“Why would anyone want a bird as a pet?” she asked, her eyebrows lifting almost high enough to brush the delicate curls posing on her forehead.
“He’s sweet. He won’t be a bother at all.”
“Well, see that he isn’t, or you’ll have to remove him from my presence.” She turned back to face the mirror. “Don’t dawdle. Come closer.”
It was only when I stood at her side that I noted who was arranging her hair.
“This is Delaine,” Brenna said in a lilting voice, flicking her finger over her shoulder toward my former roommate dressed in another red gown. Did she always wear that color? While it suited her curly blonde hair and pale skin, it felt like a garish color to me. But what did I know? Vexxion always dressed me in green or black.
Brenna was a true princess from the top of her head to the tips of her decorated shoes. “Delaine’s father is my fiancé’s high advisor. She’s been giving me wonderful advice about the court. I can’t imagine what I’d do without her.”
“Delaine and I have met,” I said pleasantly. “I’m sure she’s shared all sorts of gossip about the court.”
Brenna’s pout deepened. “Gossip?” Her gaze met Delaine’s in the mirror. “She has not.Whynot?”
“I plan to.” Delaine scowled at me, though Brenna was now gazing in my direction through the glass, so she probably missed it. “I thought we should finish getting you ready before we went to your living area. There, I intended to share gossip.”
Brenna tittered and patted Delaine’s hand lying on her shoulder. “Very well. It had better be good.”
“Oh, it will be.” Delaine’s gaze snarled at me, though her expression remained sweet and compliant.
“One more lady will be joining us,” Brenna said, her plump pink lips thinning. “I asked for at least eight to serve my needsbut was denied. Truly, how can Ivenrail think three will be sufficient? Seven ladies attended to me at my home court, and that was barely enough.”
“You’re so right,” Delaine simpered, artfully tucking a curl up into the high arrangement on top of Brenna’s head. Sunlight pouring in from our right caught the golden highlights in her rich brown hair. “I can’t imagine why he’s this stingy. I’ll tell my father, thehigh advisor, that you need more attendants, and I’m sure he’ll make sure it’s done.”
“Thank you, Delaine. That’s sweet of you.”
Why was Delaine making an effort to impress someone who’d soon be dead? Unless she wasn’t aware of the king’s plan. The high advisor must be. He may not share everything with his daughter—this one that is. I bet he’d shared almost everything with Selitta.
“Select some shoes for me, Tempest,” Brenna said, flicking her hand toward the open door of a closet almost half the size of the adjoining sitting area. “Something that matches my gown perfectly but can be walked in. Stairs are torture for me. Why hasn’t the king had at least three lifts installed inside the castle? Surely his guests don’t enjoy climbing up and down multiple flights of stairs.”
Some of us flitted rather than climb the stairs, though there was no need to point that out.
I collected shoes, the first pair I found that vaguely matched her dress. How anyone thought I could be a lady’s maid was beyond me. Party shoes all looked alike. I liked boots. They were comfortable to wear while working with dragons and they’d served me well in battle.
After lowering the shoes beside her feet, I stooped down, suspecting it was also my job to dress her in them.
“I’ll ask my . . .” What was I supposed to call Vexxion, anyway? “Theking’s controller,” Oh, how I delighted in touting his position to Delaine, “if he can arrange for some lifts to be installed. Or magicked.” Was magic used in construction or were buildings erected and maintained by the hard labor of Nullens like me? I suspected the latter. Few fae would care to expend their energy laying bricks even if it only took a flick of their finger.
“That’s right. Vexxionclaimedyou,” Delaine said in a sultry voice, her lips curling up as her eyes drifted across my neck. “You’re his Nullen servant. I’m sure you dowhateverhe asks without question.”
I kept my face smooth, though inside, I chuckled. “Sometimes, I argue with him.”
“No,” Delaine pretended to gasp. Her head tilted and her barely masked snicker made her dangling gold earring brush against the decoration adorning the right shoulder of her frilly gown. “Does he punish you when you misbehave?”
“You sound excited by the idea.”
Brenna snorted. “I do adore how you tease each other, ladies. I’m delighted to see you two getting along so well already.”
I simpered her way, leading her to believe I lived to tease Delaine.
Wait until I shared this with Vexxion. He’d delight in the idea of “punishing” me inside the bedroom, though it wouldn’t come from a smack of his hand. Anything he did to me wouldbe delicious. “Vexxion can be stern, though he’s yet to be mean to me.”
Brenna released a shiver. “It’s horrifying that you’re bonded to such a man. Those scars! I can’t imagine having to gaze upon them all the time. And he has such a nasty demeanor. If Ivenrail hadn’t been with me when I met Lord Weldsbane, I would’ve shrieked. The controller frightens me. I can’t imagine being forced to serve him.”
As far as Farnoll and the commander were concerned, Brenna had read Vexxion correctly. Since it wasn’t in my best interest to persuade her or anyone else that his reputation was unfounded—for me, at least—I made sure I carefully crafted everything I said.
“Sometimes, I fear him too,” I said in a hushed, quavering voice, making myself shudder. “I avoid him as much as I can.”
