Cinderella Necromancer by F.M. Boughan

Author:F.M. Boughan [Boughan, F. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: magic, fantasy, adaptation, fairy tales, witches, teen, young adult
ISBN: 9781946700346
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC
Published: 2017-09-05T07:00:00+00:00

25

The Dressing

I hid the pumpkin in the stables, with plans to bring Edward out to see it as soon as he’d gained enough strength. After delivering the hatbox to Celia, she directed me to help Charlotte immediately. To my good fortune, she didn’t remark on the lateness of my return, and I presumed she’d been too occupied by her own doings to notice my absence.

As I laced up Charlotte in her dressing room, I found myself feeling bolder and less cautious than usual.

“How did you enjoy the ball last night? Did you see the Prince?” In truth, I wanted to hear her speak of me.

But thinking I hadn’t heard the full story of Victoria’s collapse, Charlotte sniffed and spun her own tale.

“It was glorious, couldn’t you tell? Victoria exhausted herself so completely that she needed a royal escort home. They gave us all one, of course, because Prince William found us both so enchanting he couldn’t bear to see us leave in a common carriage. What a pity you weren’t able to attend. Though you must admit the punishment fit the crime, sister.”

Indeed it did, but not in the manner she thought. “So you danced with him, then?”

“Oh no, not last night. I plan to save my appearance at his side for tonight—let him taste the wine of cheap, desperate women first. Tonight he’ll have rich cream, and never look back.”

I pulled her strings with a little more force than perhaps necessary. “Then what of Victoria?”

“Strategic,” she grunted, “and just what we needed to take his mind off that brainless tart he—”

I pulled again, harder this time. “Sorry, almost there. How handsome you’ll look with a waist like this. You were saying?”

“Good. I mean to make him forget she ever existed. I hope she stays abed tonight.”

Once more, I couldn’t resist. “You mean Victoria? Of course she will, after such … exhaustion.”

“No, you bloody fool. Mother won’t let her stay home. I mean that foreign princess that the Prince kept mooning over after he—” She stopped and spun to face me. My heart leapt three feet in the air, I swear it. “But why should I tell you? It’s not as if you’ll be there. It’s none of your concern.”

That, I hadn’t decided. “Well, I don’t know.”

“You have another gown?”

I saw the glint in her eyes and refused to play her game. “Of course not.”

“You’ll stay and play nursemaid to that snivelling brat, I suppose.”

I stiffened. “Edward is unwell, yes.”

“Better get used to it. A nursemaid is all you’ll be good for, at this rate.” She pulled a gold necklace from a trunk on the floor and held it up to her neck.

I gasped. The necklace belonged to my mother.

There could be no mistaking. I remembered those delicate gold leaves and filigree as well as the day we’d found it in the shop of Liesl’s father, when Father and I had chosen it for Mother as a gift during my thirteenth Advent.

Charlotte looked over her shoulder and cleared her throat, as if I should clasp it around her neck.

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