Page 48 of The Heartless One
The room Elric had created for the two of them was far cozier and less spooky than the rest of the house. The wallpaper was a lovely maroon color with bits of gold flecks sprinkled throughout, and the ceiling was wallpapered with the same pattern. She stared up at it, trying to trace imagined shapes as Elric woke.
His warm arm snaked around her waist, tugging her a little closer to him as he rested his head on her shoulder. “You’re awake too early, nightmare.”
“I’m always awake before you.”
“And I don’t know how you do it,” he murmured, snuggling a little harder against her side. “The morning is not meant for being awake likethis. The morning is for lazing about in your bed until someone tells you it’s time to get up.”
“Spoken like a veritable god who has been worshipped his entire life.” She tilted her head to look at him, grinning as he cracked only one eye open to glare at her.
“Were you not a princess in another life?” he muttered. “You must have lazed about in bed far more than I did.”
“Elric, I promise you, there wasn’t a day in my life that I lazed about. Besides, there’s a lot to do today.”
“Why?”
“We’re preparing for the dinner party tonight, remember? The one where we’re supposed to trap Fortuna and get more information on how to stop Leon from completely taking over my kingdom until all hope is lost?”
He blew out a long breath that stirred her hair. “Oh, that’s what you’re all worried about. We’ll be fine. Go back to sleep.”
That was… not helpful. Besides, she really needed to get out of bed if she wanted to prepare herself.
Untangling their limbs, she pecked him on the forehead before leaving him strewn out on her bed, his arm halfway off the mattress and a pillow over his head. The man really couldn’t be more dramatic if he tried, but she’d learned a long time ago that the Deathless One was not a morning person.
Padding down the halls of her new home, Jessamine let herself soak in all that had changed. They could remain here after dealing with Fortuna. Agnes would take over anyway, which meant the coven itself would run the Pleasure District. Let Leon bring all the foreign dignitaries here and see how much they liked her kingdom when they were met with witchcraft. Perhaps then Leon would realize that she would not give up without a fight.
Of course, she wasn’t all that certain he knew she was still alive. Rumors weren’t facts. A king like him wouldn’t take rumors from peasants seriously; he’d need to see for himself that she was the one behind all this.
“Your Highness?” The raspy voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Agnes?” She turned with a soft smile on her face for the once-elderly woman. “What are you doing up this early?”
“I rarely sleep. Even before the Deathless One gave me these powers, I was not one to spend my precious time on dreams.”
“You look well.” Agnes had been a beauty in her day, and now looked almost identical to the women Jessamine had seen painted on her walls.
Long blond hair, strong features, and a powerful build that suggested if she wanted to, Agnes could have been stronger than the average man. And yet she held herself with the grace and confidence befitting a woman of her station. Even her gowns suggested that. Silk, velvet, hand-stitched golden threads on the edges… Jessamine would have looked twice at those gowns in the parties at the palace, and there were an infinite number of rich people at those parties.
“If you wouldn’t mind coming with me?” Agnes asked.
Jessamine didn’t think she had a choice. She followed the old witch all the way to her room, noting that Elric had done an impressive job with this one as well. It reminded her of old money, of castle rooms that had been in the same style for ages and yet were still far more functional than any of the new ones. Rosewood warmed half of the walls, and the other half was painted a lovely deep violet. Hand-painted stars decorated the ceiling, and all the furniture was made of the same kind of wood as the walls, creating a harmonious impression.
The thick carpets on the floor certainly helped as well. Jessamine couldn’t even hear their footsteps as they made their way across the room, and Agnes pointed for her to sit on the small chaise lounge at the foot of the bed.
“You are going into Fortuna’s domain,” Agnes started, her face wrinkled with worry. “I fear that none of you know who she is now. From what Sybil has told me, you knew Fortuna when you were children, yes?”
“She is my cousin. We grew up together when she visited the castle with her parents, but obviously they were nowhere near as well-off as we were. My mother was the queen, and Fortuna’s mother was my mother’scousin. Disgraced from the royal family for marrying one of the tavern owners in the Pleasure District after she’d fallen in love with him.” Jessamine curled her fingers in her lap. “I always thought it was a romantic story, but I know Fortuna felt differently.”
“I’m sure she felt as though her mother had blighted her chances at gaining a throne herself. So she made herself one.” Agnes tsked before walking over to the wardrobe. “I took the liberty of ordering your outfits for tonight. It’s very important that you look as though you fit in.”
“I doubt fashion has changed so much in the six months since I’ve been dead.”
Agnes gave her an unimpressed look. “My dear, you underestimate Fortuna already. The moment there were rumors the princess wasn’t dead, Fortuna began her plan to make sure that you would be found out quickly and without hesitation.”
“What does that even mean?”
“She changed what we consider to be beautiful. All the gowns have changed. All the accessories are different. Anyone who doesn’t know what is now considered fashionable becomes the laughingstock of any room she is in. She ensured you would be spotted out by all of those who saw you, and even in a crowd, you would stand out.” Agnes arched her brow. “Or did you think you were blending in?”
She had thought they were doing a fine job of it, but clearly she’d been wrong. Wrinkling her nose, she looked down at her bedclothes before looking back at Agnes. “Then what has changed?”
