Page 30 of Kiss of Smoke

Robin didn’t even pretend to try.

I scratched Thistletop’s ears, hoping he wasn’t offended that no one wanted to eat after he’d cooked for us.

I was on my sixth—maybe seventh—cup of tea when Titania emerged from the room she’d taken over. She was dry-eyed, but there were stains on her cheeks that belied her cool countenance.

“You will all attend the royal funeral.” She sounded as cold and haughty as ever, without so much as a hitch in her voice. “Appletree, I require your assistance.”

I nodded, conceding to both demands, and got up from the table. Beans shifted over to Robin’s lap with a small chirp of complaint, leaving a fuzzy mat of black and white fur on my legs.

Queen Titania led me upstairs. “Your wardrobe. I must select a proper dress for…for my daughter. Her possessions were all destroyed…”

I realized how much of an effort she must be putting into holding herself together, and opened my door. “I’ll help, your Majesty.”

She followed me in, and I stood back as she thought for a moment, allowing the wardrobe to read her desires. When she opened the doors, a sparkling golden dress hung there, along with boxes of jewelry and shoes.

"Will you help me dress her?” she asked, and my throat tightened. I’d never dressed a corpse, much less that of a princess.

But I supposed that being the Left Hand’s primary agent, and the only other female in the house, meant that certain proprieties had to be observed.

Robin’s house had expanded to accommodate all the new occupants, and the chambers it had created for Titania were nothing less than an extravagant grotto of nature.

I followed her in, carrying the box of jewelry, and crossed over a plush carpet of moss.

Tanaquill had been laid in Titania’s bed beneath a bower of white roses. Their scent filled the room, drowning out the scent of death and ash.

She’d bandaged Tanaquill’s chest so the handprint was no longer visible, and the dress the wardrobe had created fully covered it.

It took both of us to carefully lift and arrange her, ensuring that the princess was never flopped around like a doll.

Titania brushed her daughter’s hair, lovingly stroking the shining strands as I carefully fastened the new earrings in her ears and draped a necklace around her neck. Her skin was as cold as ice, but I didn’t shudder.

I’d seen the tears running down Titania’s face as she brushed her daughter’s hair.

When we were done, Tanaquill looked as beautiful as ever.

“I’m so sorry, your Majesty,” I finally said, breaking the silence for the first time in over an hour.

Titania looked down at her daughter sadly.

“The line ends with me now.” She took a shuddering breath, then waved a hand. “Thank you for your help. I would like to be left alone with her.”

I nodded, bowed, and left the room as quietly as possible.

When I got back downstairs, feeling drained, I found Noctifer there, sitting with Robin.

“Hi, Dad,” I said, sitting down glumly. Nothing like dressing the corpse of a princess for her funeral to bring down your spirits. “The princess is ready for burial.”

There was a fresh new cut across Noctifer’s cheek, already healing. He looked like he’d run through a storm. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that, Briallen.”

I stirred sugar into the fresh cup Thistletop brought me. “Well…it is what it is.”

“I received a letter from Ashera,” he said, sounding hesitant.

I was genuinely curious how my aunt was doing while Annwyn was cut off from Avilion, and made an effort to perk up. It was easy to tell that he wasn’t sure if I wanted to know or not. “How is she?”

Noctifer looked relieved that I cared enough to ask. “She’s well. Annwyn rounded up all the humans and returned them to the surface world, but…they had far fewer mortals there. It was easier for them.”

I nodded, pleased to hear some good news…until I remembered that once the humans had been returned to Avilion, some of them, if not all, had likely been aboard those ships. “I’m glad she’s good. If you write back, tell her I said hello, please.”

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