But eeriest of all is Greer’s mother, sitting perfectly silent. She’s never missed an opportunity to say something biting to her daughter.
The queen circles the table. The antlers of her crown keep snagging in the vines and rainbow of ribbons hanging from the ceiling.
She lays a pale, bony hand on Greer’s mother’s shoulder. “Anything to share, Lady Trummer?”
Her mother clears her throat. “As a matter of fact, there is something that has been on my mind.”
“Please share,” Queen Mor urges.
“Mama,” Greer whispers, as white as a sheet.
Her mother turns to her. “Does sweet Prince Bram know about your filthy stable boy?”
Tears roll down Greer’s cheeks. “Mama, please don’t do this.”
“Because he really should know that your father and I caught you tangled up in a rather compromising position the morning of this year’s Pact Parade.”
She turns to the queen. “All the finest governesses and tutors in the world, but what a disappointment she turned out to be. Greer’s virtue can never be recovered.”
Greer sobs. “Please, no.”
I’m frozen in horror.
“Greer—” Lydia says, reaching for her, and it pulls me out of my trance.
Greer springs from the table with a clatter and sprints for the door. The queen waves her hand lazily, and it opens for her. “Let her go,” she says coldly, and Greer races across the room.
“Greer!” I shout as I give chase, but she doesn’t slow down. She doesn’t even look back. I’ve nearly reached her, my hand outstretched, but the moment she passes through the door, the queen waves her hand, sending it slamming in my face.
I fall back, landing hard on the parquet floor.
Lydia helps me up. “She’s gone. It’s not your fault,” she says. But it feels like it is.I love you, Ivy.That’s what she said to me earlier. I love her too. I love her too much to stand to watch her suffer like this. Emmett says if his plan works, I’ll save everyone from the queen’s cruelty, but I feel so helpless, unable to save them now.
“Oh, that’s nothing. Faith—” Faith’s father starts to say, but I don’t let him finish. I climb up on the table, sending teacups shattering, my foot squishing in a frosted coconut cake.
“I kissed Bram at the Welbys’ masquerade ball!” I shout. The table goes still. I might not have been able to help Greer, but I can still help Faith.
Everyone is staring at me, scandalized into silence, but my eyes land on the queen. She’s standing perfectly still. Her gorgeous face doesn’t reveal a single emotion.
“What?” Olive’s mother gasps.
“Well done, you,” Lydia says, but she’s not smiling, not like my mother, who looks like the cat who has gotten the cream.
I hop down from the table, leaving a foot-shaped smear of cake on the carpet.
Throwing myself on my sword seems to have distracted the party well enough that Faith’s father doesn’t return to the topic of her love affair with Emmett. Instead, the conversation turns to which of us will win.
“Marion is so much prettier than you,” my mother clucks. “But I’ll still be proud, even when you lose.”
A bell chimes when the hour is up, and the queen is out the door without another word.
I’m not sure exactly when the enchantment will wear off, but I want time alone with my sister to clear the air. I hate fighting with her. We know exactly how to hurt each other.
I tell our mother that I’m taking Lydia to the cottage to lend her a dress, that she’ll meet her at the front entrance shortly.
I take the long way around, toward the back entrance of the palace, to avoid the other guests. The sound of footsteps echo through the marble hall. Emmett enters the room, startled at the sight of us. “Lady Benton and... Lady Benton.”
Emmett looks at our tear-streaked faces. He shifts awkwardly from foot to foot. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
