Asmo sneers at him, slamming his glass back on the table untouched. “You drink straight from the bottle, then offer the contents to your guests?”
August grins at him. “No, I offer my guests the first pour, then drink the rest from the bottle.”
“Can you two focus?” I snap. “This is happening in every court?” I ask August.
He looks at me, taking another swig from the bottle. “As far as I’m aware, but I’m not sure about the Serpent Court,” August says, glancing back to Asmo, who shrugs.
“Do you think Koa and Barrett would be willing to help us, too?” I ask hopefully.
August nods. “Yeah, they’re sick of this shit.”
Beside me, Asmo picks his whiskey back up and surveys the contents, as if looking for any sign of August’s backwash.
“Can you keep this from your parents?” I ask August. “Do you think Koa and Barrett would be able to keep it from theirs? We need as few people knowing about this as possible.”
August nods. “Yeah, don’t worry about it.”
“Thanks. And definitely keep it from your cousin,” I say.
August rolls his eyes at the mention of Flint. “That little…I’m going to wring his neck when you leave.” He glances at Asmo, still surveying the contents of his glass. “What?—”
Three knocks rap on the door. I nearly jump out of my skin.The witches are allowed to come into our manors at any time.Asmo surges to his feet and reaches for me, but August holds two hands up. “Relax, for the Mother’s sake.” The footsteps retreat and the pounding in my chest lessens. August stands. “It’s mid-day.”
“And?” I ask.
“Daily briefings are delivered. Reports and such things to review before I meet with the Pack.”
“The Pack?”
“Their version of the Herd,” Asmo explains.
Sure enough, August opens the door to a neat collection of papers. He snags the bundle and shuts the door behind him, switching the lock in place. He scans through the documents, then gets to the newspaper atthe bottom of the report. His eyes widen as he reads. “Looks like Elle is playing High Queen tomorrow.”
He tosses the paper onto the coffee table, and all the blood drains from my face as I read the headline.
High Queen Mae Vikander Invites Local Teacher, Eliza Rainey, to High Castle to Discuss Education Reform
My name alone sends shivers along my skin. I wasn’t prepared to see Marik’s last name as my own. But the shivers turn into the clawing fingers of horror as it hits me.
Someone in the High Castle is summoning Asmo.
Someone knows.
Chapter 15
ELLE
Elizaand I sit in the rose garden at a white wrought-iron table. An eggshell-blue teapot and two matching cups of steaming tea sit in between us. A towering tray of untouched pastries sits on the edge of the table, pushed aside so as not to block my view of the female in front of me.
Eliza wears a black, fur-lined coat and plain black trousers. The informality of the outfit shocked me at first, a stark contrast to the gown that I was told—forced—to wear, its thin sleeves offering no protection from the cold.
“Thank you for joining me,” I say warmly.
She nods curtly. “Thank you for the invite, Your Highness,” she says politely, then glances around the garden. “Your garden is beautiful.”
She’s right. Somehow, the roses are unaffected by the cold. Shades of light pink, crimson red, and ivory roses surround us, their sharp thorns hidden among the foliage.
“It was the late High Princess’s favorite spot. Like my sister, it’s one of my favorites,” I say, trying desperately to keep my tone warm, even though I want to choke on every word.
