“What now? What must I do in order to placate you?”
“You’re much feistier this time, Princess Thea. I could almost like you.” Catrin actually sounded admiring. “It doesn’t change what you are, but I must say you keep surprising me. I like that. I will tell you what—I will allow for a way out for you and your innocent sisters.”
“You didn’t have an end in mind?” Thea couldn’t believe it.
“No, I didn’t. I told you. Things are set in motion, and I work from there. The addition of others into my plans changes things. I prefer to act after those in play make their moves.”
“This explains why you lead a solitary life,” Thea muttered.
“You have no notion of what kind of life I lead.” Catrin responded with a hint of anger.
“No one would want to share it with you,” Thea said, her voice nearly a jeer. A part of her felt she was putting her hand in the shark’s mouth, but Catrin nettled her so.
“Be that as it may,” Catrin said, reining in her temper, “We are discussing how you might have a chance of ending this curse.”
“What must I do?”
“You cannot do a thing. This curse can only be ended by someone other than you or your sisters.”
“What? We can’t tell anyone. How will someone else know to end the curse?”
“That will be up to someone else to discover. I am only telling you my part in the matter. If someone other than you or your siblings can discover where you go at night and make that knowledge public with no help from you, then you will be free.”
“That doesn’t seem specific,” Thea felt sure there were loopholes.
“It’s not. When you have someone discover your secret, you and your sisters will cease to dance in my world each night. Until then you come here, and you do not speak of it to anyone. If you should, well, you already know what happens. And if you do not do as you are told, I will kill one of your sisters.” She stood and without another word or allowing for Thea to respond, she walked onto the dance floor.
Thea got up to chase after her, but Catrin had disappeared. She had simply walked between two of her dancing sisters and vanished.
Thea sat back down. This every night—they would never get enough sleep. And how could they ever leave the castle? None of them could marry. They were stuck. Catrin would ruin all their lives. Not that she cared. She was an evil, hateful woman.
Just then, Roderick appeared, cup in hand. He handed it to Thea.
“Here you are, Princess Thea. My apologies for the delay. It took me some time to find the refreshments.”
“Is it very crowded?” Since she still couldn’t see anyone other than her sisters and their partners, she wanted to know what Roderick saw.
“Very. The Lady is well known for her galas.”
“What lady?”
“The Lady! Surely you know our gracious hostess! I have not seen her this evening, but that is to be expected with as many people as are here to see her.”
Thea didn’t answer. She felt certain this was some mischief of Catrin’s. She stood, giving her hand to Roderick.
“Thank you for getting this for me. I feel quite refreshed. Shall we continue?” She nodded at the other dancing couples.
“I am honored!” Roderick’s face lit up. He took her cup and set it on the chair where Catrin had been sitting. Drawing her out to the dance floor with him, he began the steps to the dance, and Thea followed. Better to get through tonight and then talk with her sisters regarding how to solve this.
Damn that woman.
***
Thea’s eyes flew open. She was tired, and her legs hurt again. So did her feet. And her toe really hurt. She’d need to see the physician again. He would ask why it looked as poorly as it did when he initially bound it. Well, she’d have to manage it. She made a note to see if any of her sisters had injuries.
She sat up. No one else was awake. All the better. She had smiled and been pleasant last evening, but her mind had worked furiously.
First, she needed to talk to her parents. There was some history there, between them and Catrin. Catrin held vitriol towards her father that as of yet had not been explained. Then, she needed to tell her sisters about meeting with the old bat last night, and see how they might allow for someone to discover their secret.
Given that they got to the underground castle via her bed, this would not be easy. She hurried out of bed, and readied herself for the day. When she opened the doors leading to the hallway, Marek stood there. When did he sleep? He was always there.
“My lord, I would go to my parents this morning.”
He nodded, gesturing with his head to the two guards that stood with him. They moved to stand on either side of the doors, and then looked back at Thea.
She turned, knowing her parents would be at breakfast in their sitting room. They enjoyed breakfasting together. It gave them time to talk over the previous day, and over things planned for the upcoming day. Until the betrothal, she’d often been invited to join them once or twice a week.
She knocked on the door, and it opened. Her father’s valet Tomas answered. “The Princess Thea,” he announced as she strode purposefully in, Marek behind her.
“Father, Mother, good morning. I hope that I do not intrude?”
“No, not at all,” Ceridwen answered. “Please join us. Tomas, would you also see to Lord Marek?”
Tomas moved silently out of the room. Marek took a chair off to one side, unobtrusive, but still available.
Thea sat. Her father was engrossed in some papers. Tomas returned with a plate for her, and she helped herself to the food on the table.
“Thea, I am glad you’re here,” Aland said, looking up. “I have some things I need to ask you about.”
“What?” Thea took a bite of her bread, chewing slowly. She’d come here for answers, not to be questioned.
“I have here,” Aland waved a sheet of parchment at her, “The household budgets from the steward. He has a bill from the cobbler. This week, he’s replaced all of your ball slippers five times. That is sixty sets of slippers, Thea! What is the meaning of this? I’ve asked your mother. She assures me,” he gave a nod to Ceridwen, “That it is indeed possible to wear through such shoes in the course of one evening. I accept that, not being an expert on ladies’ footwear.”
“I was unaware our slippers needed replacing,” Thea said when she’d swallowed her bread. She took another bite. She didn’t know what to say and wanted some time to think on how to respond to this. She couldn’t tell Aland why the slippers were worn out.
“My concern is that the replacements have occurred since the ball we gave here. Where have you been going that you wear out a pair of slippers in one evening? We’ve had no merriment of that degree since the ball. A less prudent and involved parent than I would assume you and your sisters were doing something outside of my purview. I, however, make no such assumptions. I know my daughters would not risk themselves, their reputations, and the reputation of their family for a mere frolic.” He gave Thea a seemingly calm look.
“So, please tell me Thea, why would the cobbler feel it needed to replace your slippers five days in a row? Let us put this question to rest.”
“I do not know, Father. I cannot tell you. I know that my slipper was on my foot when I woke the other day, but I have no recollection of myself, or any of us, going anywhere.” Well, not until last night, anyway, she thought. Damn you, Catrin, she thought again.
“Thea. I cannot have my daughters wandering about in the middle of the night. Have you no sense of how that may look? The maids are removing worn and tattered slippers. As instructed, they take them away to have them replaced. The cobbler submits a bill, and then my steward presents it to me. Do you not see how many people are now aware that you and your sisters are up to something? Can you not see how this looks?”
“Father, I do not know what to tell you. I don’t have answers. Tell the cobbler not to make any more slippers. It will stop any talk.�
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“That is not the point, Thea!” He banged his hand on the table, making all the dishes jump. “The point is that worn slippers suggest making merry in the middle of the night. Such a supposition is not appropriate for any young lady and certainly not my daughters! And you—are you trying to ruin the engagement?” His face looked fierce.
“No, Father! I am not trying to ruin anything! Neither my sisters nor myself leave the castle at night!” Just go under it, she added silently.
“Then why are your shoes telling a different tale?” His voice rose. As though remembering something, he whirled around.
“Lord Marek!”
“Sire?” Marek jumped up and moved forward.
“Where do the princesses go at night?”
Marek said slowly, “They do not leave their chambers, Sire. I have had men outside the door each night, and we have not heard sounds from within nor have any of the princesses attempted to leave.”
“Do not lie to me!” The king stood, his face going red. “They are going somewhere! Slippers do not wear themselves out! You will conduct a thorough search of their chambers today. Thorough, Marek! Do you understand? Anything odd or of note, you bring to me. Any manner that may facilitate the princesses leaving other than via the door, you make note of and bring it to me. Do you understand?”
Marek nodded. “Of course, Sire. I will begin as soon as the princesses awaken.”
“Good. Since you will not tell me,” he directed at Thea as he sat down, “I must discover your secrets on my own. And I will tell you, Thea, woe to you should I discover that you or any of your sisters compromise the honor of this family.”
He pulled the parchment in front of his face, and made a studied effort to ignore her.
“I do beg your pardon, Mother, Father, but I have lost my appetite.” Thea pushed away from the table and stood. “My sisters and I will join you later, with your permission. Where will you be today?”
“I planned to sit in my bower today, Thea.” Ceridwen attempted to ignore all that had just occurred.
“I’ll be dealing with the accounts,” her father growled from behind his sheaf of parchment.
“Then perhaps we shall see you at dinner.” Thea dropped a hasty curtsy and forced herself to walk, rather than run, from the room. Once outside the door, she leaned against the wall. Marek watched her with a carefully blank expression.
“Marek, you have heard nothing the last five evenings? I do not know why our slippers are thus, but I am worried.
“My lady, I would not lie to my liege. I have heard nothing. No one has attempted to go in or out of your chambers. I have no explanation for the questions the king has asked.”
Thea stood up, brushing down her dress to cover her nerves. “Well, let us return. We may as well wake my sisters so you may discover our secret.”
As soon as she spoke, the answer thrilled through her. All she would need to do would be to ensure that Marek discovered the moving bed. It would lead him to the forest and castle, and they would be free!
She felt so excited at the possibility that she nearly skipped. Suddenly, she remembered that she had not asked her parents about Catrin. However, it was of no import. Marek would find the staircase, they would be set free, and all would be well.
It was going to be a better day than she’d expected.
Chapter Seven
Thea paced in the solarium, waiting for her sisters to rise. She couldn’t wait to invite Marek in. That would settle Catrin, and this whole horrible mess would be done. Her thoughts raced.
“You’ll wear a path if you don’t stop.” Serafina came in, still in her nightclothes.
“You’re up early, Thea.”
“I couldn’t sleep. Then Father took me to task this morning.”
“Whatever for?”
“He was given a shockingly high bill from the steward in the weekly accounts for our dancing slippers. Sera, every single pair of slippers the twelve of us own were completely worn through this week. Father demanded to know what we’ve done to wear out sixty pairs of shoes. More to the point, he wants to know where we’ve gone. He assumes we’re sneaking out of the castle.”
Serafina stared. “That makes no sense! We’ve done nothing!”
Thea shrugged. “There is no speaking to Father when he’s unhappy. He has sent Marek to search our chambers once everyone is up.”
“Why would any of us risk that? We’d be known for it far and wide, should we even dare!” Serafina sat down, looking overwhelmed.
“I tried to tell him, but he was not in the mood to listen. Better to let him send the guards through and be done with it.” She turned to the window, not wanting Serafina to see her smile.
“I’m getting dressed, much as I want to go back to bed. I don’t want to be in my dressing gown with guards tramping around.” Serafina gathered her robes to her and walked away, clearly feeling insulted.
It would serve Father right to have to deal with twelve irate daughters, Thea thought. She kept her patience as the rest of her sisters straggled in. All were tired. None seemed to remember they had been in the dream.
Once they were all up and had been alerted to the impending search, Thea went to the dressing room. She checked in the wardrobes of several of her sisters. All of them had worn slippers in the bottom of the wardrobe, probably in the same spot she tossed hers. She hurried out of the dressing room.
“Is everyone presentable? Let’s get this over with.”
She went to the main doors and looked out in the hall. Marek stood with several guards. He looked up as she walked out. She’d obviously interrupted their conversation.
“We are all presentable. Our rooms are at your disposal.” She stepped back into the room and opened both doors.
“My lady, I shall need to send for a few more men. The better to move through quickly.”
“No, Lord Marek, please take your time. Our father is sure we are slipping out somewhere at night. I would not want you to miss anything.” Her tone was mild, but her words were not. She had to be ready to wail and carry on once the stairway under her bed was discovered. Then she would ask her parents about Catrin. She felt certain they were all, at the very least, acquainted. Catrin had too much vitriol towards her family as a whole for there not to be some history there
Her attention was yanked to the present by her sisters lining up on either side of the doors, all glaring in some fashion. Poor Marek.
“Sisters, let us be helpful to Lord Marek. He is here by command, as are we all.”
Several looked at her, and Isobel rolled her eyes.
“Really, he is doing his duty. None of us have to like it, but let us not impede him in any fashion. My lord,” she gestured to him and waved him in. “You of course may send for more men. But please come in and begin your search. Where would you like us to wait for you to finish?”
“If you would be so kind as to wait in the solarium? We shall search that last.” Marek’s discomfort showed all over his person.
“Of course. Sisters,” Thea said, walking back into the solarium and sitting down. She was joined by the rest. There was an undertone of muttering, but Thea ignored it. She could afford to be magnanimous. Marek would be the means to an end, for her.
“What does Father expect to find?” Angharad whispered.
Thea was watching the guards who followed Marek in. “I am not sure. Some reason for us to be ruining our shoes.”
“That makes no sense,” Celestria said. “What will happen when Marek doesn’t find what Father thinks he will?”
“We will need to assure Father that he searched most diligently,” said Mirabelle. “I don’t want him to be blamed for not finding what is not there.”
Thea kept silent. There was nothing she could add that would be helpful.
***
A frustrating hour and a half later, nothing had been found. Thea had walked in and pretended to sit on her bed, ostensibly to watch the search through their dressing tables. She’d accid
entally missed her bed and fallen, moving the bed somewhat. She made sure to fumble when she picked herself up, and then had to sit down for real. She’d slid her foot under the bed, and there was nothing there. Well, that was the problem. She’d expected an opening, and there was nothing.
She’d even told Marek he and his men were free to search under everything. They had. No stairway. She’d gotten up, and leaned on the finial that had opened the stairs last night. Nothing.
By the time he finished, she’d been ready to scream.
Now she sat, fuming. All her sisters had come back into the sleeping chamber and dressing room to right things. The guards had been careful and respectful, but things were still out of place. Her sisters were venting, discussing the futility of the search.
Thea herself was too angry to right her belongings. This should have ended. She crossed her arms, unable to contain her anger. She’d not thought past today, and now she would need to talk to her sisters about the fact that she’d talked to the witch last night, and they had what seemed a nearly impossible task in front of them.
Her internal griping was interrupted by the crash of one of the main doors.
“Does no one just open the door anymore?” She stood, ready to flay whomever it was who could not enter like a normal person.
As she strode towards the door, she nearly ran right into her father. She took two steps back, and then, seeing his face, took another. He was furious.
“Daughters! What is the meaning of this?” In his hand were a number of their slippers, varying colors. All frayed and worn. He shook them.
All of the girls just looked at him. Thea knew if she didn’t speak up, he’d focus on her anyway.
“As I told you this morning, Father, we don’t know why our slippers look that way. We sat quietly and let your guards go through our chambers. There is nothing I can tell you.” She faced him. She wasn’t lying. There was nothing she could tell him. Were she to say anything, she’d kill him. She couldn’t do that. Her reputation might have to suffer a little to keep her father alive.
“I will get to the bottom of this, daughters! I have not worked my whole life to make you...” He took a deep breath, and made to leave. Then he turned back and threw the slippers on the floor. “I do not wish to get any more cobbler’s bills.” He stalked out, back straight and everything about him stiff and angry. He slammed the door as he left. Well, she knew where she got it, Thea thought.
Thea's Tale (Sisters Of The Curse Book 1) Page 13