“I bet my hair is a mess now,” I say.
He offers me his hand. I take it, and he pulls me up.
“It’s perfect, just like the rest of you.”
“Make yourself useful and pass me my dress,” I say, holding out my hand.
He takes the dress off the hanger, then helps me into the silver gown, zipping me up and smoothing down the long skirt.
We stare at our reflections in the mirror, Valdemar behind me, his hands on my shoulders.
“You look like the angel you are.”
“You’re biased.”
“Always.” He lifts my hair away from my face and plants a soft kiss on my neck, then my cheek. “Now, let’s go and show them who’s boss.”
CHAPTER FIFTY
The Great Hallmirrors its name with the chandeliers lit, the rich oak floor polished to a slippery shine, and the guests milling about in their finest suits and gowns, their hands laden with crystal glasses, probably wondering why Valdemar has commissioned another party so close after his release day.
As agreed, I hang back in the library as the party gets underway. If their reaction to me last week was anything to go by, my attendance would only spark a hot debate, and the floral tattoo adorned with several ravens now decorating the back of my left hand and arm would certainly set tongues wagging before Valdemar has had the chance to explain. The visit to the tattoo parlour had been painful, and not just for me. Valdemar was positively bristling at the male tattooist putting his hands on me. When it was done and we walked out of the parlour, Valdemar declared that if I wanted any more, then he would do them himself.
“You’re not trained,” I’d laughed while adjusting the cling film that was wrapped around my arm.
“I’ll learn,” Valdemar had replied.
Jupiter joins me in the library, holding two glasses of whisky. He’s the only other person, along with Jacinta, who’s bound byDr Tem-Pest’s magic in not being able to reveal the truth about the night my brother was shot. In their silent world, they know what happened yet have been unable to tell anyone for the past ten years.
And they’re both the only Raven Hands to know about our Blood Oath. We’d sat Jupiter down in this very room, the fire roaring, the walls listening. I’d wanted Jacinta to be present as well, but Valdemar had suggested that we tell Jupiter first, seeing as he’s next in the chain of command, and he thought Jupiter would want to tell Jacinta himself, so I agreed to speak to Jupiter alone.
He was shocked, colour draining from his cheeks, and my anxiety peaked; if we didn’t have Jupiter’s blessing, we could have mutiny on our hands. But then he nodded, his face settling.
“A woman in the flock.” He scratched his chin.
“Not just the flock, Jupiter,” Valdemar pointed out. “At the helm.”
“Jacinta will be pleased.” He glanced at Valdemar. “I assume I can tell her?”
“Of course,” Valdemar replied.
Jupiter leaned back in his chair, which creaked as if it was absorbing the news. “She’s wanted to be a Raven Hand for as long as I’ve known her. She’s even designed her own tattoo.” Jupiter laughed at this, and then his face grew more serious. “Her gift is one we’ve been using for many years, and I’m sure she isn’t the only woman who will be excited by this turn of events.”
Valdemar had told me that Jacinta has a photographic memory, something that often comes in handy.
“How do you think the rest of the Raven Hands will take the news?” I asked, unable to bite my tongue any longer.
“It doesn’t matter how they take it,” Valdemar snapped.
“If Jupiter’s reaction to me is anything to go by, then they’ll be sceptical.”
“Hey, that was when you were visiting him at the prison,” Jupiter cut in. “I knew you were a journalist, and I had no idea what you were going to print about him, about us, about what we can do. I thought you were going to expose us all.”
“And I told you to trust me,” Valdemar reminded him.
“Yeah, well, this gig hasn’t exactly been easy.” Jupiter ran his hand down his throat. “They don’t listen to me like they do to you. There’s been unrest. Talk of breaking off from the flock. It’s been a nightmare.”
“I know it’s been difficult, Jupiter, and you should never have been put in this position, but I’m here now, and I’m not alone,” Valdemar says.
