1
Aradella was waiting to get into the elegant carriage Queen Olina had sent to take them to the Lair. She remembered when her father had presented the coach to his wife as a gift. As young as Aradella was, she knew it was an “I’m sorry” present for his younger brother having married a dreadful woman. She yelled at everyone, complained without stop, and she looked at her sister-in-law with such hatred that people stepped back, afraid they’d be burned.
The carriage was now owned by that awful woman. The king and queen were dead, and their daughter was... Aradella couldn’t imagine what her fate was going to be.
Olina had tried to hide her jubilance at the announcement that Aradella wasnotto marry Tanek, but she wasn’t a good actress. She tried to disguise her glee with lies. “You deserve better than a filthy swan herder,” she’d said. “Your dear parents would haunt me if I allowed that to happen to you so I fought them. I know the man’s mother is a Seven, but why shouldyoube punished for that woman’s indiscretion with a... a...?” She swallowed, seeming to be unable to say the words of Tanek’s low birth.
In the corner sat her wrinkly old mother, pretending to besewing, but she was actually staring hard at Aradella. Did the woman never blink?
Through it all, Aradella had sat absolutely still, showing no emotion. If she made any protest, she was sure Olina would punish her by taking away something she had. Would it be Hale? Her library would be found and destroyed? Her cousins? At the thought that those two lovingly “caring” sisters would be removed from her life almost made her smile.
Olina went on to say that Aradella was going to be given a fabulous gift.
A pet snake?she thought.Cockroaches in my pillow?Actually, she’d prefer bugs to Nessa sleeping beside her.
“I am sending you to the Lair for three days.”
At that, Aradella did show some expression. No one went to the Lair. Or left it. Three women were allowed to participate in trade but no one else. Her cousins used to tell her the gossip of terrible things that happened in the Lair, but there was no proof of any of it.
As Aradella waited for the carriage, she sneaked looks at the Earth woman. She had exotic eyes of a deep brown and her hair had a bit of red in it. She had on a blue shirt, black trousers, and brown boots. She didn’t look very different from other people, but when she arrived at the carriage, the horses had tried to go to her. They wouldn’t get into harness until the Earth woman had touched and talked to them. It was quite odd.
Tanek’s son, standing behind Aradella, said in great understatement, “Animals like her.”
He was named Mekos and he was as tall as his father, but he didn’t have the heavy muscle that Tanek did. Mekos was lighter and more agile. And with his sharp nose and chin, he was handsome to the point of being almost pretty.
It was Mekos who helped Aradella into the carriage. It wasn’t easy as she was wider than the door. She had to turn sideways to get through.
When she was seated, Tanek got in from the other side andhe smiled at her in a warm, friendly way. Between them was the memory of the dance they’d shared.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She gave a slight smile in return and nodded.
“About the, uh...” He didn’t seem to know what to say.
But she understood. She’d been told she was to marry this man, but a day later, she was told no, he was already married. How the cousins had bewailed that! Shay said if it was done to her, she’d protest.
“I’d send Papá to the queen to say I refused to let him out of the agreement. Married to anEarthwoman? Their children will be freaks.”
Bree had been quiet, but she’d squeezed Aradella’s hand and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Whether she was sorry that Aradella had lost Tanek or that she was being forced to marry Prince Nessa, Aradella didn’t know.
Mekos got into the coach and took the seat next to Aradella. Last to get in was the Earth woman. She sat down, then looked at Aradella with a mixture of sadness and fear.She’s afraid I’m angry, Aradella thought with surprise. When the carriage started forward, she said, “Doallanimals like you or just horses?”
As she’d hoped, that started a flood of talk. Tanek and his son spoke over each other, telling stories of some clumsy bird called a dodo, a little elephant, and swans that loved her. “And Tibby,” Tanek said.
Kaley spoke for the first time. “Oh, how I miss him! But he’s staying with his daughter.”
“She’s speaking of a tabor,” Tanek said to Aradella and her eyes widened. It was a small, fierce animal that people stayed away from. “Our hope is that he doesn’t kill anyone.”
“Tell the story about the glass shoe,” Mekos said. “About what you did when you left me behind.” He sounded hurt at being excluded, but also teasing.
What followed was an incomprehensible story about womentrying on a slipper made of glass, with lots of blood involved. There was talk of someone named Garen, then a prince who wanted to marry Kaley. At that, Aradella lifted her pale eyebrows.
“It wasn’tmehe loved,” Kaley said. “He just thought he did. Tell her about Sojee. You’re related, aren’t you?”
“He was married to my father’s late sister,” Aradella said.
