whatever is in front of my nose. It is a stack of old straw mattresses. More flammable materials. “I don’t mean leaping out the window, you foolish goose. I mean taking a chance. Risk. Stepping outside what you know and hoping it will be better than what you’re used to. It cannot be worse.”
“And where am I to go?” She flings her hands out to her side. “I do not have a duchess who will take me in or a knight who will run away with me. I am not brave or skilled like you are. I am just a girl who has nothing—no family, no future, no one to turn to. I do not wish to sell myself on the streets to any man who fancies me.”
“I do not wish that for you either, but there are other choices. None of them anything like the future you once hoped for. But they can lead to a good life, a solid one with moments of happiness and contentment.” I do not just want her away from the fire when it starts, but from Pierre as well. She can survive a burn, but I am not convinced she can survive Pierre.
She folds her arms. “Like what?”
“I think the convent of Saint Brigantia is your best choice.”
She barks out a laugh. “So whore or nun? Those are my choices?”
“Many Brigantians do not take a vow of celibacy. Convents are also places of learning, of second chances, places where girls like you may find respite from the world while you decide what path to take.” I take a step closer to her, marveling at what a sapskull I’ve become to care about her. “I promise you, it will be better than this one that you’re on.”
The guardedness finally falls away from her eyes. “Even if I were to want that, how would I possibly get free of here?” she asks in a small voice.
It has worked—I have piqued her interest. “You watch for a chance to escape. We are surrounded by chance and happenstance every day. We’ve only to watch for it.”
“Is that what you were looking for yesterday? Happenstance?”
I steadily meet her gaze. “No. I was hoping to see if they had any messenger pigeons in the mews.”
She huffs out a sigh. “They don’t. Now, stop all this talking and snooping, else you get us both in trouble.”
There. I have said all I can without risking giving away my entire plan. I will have to hope that it will be enough.
Chapter 108
Genevieve
Once I am packed, I change into my plainest, most serviceable gown. Hopefully, Beast will have been freed from his prison by now. He will want to know of Sybella’s fate—and will likely wish to come with me.
His help would be most welcome.
I slip out of my room intending to find Maraud and let him know what has happened. I will not simply disappear on him again. Besides, like Beast, he may wish to come with me, and I would not mind the backup. Although, if the king accepts my challenge, that could prove awkward.
But he won’t. That would require setting aside a worldview he has too heavy a stake in.
The palace at Nantes is big, and I have no idea which of the many rooms Maraud has been given. I spend a quarter hour searching, wishing, for the dozenth time, that my gift was more like Sybella’s and I could sense heartbeats of the living.
In the end, there are simply too many rooms, and I do not wish to delay my departure any longer. Mayhap I can find Jaspar or Valine and leave a message with them.
Outside in the palace courtyard, a handful of courtiers linger near the dovecote, and servants scurry to and from the well, but there is no sign of Maraud. I hitch the pack higher on my shoulder and begin making my way to the stables at the end of the yard. Just as I pass the old round tower whose stones are roughened with age, the door flies open and Maraud steps out, his face holding all the furies of a winter storm.
“What is wrong?” I ask.
It takes him a moment to register it is me. “Genevieve!” He grabs my arm and pulls me to the south end of the tower, away from the palace windows that glitter like so many eyes. “He is gone.” The words nearly explode out of him.
My head is so full of my concern for Sybella that I can’t process