Page 21 of Cursed Crowns
“Wren is gone.”
Chapman’s moustache twitched. “Pardon me?”
“Wren. Is. Gone.” Rose thrust the crumpled letter at him. “To Gevra.”
Chapman’s face paled as he read the letter. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his brow. “Right. Yes. Well, not to worry,” he said, more to himself than to her. “At least we still have one queen. And, arguably, the better one. Perhaps we can devise some sort of system to make you appear as two people... Ah! What about a dress with two different sleeves? You could wave out of one side of the carriage, then scoot across and wave out of the other?”
Shen stifled a chuckle.
Rose stared at the steward. “You can’t possibly be serious.”
“The tourmust go on,” Chapman insisted. “With or without your errant sister. Your people are expecting you. It’s all been arranged.”
Rose massaged her temples, thinking... worrying. “My sister needsme, Chapman. We have to go to Gevra and get her back.”
Shen dragged a hand across his jaw. “You want to send a rescue mission for... the rescue mission?”
Chapman was shaking his head so vigorously his cheeks were jiggling. “We simply cannot send our soldiers into such inhospitable territory. King Alarik would perceive their arrival as a threat and launch an immediate counterattack. We can only hope that your sister had the sense to don some sort of disguise before gallivanting off. I mean, the consequences of an uninvited sovereign arriving in Gevra from a country that has recently killed their crown prince at a wedding meant tounitethe countries...” Chapman paused meaningfully.
“Chapman, do get on with it,” said Rose.
“Untold consequences!” The steward threw his hands up. “It could be seen as a declaration of war!”
“Everything in Gevra is seen as a declaration of war,” said Shen. “They go to war for breakfast.”
“Exactly!” huffed Chapman. “Which is why we cannot afford to worsen this situation by getting any further involved.”
“You want me to abandon my sister?” said Rose.
Chapman pressed his lips together. “You must ask yourself, Rose, who here is abandoning whom?”
Rose chewed on the inside of her cheek, thinking of Wren sneaking out in the dead of night.
“And on the matter of abandonment,” Chapman went on. “I’m afraidyousimply cannot abandon your country at such a critical time to follow your sister on some kind of wild Gevran goose chase! Nor can you send your soldiers to bring her home. Their mere arrival on Gevran shores would be utterly catastrophic. And in any case, we need themhere, where Edgar Barron and his followers are proving to be a very real threat.”
Rose glanced at Shen. She could tell by his somber expression that he agreed with the steward.
“I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, and there is the unpleasant memory of the former Kingsbreath lingering between us, but, Rose, please know that my advice is true,” said Chapman imploringly. “I would not steer you wrong. My loyalty is to Eana. Andyouare Eana.”
“I am Eana, Eana is me,” said Rose quietly, the familiar words sending a whisper of warmth up her arms. They soothed her. Grounded her.
“Precisely. Which is why you must go out there and connect with your people. Charm them away from Barron and his ilk,” said Chapman. “It is the only way forward for Eana.”
Rose nodded to herself. Chapman was right. The tour must go on, for the good of the kingdom. And, in the meantime, she had to trust that her sister knew what she was doing. That Wren would be all right.
“I’d like to take Celeste with me,” said Rose, warming to the idea as soon as she voiced it. “She’s good with people. And she’ll be excellent company.”
“No, no, don’t worry about my feelings,” muttered Shen.
Rose was too busy settling into her new plan to hear him. Yes. Celeste was the answer. She’d ask her to ride in the carriage with her, to help her throw roses to the townspeople. If Rose couldn’t have her sister by her side, she would have her best friend instead. After all, it had been just her and Celeste for years. They were like family to each other, too.
“Rose! There you are!” A new voice interrupted Rose’s thoughts. Her maidservant, Agnes, rushed into the kitchen, red-faced and panting.
“Agnes, what on earth are you doing down here?”
Chapman threw his hands up. “Shall we just dispense with the throne room entirely and hold court in the oven from now on?”
“I’ve been looking all over for you,” huffed Agnes. “Lottie the chambermaid told me you were down here in the kitchens, and I said,Well, what in stars’ name is she doing down there before I’ve dressed her in her tour gown? I had to find you... I... Oh... let me catch my breath...”