragged and demand perfection where there was none to be found, but she would also discreetly slip Crown catering leftovers into your hands and ensure your family was fed and housed within the castle walls.
She used to think it was out of some motherly kindness, but Elysia had come to realize that it was simply an extension of her pragmatism. Servants with round, full bellies who slept soundly in their quarters worked harder and were far more likely to keep their lips shut than ones you kicked outside to find housing and food with their meager coin. So, her mother knew their names and treated them like their positions really meant something.
Elysia smiled at her mother. She knew the positions meant nothing. At least to her mother.
A heartbeat later, the girl silently placed the tray of drinks and scones on the table between them. Georgia caught her hand before she could get away. “Dear, remind me of your name?” Her patented smile felt so warm that Elysia almost believed it herself.
The girl’s eyes shot between Elysia and her mother.
Her voice was a squeak. “Hannah, ma’am, Hannah.”
Georgia kept smiling and snuck a scone into the girl’s apron. “Thank you, Hannah. Have a good afternoon.”
She turned back to Elysia, taking hold of a mug. Bumblebees were a common enough winter drink in Kava if you could afford tea. The simple mix of gin and tea smelled divine and was strong enough to warm your bones after being in the rain.
She sipped her drink. “I imagine your sister is not attending? Have you spoken to her lately?”
Elysia resisted the urge to crack her neck. It was the same questions all the time.And the answers did not change.Smilingpleasantly, she shook her head. “No, I haven’t heard from her recently.”
A look that said Beatriz would be getting anonnegotiabletype of summons crossed her mother’s face. “Hm. We’ll have to see about that.”
She handed a mug to Elysia. “On to business. I’ll be hosting a cocktail party for all the diplomats coming into Kava next week, and I’ll need you in attendance.”
