Page 98 of The Twisted Throne
Hazel handed her the card, and opening it, Ahnna read:
I accept your apology. If we invite the jewelers to visit, they have time to prepare. Better to catch them out and take them for all they are worth. Dress for riding and be ready to leave the palace in an hour.
Virginia
P.S. Georgie and James will attend us. The former because I wish to cater to his taste and the latter because he will be honest if Georgie’s taste is tacky.
Hazel was watching her, so Ahnna gave her a smile. “I will make amends.”
Her maid sighed, then said, “Be wary, my lady. The Princess Virginia is not known to be forgiving, so this note causes me suspicion.”
“I am always wary, Hazel.”
But so far, her plan to warn her brother was working.
“You are a princess ofHarendell,” James said to his sister flatly. “The jewelers will come to you.”
Virginia glared at him as though he were the stupidest creature to ever stand in her presence. “When I invite them, they choose what items they bring to show me.”
“I’ve no doubt they bring their highest-quality items.”
Her scowl deepened. “They come prepared.”
James set aside the report he was reading. “I should certainly hope so.”
“Why are you so stupid?” She tossed her long curls over her shoulder. “They know they have to be generous to me, so they bring jewels they don’t mind parting with at a bargain and hold back the choice items to show individuals with gold but no power. If I catch them unawares, they must show me everything in their cases, and I can extort them as I see fit.”
James cast his eyes skyward. “You are the pinnacle example of our people, Ginny. Harendellian to the core.”
To his surprise, his sister turned away from him and walked to the window, drawn by the light. “Ahnna wishes to purchase new jewelry. She requested my advice.”
He tensed.
“You have not spoken, but I can feel the argument radiating out of you, Jamie,” she said. “I am bored of being locked up in the Sky Palace, with most of the court either trailing after Mother and Father or returned to their homes. And with you and yours patrolling the lands around Verwyrd day and night to root out any Amaridians with ill intent, I daresay that the journey to Abertford is safer than it’s ever been. You and Georgie will ride with us, of course, and I’ll not argue against whatever escort you might care to drag along.”
James knew that he should argue, and that if he forced the issue, Virginia would likely bend to his wishes. But it had been over a week since he’d argued with Ahnna, and he’d not seen her once. It was partly by design, for true to his word, Georgie had taken control of her security, but it was also because she was quite clearly avoiding him. A behavior he should encourage. Yet James found himself saying, “When do you wish to go?”
“Now,” Virginia said with a smile. “Else one of the servants will warn the jewelers, and they’ll hide the items I am likely to want. I told Ahnna to be ready in an hour, which gives you”—she walked to the ticking clock and opened its face, fingers brushing over the arms—“ten minutes to ready yourself. I shall meet you in the courtyard.”
She left the room, cane thudding softly against the carpet, and James gave a soft curse. Leaping to his feet, he donned the coat he’d tossed on one of the sofas, then straightened his cravat in the mirror on the wall. Glaring at his reflection, James abandoned his father’s study and strode through the Sky Palace corridors,flinging open the door to his room. “Uniform,” he said to Thomas, who showed no sign of being startled, only went to the wardrobe and retrieved the necessary items as James flung off the clothes he was wearing. Donning his uniform, he retrieved his sword and an extra set of knives, glanced at the mirror and then the clock. “Goddamn it,” he snarled, ignoring Thomas’s affronted stare, then bolted out the door.
Moving as swiftly as he could without raising alarm, James stepped out into the courtyard just as the palace clocks began to ring the hour. Georgie was helping Virginia into the carriage, but at its head, stroking the nose of one of the mules, was Ahnna.
She wore a dark-blue riding outfit: a belted coat with divided skirts, as well as polished riding boots. Sunlight glinted off her long hair, which hung in loose curls down her back, a hat that matched the clothes perched atop her head. Her skin had lost much of its suntan during her time in Harendell, the flush of her cheeks more noticeable as she glanced his way, then back to the mule, feeding it a lump of sugar from her pocket. If one ignored her height, she was the image of a Harendellian lady, though the longer he stared at her, the more weapons he noticed hidden about her person. Still Ahnna, albeit dressed in a costume. James bit down on a smile.
“You needn’t trouble yourself with this venture, Jamie,” Georgie said, and from his friend’s flat tone, James’s scrutiny of Ahnna’s attire had not gone unnoticed. “You’ve more pressing matters to attend to.”
“No, he doesn’t!” Virginia shouted from inside the carriage. “Get in, Jamie. Already, we are at risk of those greedy jewel setters having learned of my visit. We need to move faster! Ahnna, hurry, or all they’ll show us is settings in last year’s styles.”
James approached, holding out his hand to Ahnna. “My lady.”
She gave him the slightest of nods, gloved hand taking his as she climbed inside, though she immediately drew it away as she sat next to Georgie. James bit down his jealousy and sat next to his sister, who immediately started shouting at the coachman to make haste. An impossibility, for Buck and Brayer moved at only one speed.
“Is there something particular you are looking for?” Virginia asked, then waved her hand. “Do not answer that. One should never shop for jewelry with something in mind, only with a mind for something, because beautiful jewelry demands a certain dress, not the other way around. Wait and see what sings toyou.”
“I think that wise advice, Virginia.” Ahnna turned her gaze out the window while Virginia kept up her chatter, for she never enjoyed silence. Georgie obliged her, but James could feel his friend’s displeasure at his presence, and he kept his eyes on his boots, regretting agreeing to Virginia’s demands.
He’d thought that he could keep his wits about Ahnna. Keep the feelings that he had no business feeling in check for the space of an afternoon’s ride, except even with the heavy scent of his sister’s perfume, James could smell the scent of salt and the sea, his senses telling him a storm was in the sky though he knew it was only the woman seated across from him.
