Page 89 of House of the Raven
“PrincessValeria to you,” I say, my tone as patronizing as what he uses on everyone below his station.
He stands frozen.
“I’m here to see Queen Amira.”
He has the look of someone whose thoughts are drowning in molasses. Maybe he’d been expecting to never see me again.
“Emerito, what is it?” My sister’s voice comes from inside the study.
I push past the still-dumbfounded Emerito and march toward the desk that occupies the center of the room. Amira sets her quill down and looks up. I’m expecting to see a reaction similar to Emerito’s, but she just stares at me with cold indifference.
“Look who has decided to stop playing hide and seek,” she says. “Why are you here? You wasted enough of our time already.”
“Hello, Valeria, I’m so happy to see you. I’m glad you’re all right,” I say in a high-pitched voice. “Nice to see you too, Amira, my dear sister.”
She reclines in her chair and crosses her arms, unamused. “Well, are you going to tell me why you’ve decided to come back?”
She’s not my sister.This can’t possibly be Amira. Her expression holds none of the love and sympathy I’m used to seeing there.
I take a deep breath. If somebody, namely Orys, is forcing her to play a part, it’s time for me to play mine. She and Father are right. I need to stop acting like a child, though that doesn’t mean I’ll turn into the adult they hope for.
“I have come to my senses,” I say. “I was wrong to think I could survive on my own.” The words taste rank in my mouth, even though I don’t mean them. “I’m here to do as you ordered.”
Behind me, Emerito coughs as if he has choked on his own saliva.
“Is that so?” Amira asks.
I nod.
“I don’t believe you. I think you’re here to play more games.”
I bow with a bit of chagrin. I’m trying not to overdo my performance. It’s a precarious balance.
“I don’t blame you,” I say, “but I promise you I’m serious. I do, however, have certain conditions.”
“You’re in no position to set conditions, Valeria.”
“I will not ask for more than my due. You dispatched me to Alsur like an old piece of luggage to be married off in obscurity, as if I’ve done something wrong.”
“But you have, sister. You dared disobey my orders, and people are discovering very quickly that this is not something I will tolerate. It seems even you’ve learned that as well.”
I want to jump over the desk, shake her, and ask her what’s wrong with her, but that led me nowhere before, so I smooth my dress instead and refrain from jumping.
“I have,” I admit between clenched teeth. In this case, it’s fine to let my irritation show for the sake of balancing my performance. “The last few days taught me some valuable lessons.”
Emerito chuckles. I look at him sideways and register the satisfied smirk on his face. He’s enjoying this far too much.
“I nearly died two nights ago,” I say. “You sent Bastien for me, and the carriage was attacked, as I’m sure you’ve learned. I had to wade through the sewers to escape.”
Amira’s face twists in disgust, just the effect I was going for.
“Foul,” Emerito sneers.
They have no idea that I would go through much worse to make those responsible for Father’s death pay. They don’t know that despite the hunger, cold, and lack of regular baths, I’ve never felt more alive than during the time I spent outside these walls.
“Bastien said the veilfallen took you.” Amira rests her elbows on the table and steeples her fingers. “So it’s true, you escaped?”
“I did. It wasn’t easy or sanitary, but I thought for sure they would kill me if I didn’t… forgo my sensibilities. It was then that I realized there isn’t a safe place for a Plumanegra to hide in this city. I would never be able to have a peaceful life, wouldn’t have the freedom I crave.”
