A Handful of Silver: A Firethorn Kingdoms Novel (Blood Magic Book 2) by Katy Haye

Author:Katy Haye [Haye, Katy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Plumshine Books
Published: 2021-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

19

“Don’t leave it too late,” Lyssa propped her fists on her hips as she dispensed her advice. “You don’t want to look a fright.” She put the faintest inflection on the end of that statement to turn it – almost – into a question. Idly, Ana wondered what she might say to or about her if she wasn’t trying to hide her dislike.

She gave her a honeyed smile. “I’ll be sure to keep your advice in mind.”

Patience’s brow creased. “It is getting late, Ana,” she murmured. Three weeks to the ball, as though she might be unaware of the days passing.

“I know. It’s in hand. I promise.”

She turned away so she couldn’t be nagged any further. Really, Patience couldn’t possibly think she would want to spend the afternoon in Lyssa’s company. She headed for the stairs and her room. She had plans for the afternoon, too.

By the time Patience arrived back, sections of fabric were strewn over her bed and – on top of a clean sheet – across the floor of their room. There was no way she would risk getting dirt on her beautiful, expensive fabric.

“Oh, Ana!”

She looked up from tacking the sections of her bodice together, watching Patience while her fingers continued their work. She only needed to look at it one stitch in three at this stage. “Did you have a nice time with her royal highness?” It was unkind, and completely unnecessary, but the barb slipped out unguarded.

“It all went well.” She waved a hand around the room. To her, it probably looked like chaos, although it was all ordered how Ana wanted it. “I didn’t mean you to make your own dress.” She wasn’t quite as horrified as Lyssa at the idea; regretful rather than appalled.

“It’s much easier than trying to tell someone else what I want,” she pointed out. “And it’ll give me something to do in the evenings.” Not to mention an excuse to avoid the common room.

Patience’s brow creased. “It’s a lot of work.”

Her mouth twitched. Did she think she expected to be a lady of leisure, like Lyssa? “I’m not ashamed that I had to earn a living before I came here.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you should be ashamed of your past,” Patience stated. She sank onto her bed. Within moments, her hands were occupied with her knitting. “I thought you didn’t want to be reminded of it.”

She lifted a shoulder. “I know what suits me best. Easiest to do it myself. What of your dress?”

Patience smiled. “It’s going to be beautiful. Not on a par with Lyssa, perhaps, but I don’t aspire to that.”

Ana glanced down at her stitches, then back up. “You should. Dressed well, you’d be more than her equal.” She tilted her head to the side, considering. “Perhaps I should have offered to make you a dress. I’d have made sure you shone.”

Another tranquil smile. “You’re forgetting, we’re not supposed to shine, but to blend in.”

She finished the seam and bit off her thread, smoothing the fabric to check it looked how she intended.

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