Why, Clikk?”
“Because you were in danger, and regardless of whether we agree or disagree on your sister’s best interests, you don’t deserve to be tortured and killed by the Blue Dusk. Now you understand why I hate them. If you’re ready to hate them too, that makes us allies.”
“Someday you’ll have to learn how to follow orders, Clikk. For now, we need only focus on getting through today. Seeing as how I have no better plan, I shall follow your lead. I would shake on it, but I never shook a woman’s hand before.”
I gripped his forearm and we sealed our alliance with a might jolt. “I’m proud to be your first.”
“Said no woman ever,” Dirk quipped.
I just shook my head at him. “Have you any weapons?”
“They took everything.”
I slipped out into the nook where the unconscious guard still lay. We dragged the Duskman in, undressed him, chained him to the safe, secured the locks and gagged him. Dirk slid into the Duskman’s uniform, which was a bit tight in the arms. With pocket automatic in hand and a short sword and dagger on his belt, Dirk resumed the guard of the prince’s chamber. The tuning of stringed instruments sounded above our heads.
“It’s time,” I said, kneeling to gather my rose petals back into the cauldron. “
“As you say,” Dirk said.
I ran to join the wedding party.
VIII. The Crescendo
L uring the prince into a trap was our best shot at saving Molly without fighting the entire imperial guard. I scurried up the steps to the deck and prayed none of my carnage had been discovered. There was also Baker to consider. I had no means of telling him the plan had changed and no means of knowing if he and Fitz had been captured.
“There you are! Where is Clarice?” A petite maid shoved her face in mine as she squeaked at me. “Miss Molly was in the bath until she was as pruned as her! We had to dress her ourselves!”
“There was an emergency. Clarice said to move forwards without her.”
“Ugh!” groaned the maid. “Just toss your petals already.”
I followed the velvet runner to the altar, walking as gracefully as any person could with her heart drumming out of control. It was a short walk, fortunately. The glittering aristocratic guests were few. I recognized the empress from political pamphlets in Locwyn. They had some friends with them, some nobles who had favor or were in their cabinet. Maive was present as well, and none the wiser that her ship might be hijacked at any moment. A string quartet began to play a Leffenese ballad.
When I reached the altar, the prince spoke to me. “I could tell you were a pretty one. Even under all that crud, I saw it.”
I deliberately avoided his gaze, and watched for Molly.
A Duskman jabbed me with his firearm. “Your prince addresses you. Thank him for his generous compliment.”
I met the gaze of the pudgy youth in his stolen crown and forced myself to smile. “Thank you.” Prince Torren had nothing more to say.
The band played the bridal march and a trio of maids sang harmony. Molly appeared from below deck. Her thick many-layered veil danced in the wind as she surfaced. I couldn’t see her face, but I saw the V-shaped cuffs of her sleeves where she held a bouquet of white roses. The poor child’s hands were trembling; she still suffered the curse. She walked so stiff and hurried, but was only a few feet away from the altar when a maid came running out behind her.
“Wait!” the woman screamed. “Stop the ceremony!”
Gold fire streaked vertically across the sky. It whistled and then with a thundering boom, showered a sparkling spray of willow branch tendrils over the deck. Everyone stared and there was scattered applause amidst the nobility.
Maive’s avian globe copter wheeled through the sky, moving about like a drunken crow. It tumbled and tripped on the air and I could see Baker fighting the controls.
Molly swept her veil back over her head and wasn’t Molly at all, but Fitz dressed
“Because you were in danger, and regardless of whether we agree or disagree on your sister’s best interests, you don’t deserve to be tortured and killed by the Blue Dusk. Now you understand why I hate them. If you’re ready to hate them too, that makes us allies.”
“Someday you’ll have to learn how to follow orders, Clikk. For now, we need only focus on getting through today. Seeing as how I have no better plan, I shall follow your lead. I would shake on it, but I never shook a woman’s hand before.”
I gripped his forearm and we sealed our alliance with a might jolt. “I’m proud to be your first.”
“Said no woman ever,” Dirk quipped.
I just shook my head at him. “Have you any weapons?”
“They took everything.”
I slipped out into the nook where the unconscious guard still lay. We dragged the Duskman in, undressed him, chained him to the safe, secured the locks and gagged him. Dirk slid into the Duskman’s uniform, which was a bit tight in the arms. With pocket automatic in hand and a short sword and dagger on his belt, Dirk resumed the guard of the prince’s chamber. The tuning of stringed instruments sounded above our heads.
“It’s time,” I said, kneeling to gather my rose petals back into the cauldron. “
“As you say,” Dirk said.
I ran to join the wedding party.
VIII. The Crescendo
L uring the prince into a trap was our best shot at saving Molly without fighting the entire imperial guard. I scurried up the steps to the deck and prayed none of my carnage had been discovered. There was also Baker to consider. I had no means of telling him the plan had changed and no means of knowing if he and Fitz had been captured.
“There you are! Where is Clarice?” A petite maid shoved her face in mine as she squeaked at me. “Miss Molly was in the bath until she was as pruned as her! We had to dress her ourselves!”
“There was an emergency. Clarice said to move forwards without her.”
“Ugh!” groaned the maid. “Just toss your petals already.”
I followed the velvet runner to the altar, walking as gracefully as any person could with her heart drumming out of control. It was a short walk, fortunately. The glittering aristocratic guests were few. I recognized the empress from political pamphlets in Locwyn. They had some friends with them, some nobles who had favor or were in their cabinet. Maive was present as well, and none the wiser that her ship might be hijacked at any moment. A string quartet began to play a Leffenese ballad.
When I reached the altar, the prince spoke to me. “I could tell you were a pretty one. Even under all that crud, I saw it.”
I deliberately avoided his gaze, and watched for Molly.
A Duskman jabbed me with his firearm. “Your prince addresses you. Thank him for his generous compliment.”
I met the gaze of the pudgy youth in his stolen crown and forced myself to smile. “Thank you.” Prince Torren had nothing more to say.
The band played the bridal march and a trio of maids sang harmony. Molly appeared from below deck. Her thick many-layered veil danced in the wind as she surfaced. I couldn’t see her face, but I saw the V-shaped cuffs of her sleeves where she held a bouquet of white roses. The poor child’s hands were trembling; she still suffered the curse. She walked so stiff and hurried, but was only a few feet away from the altar when a maid came running out behind her.
“Wait!” the woman screamed. “Stop the ceremony!”
Gold fire streaked vertically across the sky. It whistled and then with a thundering boom, showered a sparkling spray of willow branch tendrils over the deck. Everyone stared and there was scattered applause amidst the nobility.
Maive’s avian globe copter wheeled through the sky, moving about like a drunken crow. It tumbled and tripped on the air and I could see Baker fighting the controls.
Molly swept her veil back over her head and wasn’t Molly at all, but Fitz dressed
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