“She sure did.” I gave a nervous laugh and then peered at the day and time.
Only a few days away! That was quick, but it was smart to couple it with an event that was already happening. The Winter Solstice was a huge deal in The Gilded City, from what I’d heard. Street vendors made delicious food at their carts and sold sparklers and gave women flowers. It sounded magical. And it was always followed up by a light show in the sky that I’d longed to see up close since I was a little girl.
But could I really enjoy it with Ariyon missing?
I knew my allegiance vow to the queen would be public, but I hadn’t expected it to bethatpublic.
“Avis thinks it’s a smart move too, doing whatever I have to in order to make the queen feel comfortable.”
My dad gave me a slow nod. “Well, let’s just remember we have a backup plan if things get uncomfortable around here.” He jerked his head to his room, where the packs were hiding under his bed. I nodded. Never hurt to have a backup plan.
“What’s the other one say?” he asked, and I started to tear it open.
“I’m afraid to look,” I admitted, but read it anyway.
Fallon,
I am so pleased you are willing to make things easier on me. I have set up for you to be my guest of honor and pledge your allegiance to my reign at the Winter Solstice. I have movers coming today while you are at school and your father is at work to move all your things to Bane Manor. Ember will be waiting for you at the school stables, and I haveprocured a bike for your father. An appropriate outfit will be delivered to your new home before the ball, and I will see you at the party.
Queen Solana
It was actually a reasonable letter. I gathered that my showing up in The Gilded City must have stressed her out because she was actually seeming to relax now that I was willing to do whatever to make life easier on her. I peered down at my clothes and chuckled at her termappropriate outfit. What was wrong with my clothes? Probably was going to send me some ridiculous ball gown or something. But I would wear it if it kept me out of jail.
“Umm, we are moving to Bane Manor today. The queen got movers to take our stuff,” I said with a wince. This furniture wasn’t even ours, but I suspected after over a hundred years of being left alone, Bane Manor didn’t have any furniture worth saving. Maybe Solana bought all of this from Mable.
My dad’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay…”
‘I wonder if they’ve cleaned it. It was in quite the state when I last saw it mere months ago,’Yanric said.
I forgot he’d said he was born there and had spent seventeen years waiting for me there. I had broken down and told him what was in the other letter, the one where Queen Solana implied turning Bane Manor into a prison for my eventual darkness.
‘I’m sure it will be fine.’
My dad handed me the second pie and disappeared into the back bedroom. When he reappeared, he was carrying the two runaway backpacks over his shoulders. “I’m going to have Mable hold on to these, and I’ll move them over tomorrow myself. Don’t want the queen’s men finding them and asking questions.”
“Good idea.” Best to not let the queen know we have an escape plan—of course, that was assuming I wouldn’t be stuck in this Bane Manor house forever if things ever did go sideways.
My dad wished me a good day and then sped across the street to Mable’s while I met up with Eden. She had dark bags under her eyes and looked like she’d slept about as well as I had. I pulled my cloak tighter over me to cover my skin against the chilly morning air.
“Were you out all night partying without me?”
She yanked the hand pie from my gloved fingers and took a bite before giving it back. Then she pulled a small hunk of potato out of her mouth and fed it to Yanric, who perched on my shoulder.
“Up all night reading. I found out some pretty scary stuff, and then I was too frightened to go back to sleep.”
I wanted to hug her; she was such a good friend to help me like this. “I was up all night reading too. Nothing scary, though. What did you find out?” I asked.
“Nothing much,” she said quickly, and then gave me a forced smile.
“Eden Westcourt. You’re a horrible liar.”
She groaned, kicking her feet across the cobblestones as she passed the streets of the West Side.
“Fine. I know why Master Hart stutters around you and looks generally terrified.”
I skidded to a stop, my whole body turning toward her in anticipation. I wanted to know, but I also didn’t because I knew it would be bad.
“What did Marissa do?”
