Dominic was bound and gagged in a matter of minutes. I had learned how to restrain a prisoner properly from watching Mother’s lackeys with little relish. However, I thoroughly enjoyed trussing up the general’s son like a turkey.
Maddox dragged him to my wardrobe and stuffed him inside after I removed the gowns I was fond of. The thought of them making contact with him was enough to make me gag.
“He won’t need this anymore,” Giselle said, plucking the embellished paper from Dominic’s forehead.
“Hmmphf!” Dominic wriggled in his bonds, but to no avail. Awakening in a wardrobe with three people blocking the entrance wasn’t a pleasant experience, I was sure, but I had little sympathy for the man who tried to elope with me against my will.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Maddox said to him, pointing with his dagger. I could see now that it was quite dull. “You’re going to stay here for the next twenty-four hours and not make a peep. If you do, there will be consequences.”
Dominic struggled, rattling the wardrobe. Giselle leaned forward and waved the patterned paper under his nose. He froze.
“That’s right,” Giselle said with a smirk. “I’ll work my voodoo and whatnot on you if you’re difficult.”
“Hmmphf?” Dominic gave me a pleading look, but I remained stone-faced. He crumpled against the wall of the wardrobe.
Maddox slammed the doors shut. “Well. It’s about time I take a look at those suspension wires.”
37
Giselle barged in thenext morning, a wad of royal purple fabric tucked under her arm. I winced as the door slammed.
“You managed to rework a charmandmake us matching clothing?” I whispered, surveying her ensemble made out of the same fabric. She wore flowy trousers and a pin-tucked blouse decorated with braided gold trim.
Lady Vanessa breathed softly across the room, still miraculously asleep after the racket. I had spent the night in her room instead of mine, claiming loneliness. In reality, it was because of a certain rioter in my wardrobe, but I decided to spare her the details.
“Of course! I finished the charm in the first two hours. Had to destroy my old enchanted object to test it, but oh well. Never can be too sentimental.” Giselle sighed woefully, but brightened as she laid out the pieces on the floor next to my cot, a voluminous blouse and a skirt similarly trimmed. “I had the whole rest of the night and, well, everyone knows matching outfits are absolutely essential when committing mutiny.”
I ran a finger over the deep purple silk. “The color is...”
Bennett’s favorite, I was going to say. But my throat seized, refusing to speak his name.
“It’ll help us blend into the auditorium,” Giselle said. “Besides, we all look divine in purple.”
“I’m assuming we’re not making a public appearance?” I said, raising my brow.
“Maddox and I won’t. But you are,” Giselle said.
