Rosalie threw a dirty glance at Lizzy, but then straightened her shoulders and faced Georgiana. “Lizzy isn’t Darcy’s fiancée. I am”.
Georgiana looked flabbergasted. She turned to me for an explanation. “Darcy?”
I didn’t have time for this. I had to explain to Lizzy what was happening. I needed to see what was in the mirror that Mrs. Trent gave me and calm the sick foreboding that squeezed the air from my chest.
Shutting my eyes, I dug deep into my power. It caught hold with a familiar resistance, like pushing against thick water, and then the world around us went still. Sound cut off mid-breath. Vanessa Trent froze mid-step, her coat suspended as if stitched to the air. One of the horse’s tails hung halfway through a swish.
I’d frozen time.
It would keep my family and the Trents at bay, but not for long.
I pulled Lizzy over to the carriage and opened the door. “Get in.”
Lizzy tugged her hand from my grasp, glaring at me. “Don’t be ridiculous, Darcy. You shouldn’t be riding with me.” She wasn’t fazed by my magic. I’d frozen time once before in her presence several months ago.
“I think I know who killed my parents,” I murmured.
She pressed her hands to her mouth.
Heat crawled under my skin, pressure building behind my eyes. I swallowed and held it down. I wouldn’t be able to stall time much longer. “Please, Lizzy.”
She nodded and got into the carriage. I followed behind her. As I moved to shut the door, I saw the frozen enraged stares of the Trents and my family, all furious for various reasons.
I’d have to deal with that mess later. Right now, there were more important things to figure out, and I needed Lizzy by my side.
Chapter 10
Ireleasedtime,anddespite the fatigue humming through my veins from using time magic, I banged on the side wall. The driver got the hint, and the carriage swayed as it rolled forward. After a few moments, he began singing a romantic tune. Inside, drawings of little couples along the walls danced, kissed, and flirted with abandon.
But Lizzy’s attention was fixed on me. “Whatever just happened—”
“—is a huge mess.” I swiped a hand over my face, remembering my sister’s reaction. At least she’d forgive me when I explained. I’d made a promise to the Trents I couldn’t back out of, then immediately turned around and insulted them. And Lizzy… I had to tell her.
She sat in the carriage, nose pink, breathing into her hands that she’d brought to her face. I pulled my scarf off and handed it to her.
She took it, her eyes flashing with gratitude even as she shook her head. “I don’t understand. You just said you’d marry whoyou wanted, and I guess I was silly for thinking you meant… not Rosalie.” She wrapped the scarf around her neck and lower face.
I released some heating magic into the carriage in order to warm her. “Rosalie’s mom forced me to propose. If I did, she promised to tell me… to tell me…” For a moment, I wished I hadn’t made the deal, that she hadn’t given me the key to finding the killer. But I held up the slice of mirror she gave me. “She stored a memory in here and claims it will lead us to the killer, but—” I took a slow breath. “I’m afraid I know where it may take us.”
Lizzy’s hand covered mine. “Then let’s look at it together,” she said, her voice steady.
I nodded, and she gripped the side of the mirror. I funneled my power into it to get it to release the memory it held. The glass glowed blue, and images appeared. A large plush bedroom with white carpets and a large dresser, bed, and vanity. And at the vanity sat Mrs. Trent, phone in hand.
She put the device on speaker and rested it on the vanity before lifting a straightener and starting on her hair.
“Hey, Vanessa.” My mother’s voice came through the phone loud and clear. Something warm and aching slid through me at just hearing her again. It had been so long.
“Is that your mom?” Lizzy stared at me with wide eyes, but all I could do was nod.
“Anne, how are you?” Mrs. Trent said.
“Oh, the usual. Meetings and more meetings,” my mom replied.
“Yes, being queen and influencing lives and policy must be so taxing.” Mrs. Trent ran the iron over her hair a few more times before setting it down and picking up her foundation.
“You would know.”
The two women chuckled.
