shows off the slope of my shoulders. The waist cinches in to an extreme curve before belling out in full skirts adorned with white lace.
Beneath the layers of petticoats and skirts, I wear boots and trousers out of habit. Despite that, I look about as trussed up as one of those bloody Christmas trees in the middle of Charlotte Square. Now I remember precisely why I detest these damn things.
“I can’t breathe,” I tell Derrick.
“I made you a dress that can be torn away in case of emergencies and flipped into a coat, and you’re complaining about being able to breathe? How ungrateful!” He flies up to my shoulder and wrinkles his nose. “Ugh! Uuuuugh! And you smell like the daoine sìth. He’s left his scent all over you like piss on a tree.”
“Derrick!”
He flies off my shoulder like he’s been chased by the hounds of hell, settling on my dirty coat instead. I imagine it smells a great deal like mud, sweat, and me.
“Now I can’t even sit on your shoulder,” he whines. “He’s ruined it. I can’t believe you after everything the Cailleach told you.”
I glare at him and inspect the dress again. He’s even sewn hidden pockets in it for my weapons. I slip Aithinne’s sword in its specially made pocket, where it hangs heavily against my thigh—but you wouldn’t know it was there just by looking at me. Good god, Derrick is brilliant, my breathing complaint aside.
“You said you didn’t want me to hate him,” I point out.
Derrick sulks, his wings fanning. “That was before he ruined your perfectly good shoulder seat with his vile smell.”
“Very well.” I wave him away from the coat and pick it up to drape the fabric over my shoulders for a moment. I try not to cringe at how it smells. What on earth did I rub up against on that beach? “There. Now I stink of sea creatures. Happy?”
Derrick flies up and sniffs me. He still doesn’t look terribly pleased even as he settles beneath my hair. “It’ll do. I suppose.”
I sigh. “Are you going to weave more power around the wards? We probably ought to leave tomorrow.”
“Aye. I might have to do it a few more times before then to make sure it’ll hold.” He flutters toward the door, then pauses with a grin. “Want to come with me?” At my expression, he says, “You died, you were brought back, and you aren’t the least bit curious to see what other gifts came with the Sight?”
“Of course I am.”
After that metal flower I created, I want to test the limits of my power. I want to see what I can do to Lonnrach when I see him again.
I peer at myself in the mirror, expecting to look just a wee bit different. Perhaps more faelike. I do, after all, have the blood of the Seelie queen in me. Alas, I’m the same freckled ginger I was yesterday and not even a hint more shiny.
“I don’t feel any different,” I say.
“Of course not,” Derrick says. “You were already born with power, you silly human. It just needed to be woken up.” He flies to the door. “Well?”
“I promised Gavin I’d be down a half hour ago.” I lean toward him and whisper. “Come get me in fifteen minutes just in case I need to be saved.”
“From whom?” Derrick flicks his wings. “Don’t tell me you’re already fighting with Kiaran after you and he had—”
“For god’s sake.” I glare at him. “Not Kiaran. Daniel. Or possibly Catherine. I still haven’t told her we’re leaving yet.”
Derrick sputters a laugh. “You haven’t . . . ? Oh, I can’t wait to see that.”
I glare at him. “Fifteen minutes.”
“Thirty. I plan to eat everything on the food tables.”
“You can eat them in ten. I’ll give you twenty-five, just in case you need to go outside and vomit it all up.”
He looks satisfied with that. “Deal.”
I nod once and step out of my room. I’m immediately engulfed in the aroma of pine and mince pies and fire and the spices from mulled wine. I’m struck by memories of home, celebrations in the Assembly Rooms, the ballrooms illuminated by firelight. At the time, I thought them so mundane, so dull and exhausting. I never stopped to enjoy the scent, the heat of the flames, the glittering ballroom.
Lanterns float around the buildings, illuminating some of the darkest wynds between the tall tenements. And whatever shadowed closes the lanterns miss, lights strung from window to window more