Page 67 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
EVIE
“Whois here?” I ran around my new bedroom, hair a mess of a bird’s nest, eyes still clumpy from sleep, and no clothing I could easily slip on.
“The etiquette instructor, Your Grace,” Goose said hurriedly, face still red. It had been the same shade since he’d walked into the room to announce our unexpected visitor. He’d actually squealed when I’d jumped up from the bed in nothing but a sheer nightdress. I tossed and turned all night in Phoenix Peak’s humidity, haunted by dreams of Zandyr, I needed light fabrics.
“This instructor’s a dayearly.” I riffled through pretty, complicated dresses.
Goose might have been more nervous than me. He set down the basin on the table in front of the window with jittery hands, water splashing onto the floor. “Forgive me–”
“Goose, we’re all human. Mistakes happen.” I splashed my face with water, sobering up from the last heated dream. This time, strong hands had reached out for me, tangling in my hair. “I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” Goose said primly, but I heard him mutter, “She won’t like that,” as he ran down the stairs.
Great. I’d probably get some pursed-lipped instructor who’d look at me like some dirt on a boot as I stumbled my way through pretentious dances.
I tightened my hair into a bun that looked like an angry beehive, and barreled through the doors leading to the drawing parlor only to find myself face to face with an entire row of people.
Blood Brotherhood members, all of them, judging from the white uniforms and the gold trims. Six of them carried intricately carved boxes that looked like they’d seen more centuries than I could count.
At the start of the line, a small fairy of a woman smiled at me like she meant it.
“Your Grace, it is my honor to finally meet you. My name is Leesa Pagemont–” she said and my eyes widened. Was she giving me herrealname? “–of the esteemed Pagemont family. I am humbled to be your future lady-in-waiting and your instructor until the wedding.”
Shewas the instructor? This ray of sunshine? I was expecting a tight bun, a stern look, and a ruler, and I got smiles instead?
And that blasted kneeling. Everyone around me fell to the floor, boxes precariously balanced in their hands. Leesa kneeled the lowest, her tight curls bouncing as she went down.
“Please don’t,” I said before I could stop myself. With Kaya not visiting me in almost a week, Adara very much not being into small talk, and Goose tripping over his words of gratitude whenever I lent him a book, I just wanted a normalconversation, without looking at the nape of someone’s neck first. Whatever discussions happened whenever I was around Zandyr didn’t count; my heart was always beating too fast to think rationally.
Leesa frowned, standing up. “Your Grace, you’ll be our queen. You will protect all of us, with your life if you have to. This is the least we can do.”
I licked the inside of my cheek. “A leader doesn’t expect anything in return for their sacrifices. But they will still sacrifice, because that’s what true rulers do.”
“Well said.” Leesa smiled. “This is also a Blood Brotherhood tradition passed down since our Clan’s inception. I will guide you through our customs, if you’ll let me. But you have to remember–this is Blood Brotherhood. We have different ways.”
That was more difficult to argue against. “And I want to learn all of them.”
Leesa waved a graceful hand at the pile of Blood Brotherhood gifts. “The kneeling and the presents are not tokens of affection or respect, not really. They’re ways to ease our guilt thatyouwill have to carry the burdens we won’t and most can’t. We’ll curse your name if you do it wrong, and congratulate ourselves that you’re on our throne if you do it right. They’re an offering, nothing more. We did it with the old gods when we thought they blessed us, then tore down their statues when the weather changed.”
Leesa looked cute and innocent, but a cunning brain hid behind those big, bright eyes and dulcet voice. “You’re not a normal instructor, are you?”
She gave a modest tilt of her head. “I was trained in the Fair Isles.”
Ah. That explained a lot. Located right in the middle of the Marea Luminara, the Fair Isles had refused to take a side in any Clan war. One of the library books detailed their vast ports,where fine jewels and exquisite spices exchanged ships daily. If Malhaven had a center for pomp, circumstance, and all things that glittered, it was the Fair Isles.
“Thisis exactly what I need,” I said. “To understand why things work the way they do.”
I had a feeling I was going to like Leesa.
“I am glad to hear that. Let’s start, shall we?” Leesa snapped her fingers.
The row of people split into a perfect semi-circle.
Then the trouble began.
Five hours of etiquette later, I’d learned too much about the history of the bone china we had to use for our wedding to signify a good, solid foundation. I also found out the Blood Brotherhood royal family tree was a mess.
“Why would someone name their twin sons Jest and Jeer?” I asked.
