Page 13 of Of Skulls Of Shackles

“That may soon become clear. I do not wish to be enemies with you, Princess. That much I will say.”

“And what will you say of how Princess Raise lingers in your walls?” she asked.

Princess Raise answered, “You know my husband locks me away terribly, Change. I struck a bargain with her. I manage her humans and she lets me stay.”

“You have prostrated yourself to become her steward.” Princess Take wrinkled her nose. “How could you lower yourself so?”

Raise crossed her ankles. “As easily as you crawled under the table at the royal dinner affair, I would imagine.”

I bit back laughter.

Take glared at the other princess, then turned her venom on an easier target. “And what are you to her, Bring? Her king? I have heard that See does not wish for the mantle.”

Princess Bring drew her blob up. “See would crawl for the mantle, Princess Take. Do not choose unkindness when you can choose otherwise. You are much better than that.”

Wonder held me when the comment struck Princess Take dumb. Goodness, but Princess Bring was no easy target at all. Rather, she had used kindness twice to strike the others to silence.

“I am her Lady’s Maid,” the blobbing princess said after a beat. “I bring scheduled matters to her attention and attend to the queen in her chamber when needed.”

I was the next to be struck to silence. Her words were spoken so surely. I unlocked my lips. “Goodness, but you did that this very dusk to remind me of my meeting with princesses.”

She nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty. The lady’s maid urge is new to me, but I anticipate settling more into the role as you settle into the fullness of your queendom.”

“You are my lady’s maid in truth?” I demanded. “An urge born, not chosen?”

“An urge born, my queen,” she answered. “This is your power bidding me to aid you.”

I switched my focus. “And you, Princess Raise?”

“I become more interested in human affairs, finances, and accounts by the night. The roles of a steward, as Princess Take says.”

But here was an unexpected twist. I had wondered how princesses would come into play, and here they had unveiled their purpose for me. Princesses were meant to aid me in the running of my queendom.I shuddered with the rightness of their purpose.

Then came the next natural question.

I glanced between the remaining monsters. “Princess Take?”

The impossible beauty tossed her hair. “I feel no urge?—”

“Apart from the nuzzling kind,” interjected Princess Raise.

Black flooded her face. “You are not queen enough to have power over one as ancient as me.”

Princess Bring emitted a damp squeak at the insult, yet I would leave Princess Take with her denial. I guessed that she already had a very good idea of her destined role in my walls. The picture would gain clarity soon enough. As for Princess Change, she would reside in my queendom for an entire week, and her purpose would arise in that time, so surrounded in my power as she would be. I imagined that she might only feel her role once I uncovered her king’s rhyme and reason.

Princess Bring laughed nervously and wetly. “Queen Perantiqua, I cannot go on without mentioning the smell of you. The stench quite fills the room.”

“But the smell of me?” I blurted.

“The smell.”

Raise grunted. “I smell it.”

“As do I,” Take admitted.

Change remained in a numb state.

“I washed last night. I assure you. What is the nature of the smell?” My cheeks warmed, thinking of my interaction with King See.

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