the matter be. If she does know something, she’s too nervous to say.
We finish up shortly after and I excuse myself from her salon. The moment I step out I’m face to face with Harrow, Jalic, Sirro, and Aria.
“Your Majesty.” Jalic is the first to notice me and he bows his head. The others follow suit. Even the begrudging etiquette is a significant improvement over the first time and I wonder if my interactions with Harrow have had anything to do with their change in tone.
Hook bounds past me. He circles Aria twice, growling low. Aria steps closer to Harrow, grabbing his arms.
“This beast is getting snot on my skirts.” Aria swats lightly at Hook’s nose as he buries it into the layers of fabric. “Shoo, shoo!”
“Hook, come,” I command. Hook looks between me and Aria and lets out a frustrated huff, but obliges. However, his focus remains intently on the woman. It’s amusing to watch Aria fight an open scowl. “Good afternoon, you four. Where are you headed?” I ask.
“Why? Would you like to come? Have a bit more fun with us?” Jalic shoves his hands into his pockets and gives me a casual grin.
“Not particularly.”
“Is that any way to speak to a queen?” Rinni asks and Jalic glances askance.
“I’m going to see the seamstress,” Aria announces, puffing her chest slightly. “It’s such an honor to be dressed by the same woman who dresses the queen.” She pets Harrow’s arm lightly. There’s no question as to who brought this “honor” about.
“Good, the seamstress seems very talented,” I say mildly, and find a small delight in watching Aria’s expression tilt toward disappointment at my lack of ire toward her being dressed by the same person as me. “In fact, I think you should all get your clothes for the coronation made by her.”
“I’m not getting something for the coronation.” The way Aria stretches her neck, as if she’s trying to compete against my height, is evocative of how I imagine a territorial swan to look. “I’m getting something for the Troupe of Masks.”
“Oh, right, you mentioned Aria was performing somewhere. Carron, was it?” I glance at Harrow.
“You told her? That was my surprise,” Aria hisses. Then, quickly collects herself. “It’s a high honor.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She acts as though I just awarded a medal to her, bowing with a dramatic flourish of her hands. “I will be going on tour soon with them. But don’t you worry, we will be back for the coronation night. I’m sure it’ll be a performance worth remembering.”
“I can’t wait to see it,” I lie. Even if I wasn’t trying to leave before the coronation, I have no interest in anything to do with Aria.
“Good.” She smiles thinly. “Let’s be off; we don’t want to keep the queen from…whatever it is she does.”
Rinni takes a step forward but I don’t move, still blocking the entrance to the salon. “I do a lot of reading, actually.” I meet Aria’s eyes.
“Good for you.” Her smile is quickly becoming a sneer.
“Carron is not far from Westwatch, isn’t it? Right along the wall that borders the fae wilds?”
“Your grasp of Midscape geography is astounding,” Aria drawls.
“Will you be seeing any family there?”
Aria narrows her eyes as her whole body goes tense. It’s a subtle shift that she quickly corrects with the poise of an actress. But that was a glimpse of something real.
I’ve gotten too good at catching when people’s guards are down, in large part thanks to Eldas.
“All the family I associate regularly with is here in Quinnar, Your Majesty. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to be respectful of the seamstress’s time.” She seems too eager to dismiss the whole topic of conversation. “The hour is late already and we have a soiree tonight.”
“A soiree?” I glance to Harrow.
“Here, in the castle,” he says, giving me a knowing nod. Then, his voice reverts to the more careless and somewhat cruel tones I first heard from him. “I doubt you’d be interested.”
“Yes, nothing you have to worry yourself with. We already know that you humans don’t find the same sorts of things amusing as us elves,” Aria says somewhat snidely. I can’t help but wonder if she means glimmer.
“I have other, more important matters to attend to, in any case.” I grit out a smile and step aside. “Enjoy yourselves.”
The four go into the salon, closing the door behind them. I promptly reach out a hand and Hook is at my side. I scratch behind his ears,