Page 28 of Thief of Dreams
We've all seen what he's looking at. What he's trying to hide from view. The smooth marble walls are no longer unblemished. It takes me a moment to realize what I'm looking at: the drape of a skirt spilling from within the marble; a bloodred ruby shattered on the floor; and a pair of hands sticking out of the stone, as if trying to claw for help.
I stare at those hands, at the body clearly entombed in the marble.
"So ends Narcissa's hunt," Calliope murmurs at my side.
I startle.
"Narcissa?"
"Don't you recognize the rings on her fingers?" Calliope drawls. Her gaze slides to where Ismena is only just making an appearance.
"What's going on?" the Princess of Storms demands. "What's all this noise?" She finally sees the hands, and her mouth drops open. "What happened?"
"It seems one by one, princesses are going missing," Calliope tells her coldly. "Or dying. Where were you tonight?"
"In my bedchambers," Ismena replies, arching one cool brow. "Dinner disagreed with me."
"Can anyone confirm your whereabouts?" Calliope demands.
"Why? Are you asking if anyone was with me?" Ismena glances at the prince as if she's got something to hide. "Of course not. I was alone. The only one who saw me was my maid."
"And we all know where her loyalties lie."
"If you're calling me a liar, then say it," Ismena hisses, balling her fists at her sides.
"That's enough," snarls the prince.
Both females step apart, though Ismena's hot glare promises retaliation for this.
"Return to your chambers, all of you," Prince Keir says. "I shall have guards posted at your doors. If you are seen outside your chambers, it shall be assumed you know more about this state of affairs than it seems."
His gaze slides over me, as if he wants to speak to me but does not dare.
I try not to look at the golden claw hanging from his throat.
There shall be no seduction tonight.
I shoot what is left of Narcissa one last look as I slink back to my rooms with the rest of the girls.
I can't help thinking about what I saw in the mirror tonight. Despite her initial "shock," Ismena has recovered well and is muttering horrible things about Calliope that everybody can hear.
"Better watch your back," I murmur as Calliope pauses by her door. "Ismena doesn't seem too fond of you right now."
"Is she ever fond of anyone?" Calliope muses, watching the other princesses go.
"I thought... I thought she was friendly with Narcissa." The choice of victim confuses me.
"Narcissa won a picnic with the prince tomorrow," Calliope replies.
It startles me. "She did?"
"I forget, you weren't there tonight when we were swimming in the pools in the rose garden." Calliope gives me a steady look, and I hope she's not thinking I had anything to do with this.
"There's only so much nastiness I can handle."
Calliope takes a breath. Then pauses. "You know... you're not like the others."
"I hope you mean that as a compliment."
