Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

Author:Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farshore

Celeste was already in the palace baths when Wren arrived. The room was hot and humid, plumes of steam gathering in its domed ceiling before pearling into beads that raced each other down the mosaicked walls. The steam did little to soothe Wren’s anxiety about the meeting, but she was careful not to show it on her face. Celeste was sitting on the edge of a marbled basin, her legs swinging back and forth in the water. She was wearing a white bathing robe, her dark curls twisted into a bun at the crown of her head. She waved at Wren through the steam. ‘I see you got my message.’

‘Interesting suggestion for a meet-up.’ Wren settled herself across from Celeste. She had commandeered a blue silk robe and a pair of slippers from Rose’s closet. She kicked them off now and dropped her feet into the water, revelling in the fizzle of bath salts between her toes.

‘Is it?’ said Celeste, raising a brow. ‘We often meet here.’

‘I know,’ said Wren, quickly. The steam was curling the tendrils of hair around her face, and she was suddenly conscious of her enchantment. ‘But it’s a lovely day outside. I thought maybe we would go for a walk instead.’

‘I want to talk where we won’t be overheard.’ The steam thickened, casting a thick haze about Celeste’s face, so Wren couldn’t read her expression. ‘Father says the Kingsbreath is gravely ill. He fights for every breath.’

Wren tensed at the reminder. ‘Poor Rathborne. I’ve been so—’

‘Willem,’ said Celeste.

‘What?’

‘You called him Rathborne just now.’ Celeste’s dark brown eyes flashed through the steam, keen as a hawk’s. ‘You never call him that.’

Wren swallowed. ‘Willem, then.’

‘Father can’t find a cause for his sudden illness,’ Celeste continued. ‘He suspects he might have been poisoned.’

A bead of sweat trickled down Wren’s spine. ‘Really?’

‘He even asked for my account of the dinner.’

Wren went very still. She recalled how Celeste had knocked her into Rathborne, sending the frostfizz flying everywhere. She had been hoping it really was an accident, but the back of her neck was beginning to prickle. And what did you tell him?’

‘I told him I didn’t see anything.’

Wren exhaled through her nose. ‘Perhaps Willem is allergic to frostfizz. Whatever it is, I’m sure we’ll get to—’

‘But I think I did see something.’ Celeste pitched forward, her face appearing in a cloud of steam. ‘You tampered with his drink.’

‘What?’ A strangled laugh seeped out of Wren.

‘I thought I imagined it at first,’ said Celeste. ‘It was so quick, so unexpected. But then I watched you watch him. It was as if you were willing him to drink.’ She planted her arms on either side of Wren, pinning her to the seat. ‘I was already suspicious, of course. You were acting strangely all night. You’ve been acting strangely for a while now.’

Another bead of sweat dripped off Wren’s nose and pooled in the hollow between her collarbones. She felt suddenly as if she was in a heat-addled dream. She dipped her hands in the water and splashed some on her chest.

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