Page 80 of The Witch Queen

“Are you nervous, Princess?” Gwen, the seamstress’s assistant, asks. “About the trial?”

She’s slightly younger than me and still an apprentice, a fact that the seamstress herself has emphasized multiple times during her visit.

“I’d never be able to remember the answers to all those questions,” the girl continues. “And in front of everyone.”

“That’s enough, Gwen. Don’t be frightening Her Highness,” the seamstress scolds. “I’m sure you’re more than prepared, Princess.”

“Oh, of course you are,” Gwen amends hurriedly. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s all right,” I tell her. “And yes, I am a bit nervous.”

An extreme understatement. I’d spent hours in the library with Verity, stuffing as many facts about Riven into my head as possible. But my brain has suddenly turned into a sieve, all the names and details slipping right out of it. Sir Weston might as well hand the next golden apples to Gavin and the other claimants. And then where will I be?

“At least the party will be fun,” Gwen offers. “All that dancing. And thefood.I have a friend in the kitchens and she says—”

“Not a bite in this gown, Highness,” the seamstress interrupts, shooting Gwen a warning glance. “I won’t have all my work spoiled.”

The other girl grants me a sympathetic frown, but food is the least of my concerns. Even if I was looking forward to sampling the dishes, I doubt I’d be able to fit more than a few bites in my stomach with how this bodice pinches into my waist.

“Bah,” the seamstress says, bending over her box. “That’s the last of my thread.”

“I’ll get more for you,” Gwen offers, brightening.

“And have youget lostand wind up in the kitchens with that friend of yours?” the seamstress asks, arching an eyebrow. Gwen flushes guiltily. “Stay there, Highness. Andnoeating. I’ll be back in a twitch.”

She bustles out the door. As soon as she’s gone Gwen sidles closer, running a blue silk ribbon between her fingers.

“I’m sorry if I made you nervous, Highness,” she says. “I really do hope you win.”

Then she’s not like everyone else at court.

“That’s kind of you.”

“It would be nice to have a queen for a change. And, personally, I like the thought of you beating all those boys.” She grins and I can’t help but grant her a reluctant smile. “Is it true what they say—that you fought off a Nevenwolf?”

This again. Though the aftermath of the hunt has died down, stories about the Nevenwolf are as prevalent as ever. According to a rumor that I highly suspect originated with Verity, I strangled the beast with my bare hands. Others, like Isabel, aren’t as generous. I still hear their hushed complaints about how I should have been disqualified from the trials.

No one wants you here,that voice again.

“Something like that,” I mutter, tugging at my bodice.

“That’s incredible,” Gwen breathes, wide-eyed. “And were there reallywitchesthere? In the forest? I heard they dragged one of them up to the Great Hall the other night.”

Another gust of wind makes the embers in the fire pop. I can almost see the woman’s face in the flames. Hear the sound of her screams in the howl of the storm.

“She wasn’t a witch,” I tell Gwen.

That’s what made it even worse. Iron cuff or not, it was obvious that the woman was mortal. But that didn’t matter. The court acted as though she wasn’t human at all. Just an object for their amusement.

“Do you know what happened to her?” I ask Gwen. “The woman?”

“Took her back to the dungeons, I suppose,” she threads the ribbon through her fingers. “I hear they’re going to execute all of them soon. But I hope not before the ball.”

“Why not?”

“Because”—she drops her voice—“then they might comeback,Highness.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”