A Ragged Magic (21 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

J
ulianna wakes me up to make me eat. “I hope to have better luck with you. Linnet refused altogether.”

I do what I’m told and drag myself to the table, hair in my eyes. There is an awful lot of food. “You were expecting the castle guard?” I ask, and she throws back her head to laugh. I blink at her, wary of this development.

I notice that tears are running down her cheeks, and I realize that she is crying, too, and I push awkwardly at my chair to get up to go to her. She waves me back, away. “I’m fine,” she sniffles, still watery. “It’s the baby, and the stress. I don’t usually let it overcome me so, but today has been … difficult.”

I wince as I sit down again, from her words as much as my own soreness. Gingerly I pour myself some tea.

“I want you to understand, Rhia, that we have all come to care for you very much. You and your sister both.”

I nod, stare at my teacup.

“You are a lovely person, but you are still very young. And you have so much power that you don’t know how to control. Your recent actions concerned us. But we never meant,” she takes a deep breath, “we never at all meant for you to feel as though you were all alone in this. You can come to me, Rhia. With anything. I know that at times it hasn’t seemed that way. And perhaps it feels like everything will be awful forever. But I promise you we are working to change that.” She smiles and wipes at her eyes. “With you to help us, we will most certainly triumph.”

I stare at my cup some more, nod.

“All right, Rhia?” She sounds wistful, and I sigh.

“Yes, your Highness.” It all sounds so reasonable when she says it. I spoon up some oatmeal, eat slowly. It does make me feel a little better.

Julianna begins to talk about what they want to do next, to try and prove who the conspirators are, find out what they’re doing. They want to get Hugh and Connor into a party at the Guildmaster’s manor. It seems Aman is throwing an engagement party for his daughter, Melisande.

I choke a little on my tea. She’s engaged?

“Do you know her?”

I nod. I know her. She’s a lot like her father; greedy and mean.

“She’s engaged to Francis Danwright, the jewelsmith’s son,” Julianna says. I put my tea down away from me entirely.

“Francis?” I say faintly, feeling odd. “Melisande and Francis Danwright are engaged?”

Julianna looks at me. “You know them both, I suppose. You likely know everyone involved. I haven’t met Francis.”

“I have. He was my fiancé,” I say. I think my voice is flat. I don’t know how I feel about it.

Julianna bites her lip. “I’m sorry, my dear. Were you in love with him?”

I start to laugh, real laughter. I feel a little hitch and release in my spine. “In love with Francis? He, he is,” and the laughter leaves me gently. “He was my parents’ choice. I agreed …” I trail off, and shrug. “I agreed.”

“Is he kind?” she asks.

“He’s not unkind, or he wasn’t unkind to me. He wasn’t much of anything to me.” I know she is hoping for more information. I play with my spoon. “Our families wanted an alliance. The Weaver’s guild with the Jeweler’s guild. Da was trying to —” and I take a breath.

“He was trying to keep the guilds strong, build them up, get political power. He had plans,” I say, and feel rue pull a smile from me. “Some of them were very good plans. Not all. But he sees — he saw the kirche trying to erode guild rights, erode guild wealth, and he wanted to fight that.

“I thought master jewelsmith Danwright agreed with him. But if he’s allying with Aman, then he probably just wants power. Francis mostly does what he’s told. I doubt he knows much about it either way.”

Julianna regards me. “Like you mostly did what you were told?” she asks.

I laugh again. “Oh, no. I almost never did what I was told. I was just very quiet about my rebellions. And I … I was frightened of the kirche, when Keenan went for a priest. The prior at the monastery — Keenan swore they weren’t all like that. Keenan wanted me to …” I don’t want to talk about that. “Anyway, the prior went on and on about bad blood, because of Gran. Everyone knew Gran had the Sight. It frightened me.”

“Keenan wanted you to join the kirche?”

“More than anything. He thought I would be safer. But I didn’t think so.” I shake my head. “And it was, it used to be such a little thing, my magic. I could talk to Keenan because Keenan was so strong. I had visions, but not so many. Not so you could count on them. Not like Gran. And Mum always said it wasn’t very useful, and it would be best if everyone just forgot about it.”

I startle when the chair beside me moves, and Connor sits down. “She was afraid for you,” he says.

I look down, shrug. “Maybe. Anyway, Francis and I weren’t any more interested in marrying each other than in marrying anyone else. I’m not jealous. It just surprised me, that’s all.”

“It won’t be an issue for you to see them together, then,” Connor says.

I shake my head.

“Good. I think we can use you closer in than we were planning. Hugh has an idea. Dinner tonight, to work it out. Bring Linnet; we’ll need her, too.”

“You actually want us both to help?” I ask.

Connor walks away. “Hugh has a plan,” he says over his shoulder.

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Julianna sighs.

“You should get some rest,” Connor says as he leaves.

She sticks her tongue out at the closed door, but she’s leaning back in her chair, rubbing her abdomen. “That’s not a bad idea. I don’t know where Linnet went. If you see her, tell her about dinner. I’ll wear the green gown later. It’s easiest, and you won’t have to do much to get it ready.”

She stands up and groans a little. When she looks at me, her face is grave. “You should get some more rest, too. I hope,” she says, then walks over to put her hand on my cheek, sighs. “I hope you are feeling better. Let me know if the new scars bother you,” she says. She gazes at me for a moment, then leaves.

I pull the bell rope so someone will come clear the breakfast dishes on the way back to my room. I crawl into bed again, stare at the wall, thinking about the guilds, and Mum and Da and Keenan. What is master Aman up to? And Francis? I stare at nothing and worry, and ache, and finally fall asleep.

～

Dinner in Hugh’s rooms is unusual. Mostly we dine with Duchess Marguerite and other castle guests in the Blue Salon, or even more informally in Julianna’s chambers. Julianna sent word to her mother that she had another arrangement for this evening, and we make our way to Hugh.

An elegant but simple table stands near the fireplace in Hugh’s outer room. A damask cloth drapes over it, and the white porcelain plates have gilded edges. The crystal goblets sparkle in the lamplight; not the intimidation ware, I note, although I don’t say that out loud. Samuel is nowhere to be found. No doubt he prefers to be absent from any further serving opportunities for Hugh’s guests.

Linnet had to be cajoled into coming with us at all. She hasn’t spoken much today, although she isn’t glaring at any of us, either. Sometimes during dinner I catch her staring at me, but mostly she stares at her plate, not eating. I know because I watch.

Hugh and Julianna and Connor discuss how we’re going to get into the Guildmaster’s manor, disguised as traders or guild members from out of town. Aman is inviting as many traders and guild members as he can fit into the manor, which will be quite a lot. It’s a large house, added onto over the years. It has been — had been — in our family for almost a century.

Hugh asks us questions about who is likely to attend, and where are the best hiding places, and where our father’s office is. Was.

I answer quietly, my chest aching and my eyes scratchy, but I don’t cry.

Linnet never says a word. She nods or shakes her head, shrugs. Her eyes stay on that plate. Nothing interesting is happening on it.

The other three serve themselves, each other, and plot. They wave forks of meat, sauces, and their goblets with grace and animation as they talk, never spilling or spattering themselves or one another, which is a neat trick.

Linnet and I sit quiet, more cautious with our words and our food. We can’t be sure of our grace or our graciousness, I suppose. I ache in all my corners, and remembering all our childhood spaces is a weight on my neck and chest. I answer questions asked of Linnet, so she doesn’t have to.

Connor notices, and stops addressing her, but his eyes narrow, looking at me. I’m not happy with him, either. Soon we’re in a glaring contest.

“Linnet, you haven’t touched your dinner. Are you too upset by all of this? I thought you’d want to help us plan things,” Julianna says.

Linnet doesn’t look up. I reach over and touch her arm, and she startles, jumping back from my hand as if I’d burned her.

“Linnet,” I say, but she stands quickly.

“I’m sorry, may I be excused, your Highness, your Grace,” she whispers, and leaves before anyone can answer.

When I turn back from watching her leave, the three of them are staring at me. “Has she been like that all day?” Hugh asks.

I shrug.

“Yes,” Julianna says. “I tried speaking to her earlier, but she just nodded and kept with her sewing. I’m not certain she was listening.” She sighs. “I’ll try talking to her again.”

“No,” Connor says. “It’s my turn. She’s going to listen to me.” He stands from his chair to stride after her.

“No, you don’t!” I rush to block him, knocking over wine and tripping over my skirt.

He tries to brush me out of his way. “I’m tired of her scenes and her unrelenting temper. This behavior is unacceptable. She’s going to endanger everyone if she doesn’t straighten out.” His hands squeeze my arms, but I stomp my foot down and refuse to budge unless he drags me.

“And who is going to straighten her? Straighten how? Are you her father now that ours is dead? And all of you sit here at this table and discuss our lost home as if sneaking into it is some sort of game! How do you think she’s going to feel?”

“No one thinks this is a game!” He roars. “The two of you, however, are playing something dangerous if you let us walk in there blind, and if you aren’t prepared for what we’ll find. Did you want to just show up and pretend you still live there?”

I reel back from him, my blood rushing in my ears, lungs constricting. I feel punched, although he stands there, no longer touching me. Wincing.

“Connor, enough,” Julianna says. She touches his arm, and he stiffens slightly, stands straighter.

Hugh appears at my elbow and draws me to the table, which is now sopping wet with spilled wine.

“Oh, drat,” I say, and start to mop at it with soaked napkins.

“Never mind, Rhia,” Hugh says, and has me sit in Linnet’s abandoned chair. Julianna pushes Connor back to the table.

“You both have a point,” she says.

I open my mouth to protest, but close it again. Connor’s jaw clenches and I see muscles jump.

“Linnet is a problem, acting this way,” she continues. “She needs to be prepared for what’s going to happen. And she needs to treat you better, Rhia. She needs to control her temper. All of us do.” She looks down at Connor.

He moves to stand, but she prevents him with a light touch on his shoulder. “I will speak to her. And she will listen. And neither of you will interfere. Is that perfectly clear?”

I study the table full of spilled wine. “Yes, your Highness,” I say. There is no sound from the men.

“Very well. Why don’t the three of you discuss better barriers for Rhia, since she still glows so much to the Sight. The party is only a few weeks away. It would be nice if she weren’t a small sun when Archbishop Montmoore arrives.” She leaves, her skirts swishing around her swaying form, and Connor and I glare at each other across the table.

Hugh clears his throat. Neither of us acknowledge him. “Well, then. Rhia, we should test a few things out with your new … configuration. Have you noticed any significant differences today in how your barriers feel?”

A muscle just below Connor’s right eye spasms in time to Hugh’s pacing. My teeth ache from clenching them.

“Gantry can’t detect you or he would have already — at the hospice if anything.” Hugh clears his throat again. “But Montmoore has the Sight, so we’ll need to reduce your aura to something reasonable. Some sort of illusion to cover some of it that won’t raise suspicions.”

Hugh paces faster, and I see his arms gesturing out of the corner of my eye. But Connor still stares at me, his lips tight, and I can almost hear him thinking that I am a stubborn fool.

Hugh barks at us to pay attention, but I am not a stubborn fool, and Connor can’t just think that at me.

I glare harder.

I hear a sigh from behind Connor, and Hugh’s blue silk-clad arm comes into view as he taps Connor on his left shoulder.

Connor glances to his left, then right, as Hugh bends down to meet Connor’s face with his own, kissing him squarely on the mouth.

Connor jerks back, surprised.

Hugh smiles sweetly at him. “Hello, Connor dear. Do I have your attention now?”

Connor narrows his eyes again, making them almost disappear. Then his eyebrow lifts, and he offers a twisted smile. Hugh snorts. He gestures with his head to the door, motioning Connor to leave.

Glancing at me, Connor says “My apologies, Cousin.” I snort a little, as well; I don’t believe his tone. He bows slightly in my direction as he stands, then walks away.

Leaving me unaccompanied in the duke’s rooms. I’m supposed to have a chaperone, but as I’m a dead witch, and we keep dispensing with niceties such as chaperones or days without bloodshed, I suppose it doesn’t matter. I try to calm my temper, but I still grip my hands together till they ache.

“Rhia,” Hugh starts, and I jump.

“Forgive me, your Grace. You were saying?”

He sits beside me, his smile gentle. “She’s rather a fire-brand, your sister. Hard to keep up with. And her temper!” He breathes a laugh. “She is too hard on you, Rhia. And it takes its toll, doesn’t it?”

I rub my hands over my face, shake my head. “She is very young, your Grace.”

“Yes, she is young, and stubborn. And things have been very horrible for her. But she’s not the only one. She needs discipline, Rhia, not forgiveness.”