Louvaine led me to the hearth and placed a steaming cup in my hand. “See? Nothing worth all this fuss. It will be over in a moment.”
Not if I stall. I bit down the smile creeping to my lips as I shuffled forward, pretending to carefully balance the cup in my hands. A few steps later, I tripped, sending the contents streaming across the floor. The wood sizzled beneath the spilled liquid, stained black.
“Be more careful next time, or you’ll be drinking it yourself, clumsy girl.” Louvaine’s voice rasped out in a growl.
I winked at Hattie before returning to the hearth with slow, measured steps. “My nerves must be getting to me. Perhaps if you allow me to rest for a few moments first, I might—”
“Perhaps a slice across your pretty cheek would be more persuasive.” She advanced on me, knife raised.
A light blinked above her shoulder. Then another near the ceiling. My breath burst from my lungs like locomotive exhaust. The fairies!
In a blur I could hardly follow, the knife flew from Louvaine’s hands. She whimpered as silky thread enveloped her, tying her arms tight to her sides and covering her mouth with a gag. Other lights swirled in, surrounding Hattie until she could rise from her chair, free from her bonds. A whirlwind of wings brushed my arms and cheeks.
“You came.” I grinned into the cluster of lights filling the room. “You finally defied her. But how—?”
“I can answer that.” Hattie picked her way across the room, careful to avoid the spilled poison. “Any command spoken into the stone must be obeyed by the fairies. No doubt Louvaine’s been ordering them to be loyal to her and to stay far from me, but your instructions overturned all that.”
The fairies flitted around us with an energy and brightness I’d never seen. Clearly thrilled to be restored to their true mistress. I tugged the blanket from my satchel and placed it in her hands. “My intent all along was to restore this to you.”
She unwrapped the stone with an air of reverence. “Thank you, dear girl. I don’t know why such a young, pretty thing would risk her life for an old biddy like me, but I am most grateful.”
“Your fairies left quite an impression on me.”
“Marvelous creatures, aren’t they?”
The humming around us swelled almost to a song, like a hint of music from another realm. After savoring it for a moment, I opened my eyes and faced the door. “Excuse me, but do any of you know how to get out of here?”
The fairies circled Louvaine, prodding her with pokes and hisses until she pointed out a knot in the wall that swiveled open to reveal the latch for the door. Much as I detested the woman, I had to admit it was a clever arrangement.
“We’d best get this one back to the palace. I’d rather keep her locked up in a proper dungeon than here, in case she attempts further mischief.” Hattie placed her hands on her hips. “But I confess, I’m not sure I can walk all the way on these spindles of legs.”
My smile stretched wide. “I have just the thing.”
Another screw clattered to the small circular table beside my chair in the sitting room. I pushed it toward the center of the table, then pried my fingernail beneath the edge of the pocket watch’s back panel to ease it open. I shook the watch, producing a slight clink. “I think you just have a loose gear, Herra. Should be easy enough to fix.”
She glanced up from the embroidery in her lap. “Oh, thank you, Raella. That one always was my favorite.”
Mother kept her gaze directed out the window, taking another sip of tea. We’d all been a bit melancholy the past few days after the excitement of the ball. I’d hoped for an excuse to visit the palace to check on Hattie and the fairies, but after helping secure Louvaine’s arrest, I hadn’t seen the slightest hint of a fairy light.
I wouldn’t even mind another ball if it meant getting to see Tad again.
My heart clenched. If only I could have lingered, spent a few more moments with him. Perhaps even . . . I shook my head. The fairies were well worth the sacrifice.
“The prince is coming!” Dianthe practically toppled over a footstool as she barreled into the room. “Get up, get up! He’ll be here any moment.”
Mother set down her cup and dabbed a napkin to her lips. “Why in the crown would the prince be coming here?”
“Auravia said he’s looking for a maiden he met at the ball. He insists on speaking to every young lady in town until he finds her.” She clasped her hands with a squeal.
“I doubt he could be coming to see me, but I’ll go put on my blue skirt just in case.” Herra hurried from the room, followed by Dianthe.
I tightened my grip on my screwdriver. I’d do nothing but embarrass Mother in an impromptu audience with the prince. “May I go to the workshop? I’d like to finish fixing this for Herra this afternoon, and the prince could hardly have any desire to see me.”
Mother’s nose wrinkled as she surveyed my patched trousers. “Yes, I think that might be best.”
I gathered my tools, the watch, and the displaced screws and other parts I’d removed and carefully made my way to the workshop. Conversation from the sitting room would carry through the closed door, but at least I could continue my work in secret.
My goggles were strapped in place to inspect the smallest gear when footsteps pounded down the stairs. No doubt Prince Hendrick had arrived.
Herra’s giggle carried down the hall, followed by a lower tone. Several pitches lower than I remembered the prince’s voice from the ball. Strange. Shaking my head, I resumed my scrutiny of the watch’s inner workings. Perhaps the long night of dancing and conversation had made him lose his voice or catch a cold.
“What can we do for you?” I could picture Mother’s serene hostess expression.
“I’m afraid I’m in an odd predicament. A girl I’d very much like to see again disappeared shortly after the ball, and I can’t find her anywhere. I’m certain she wore fairy-made clothing, but no one among the noble families seems to know a thing about her.” He paused, then let out a breathy chuckle. “I even brought along this slipper she left behind in case it would help identify her. Being fairy-made, it would only fit her, after all.”
A vice tightened in my chest. Someone else must have lost a slipper at the ball as well. Odd.
“How lovely.” Awe laced Herra’s words.
“I’m afraid no one in our circle of acquaintance can afford garments made by fairies.” A bit of Mother’s cordiality had worn off.
“But perhaps you’ve heard of her? She said her name was Rae.”
My screwdriver clinked to the table, and I grasped for it. He couldn’t mean me. Our time together had been pleasant enough, but it was only one dance. Unless . . . Did he know about my search of the palace and interference with the mistress of fairies?
I tugged off my goggles and examined the window ledge. Escape might be possible, but I’d have to displace the entire window.
“Rae?” Herra clicked her tongue. “Isn’t that what Raella asked us to call her?”
“She wasn’t even at the ball.” Dianthe’s voice had lost its former exuberance. “Too busy tinkering with her silly carriage.”
Thank you. I paused in my removal of the window hinges to listen.
“Indeed.” The prince’s inflection almost made it a question. “Might I meet this Raella, just in case she knows something?”
No!
“Certainly.” Mother coughed. “But if you would excuse us a moment, she’s not dressed for such formal company. Otherwise, she would’ve been happy to join us for your visit.”