The Rosewood Penny: A Sapphic Epic Fantasy by J.S. Fields

Author:J.S. Fields [Fields, J.S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adventure, Dragons, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, Lesbian Romance, Magic, Princess, Royalty, Sapphic Romance
Goodreads: 201594777
Publisher: Space Wizard Science Fantasy
Published: 2023-12-12T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“Nuria!”

The princess’s eyes fluttered open. She tried to stand, and again sank to her knees. “The wine? Funny, I’m used to a glass at dinner. I think I need to lay down.”

Damn it, why hadn’t Marani thought to check the wine? She’d been so determined to get them away from the room she’d completely ignored the danger right in front of them! She was so much on her guard with Jacks. If he’d been with her, she’d have never consented to the wine. Why had she let Nuria drink?

This time the rushing in her head couldn’t be ignored. It rose up in a tsunami, dulled her hearing, deadened the rest of her senses until all she saw was Nuria, staring at her. Heard only the princess’s drowsy words as she patted Marani’s cheek.

“You’re really pretty when your eyes defocus like that. I’m fine, really. Just…it’s been a long day.” She blinked. “Prince Thoms did say it was special wine, right. His hose were so tight. Help me up?” She pulled herself up, clutching at Marani for balance. “Oh, you have that ‘v’ between your brows again. Do you want to dance? I’m afraid you’ll have to hold me upright for it.”

“No dancing.” Marani helped the princess stumble to the kitchen counter. Her cheeks were pink, her movements uncoordinated, but she didn’t appear sick. Drunk? So quickly? They hadn’t served the wine until the very end, so it was plausible they had saved the hard-hitting alcohol until last. Plausible, but not likely. Especially not with all the guarded doors.

Woosh woosh, woosh woosh. Blood pounded in her ears.

“M—Grey, the party is the other way.”

Marani tucked her into a corner next to one of the large stoves and put a finger to her mouth. Even Nuria’s voice had become distant as the flush rose, insistent and grating, through her body. “Shhhh. Stay here for a little bit. I’ll be back. No. Dancing.”

Nuria leaned her head against the cool stove and closed her eyes.

Marani ran back to the ballroom, her feet slapping the floor to the rhythm of her pounding head and the tick tock tick tock of the mysterious castle clock. Doors closed. Guards. Wine. Everything closed. Why?

She pushed open the double door. A guard pointed at her. Said words she couldn’t hear.

“She’ll be right behind,” Marani said. Maybe yelled. “Last minute preening. You know how royalty can be.”

Guards at the doors to a royal ball. Why why why?

The guard said something else, frowned, then nodded. Marani ploughed into the room, looking for Prince Thoms and the wine attendant. She tried, unsuccessfully, to steady her ragged breathing. The air was still thick with heat and the smell of swirling, sweating bodies. And sweetness. The air reeked of stomach-churning sweetness. However, in the few moments they’d been gone the atmosphere of the attendants had changed. Guests clung to empty crystal glasses. Hair and feathers drooped. A line of wildly gesticulating royalty and attendants formed near the gifts table.

She saw several people in the wine red of Two Spires.

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