Lady Alma

by A. G. Marshall

  Donna Senona’s voice was steady, and she stood tall. Father left his place on the dais and put an arm around her waist. Lorenzo looked down at her, his expression blank.

  “You are charged with the crime of practicing magic while holding a noble title. What do you say in your defense?”

  “I have no defense, Your Highness. I accept the charges.”

  A murmur swept through the ballroom. Rosa caught her breath, and the star flickered. She regained her focus and brightened it again. I leaned forward. Surely this wasn’t what Lorenzo had meant when he said he would uphold the law? When he had asked for my support?

  He gritted his teeth and continued.

  “Then in accordance with the laws of Castana, you, your husband, and your daughter are stripped of your titles and land. This will not apply to your step-daughter Alma because her title was earned independently of yours. Nor will it apply to your husband’s estate, because he owned it before he became a don.”

  “That’s not fair!”

  The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. Donna Senona turned towards me and flicked her wrist. The borrowed cloak wrapped itself around me, preventing me from running to the dais and stopping this madness.

  “She saved the admiral! She saved the treaty! Lorenzo!”

  The cloak’s hood twisted around and stuffed itself into my mouth. I struggled, but it did no good. So much for being able to defend myself. I was as helpless as ever when I wore the necklace.

  I turned to Rosa. She gave me a sad smile.

  “She’s protecting you, Alma. There’s nothing we can do, so it’s better not to make a scene.”

  I screamed, desperate to get Lorenzo’s attention and stop this nightmare. Hadn’t he seen what Donna Senona did? How brave she had been? She should receive a medal, not a punishment.

  The gag muffled my scream, but it was still loud enough for those at the dais to hear it. Don Francisco gave a nasty smile. Don Diego glared at his father.

  Donna Senona squinted into the shadows where we hid.

  “Stay where you are, Hija,” she said. “We’ll take care of this.”

  I kicked, trying to free my legs, and nearly fell over. Rosa grabbed my arm and held me upright.

  “He’s the acting king, Alma. He has to do this.”

  I glared at Lorenzo, willing my gaze to reach him somehow. He frowned in my direction before continuing.

  “You may return to your estate to claim any belongings that were not inherited as part of the property. After that, the land and anything left within the boundary will officially belong to the crown.”

  Father cleared his throat and stepped forward.

  “May I speak, Your Highness?”

  Lorenzo gestured for him to continue.

  “I would like to petition to trade estates. My house in town would be far more valuable to the crown than a rose estate in the Garden District. Let us keep the country house and take my home in return.”

  Donna Senona stared at Father with wide eyes.

  “Arturo, you don’t have to do this.”

  He shook his head and kissed her cheek.

  “It’s your home, love. I can’t let you lose it.”

  Lorenzo’s expression remained guarded. He considered the matter for a few moments before speaking.

  “Very well. Arturo, your town estate is forfeit to the crown. You may keep the land in the Garden District.”

  Donna Senona leaned against Father with relief. My eyes flooded with tears, and I stared ahead without really seeing anything.

  My home. Father had given away my home.

  Lorenzo had taken it.

  Chapter 40

  The guards dragged the prisoners away from the dais. Martina and Rafael walked with dignity, looking as if they were visiting the king instead of being taken to the dungeon.

  Carlo fought. He freed his hands and pulled the gag from his mouth. His voice echoed through the ballroom as he yelled.

  “If any of you are truly loyal to Castana, don’t let the Salarians leave our shores alive! Stab them now. Their deaths will nullify the trade agreement.”

  Those arguments might have worked on guild leaders, but they did nothing for the nobles in the ballroom. The fully bloomed donna held out her handkerchief. A guard took it and stuffed it into Carlo’s mouth. Everyone else crowded towards the walls, giving the guards a wide path to walk through.

  Beatrice seemed bored with the whole thing, although she did glare at Renata as she walked past her. Renata kept her head high and met the Laundry Mistress’s gaze with confidence.

  Donna Senona loosened the cloak around me as soon as they left the room. I stumbled, and Rosa reached out to steady me.

  “Are you alright?” she whispered.

  I swallowed, trying to get moisture back in my mouth so I could answer. Rosa didn’t wait for a response. She turned her attention back to her enchantment, sweeping her arms over her head and spinning in a circle. She created more and more stars until the ballroom ceiling glowed like the night sky. I watched her with alarm.

  “Don’t push yourself too far, Rosa. It took an entire team of guild members to light this room.”

  “I know my limits, Alma, but this is the first time I’ve been able to work magic in public.”

  She was smiling. I stared at her.

  “You’re happy you lost your title?”

  “Of course! I can study medical magic now. I can become a doctor.”

  She snapped her fingers, and the stars danced around the room. Her smile widened.

  Unbelievable! She actually was happy about all this.

  “Rosa, he punished your mother for saving the admiral.”

  She shrugged.

  “He had to do something. Everyone saw her.”

  “He claimed our estate for the crown.”

  Her smile faltered for a moment.

  “I’m sorry, Alma, I didn’t think of that. That was your home.”

  Was.

  A ribbon of light appeared overhead and lit our corner of the room.

  “Oh good,” Rosa said. “Reinforcements have arrived.”

  The darkness in the ballroom disappeared as the Light Guild masters returned. They created giant roses that bloomed on the ceiling. Rosa extinguished her stars and studied the light charms with sparkling eyes.

  “I wonder if they would teach me how to do that? I never learned how to make shapes.”

  “You’re unbelievable.”

  I wandered away from her and found my way to the balcony. Now that the ballroom was well-lit, a young lady wearing a guard’s cloak was sure to draw attention.

  I didn’t want attention.

  I stared into the darkness, wondering where Mirella would hide. At her estate? Somewhere in the country?

  How far would she make it before the guards started looking for her?

  I slumped against the railing, suddenly tired. Was it from the fairy necklace or the weight of everything that had happened tonight?

  Maybe both.

  Lorenzo came and leaned against the railing beside me. I ignored him and looked straight ahead. He sighed.

  “Alma, I’m sorry. About everything.”

  I frowned and refused to look at him.

  “Do you feel well?” he asked. “You aren’t ill from the curse?”

  The curse was the least of my worries. He put a hand on my shoulder, and I glared at him.

  “How could you?”

  “Alma-”

  “You took my home. How could you punish her after she saved them?”

  “Believe me, I didn’t want to. But the whole court saw her work magic illegally. Martina and Don Francisco pushed my hand. I had to do something.”

  “How about giving her a medal and a new title? You were willing to give Renata one.”

  “Alma, she knew the consequences of working magic. She chose to-”

  “She chose to help, and you punished her for it!”

  He reached for my hand. I pulled it away
and glared at his fairy ring. It cast a soft, golden glow on his skin.

  “I worked magic too.”

  He flinched at the challenge in my tone.

  “Alma, we’ve taken care of that. Renata looks enough like you to remove suspicion. No one will know it was you.”

  “You’ll know. Isn’t it your duty as prince to punish me?”

  “Alma, please don’t do this.”

  “Isn’t it?”

  He sighed.

  “It’s different. You can’t work magic when you’re wearing the necklace.”

  “What if I take it off?”

  “I’m sorry you’re upset about this, but I didn’t have a choice.”

  “You’re the prince! Of course you had a choice!”

  “It’s because I’m the prince that I don’t have a choice!”

  I took his hand and spun the fairy ring around his finger.

  “Does it make you dizzy? Make you gasp for air if you run too fast? Because that’s what this necklace does to me.”

  Lorenzo winced, which was as good as a confession. I leaned closer and whispered in his ear.

  “You could take it off.”

  I pulled the ring halfway off his finger. He jerked his hand away and stared at me with wide eyes.

  “You do have a choice,” I said. “You don’t have to be perfect to be a good king.”

  “And how would I explain the scars?”

  “You could tell the truth.”

  He shook his head.

  “Alma, if the guilds are upset enough about salt magic to resort to murder, think how they might react to fairies!”

  “We don’t have to change everything all at once,” I said. “We could let things settle down first.”

  “That’s what I was trying to do with this treaty, but I made everything worse.”

  I tried to smile at him, but couldn’t quite manage it. He swallowed.

  “I’m sorry about your neighbors. Did you have any idea they were part of a plot? Did they ever say anything to make you suspicious?”

  “They asked about you a lot, but I thought they were just curious.”

  I watched him for a moment, gathering my nerve to ask a question, and afraid I already knew the answer.

  “Do you have to execute them?”

  “Alma, they committed treason. You saw them do it.”

  I had seen them do it, but that didn’t make me feel any better. Lorenzo seemed to understand.

  “We’ll investigate and do our best to be fair. I expect they were telling the truth about not being the only ones involved. They have a daughter, don’t they? Was she at the ball tonight?”

  I studied the rose garden, my heart pounding.

  “Mirella didn’t train with a guild. She doesn’t know magic.”

  “We still need to question her. We’ll have to question everyone.”

  He ran his hands through his hair and tried to smile at me.

  “Do you want to return to the ball? I’m sure I can find a dress for you somewhere in the castle. Or we could send for Tía Teresa.”

  “You’re going to continue the ball?”

  “I won’t let them stop this celebration. We still have a lot to celebrate.”

  He sounded like he was trying to convince himself of that. I shook my head.

  “I want to go home while I still can.”

  Lorenzo winced.

  “I can take you in my carriage.”

  “They need you here, Your Highness.”

  He frowned but didn’t disagree. We walked back to the ballroom together. The musicians had begun to play, and a few couples were dancing. Rosa and Ethan spun past me. Rosa’s smile was the only sign that something out of the ordinary had happened.

  Lorenzo squeezed my hand and turned towards the dais. I worked my way around the edge of the ballroom and climbed the stairs. The music faded away as I wandered through the hallway.

  Chapter 41

  A carriage was ready and waiting for me by the time I reached the stable. Somehow Lorenzo had sent word ahead. I nodded thanks to the footman and slumped into my seat as we traveled through the woods. I waved at the guards when we reached my estate, and they opened the gate for me. We drove down the marble driveway worn from carriages traveling over it.

  So many visitors.

  Important, noble visitors.

  I stood outside and stared at the house while the carriage rumbled away. Three stories. Four if you counted the basement. Light shone from a few of the windows, but most were dark. Moonlight gleamed off the plaster, bright white because it was repainted every year, and gave the house an ethereal glow.

  I tore my gaze away from my estate and looked at Mirella’s. It was quiet, but I doubted it would stay that way for long. Guards would come to investigate. To question the servants and tell them that the family would never return.

  I bit my lip and walked through the front door. The foyer was empty. Most of our things had already been packed away and sent to the Garden District. It would make everything easier. The crown would have possession of our estate in no time.

  I wandered through deserted hallways, not in a hurry to get anywhere in particular. Family portraits had been taken off the walls. Familiar faces and tapestries had disappeared.

  Finally, I reached my room and pushed open the door. Tía Teresa sat on my bed, piecing together a purple bodice. She dropped it in surprise when she saw me.

  “Hija, you’re home early! What happened?”

  I couldn’t bring myself to explain just yet. Instead, I picked up the bodice and handed it to her.

  “For your quince,” Tía Teresa said. “I thought I’d better start a new gown right away since that woman destroyed the other one. Alma, are you well?”

  I removed Eduardo’s cloak, revealing my chemise and the remains of my dress. Tía Teresa gasped.

  “Alma, what happened?”

  “There was an attack. The ambassador. Donna Senona.”

  My voice broke, and I couldn’t finish. Tía Teresa stopped asking questions. She snapped me into a nightgown and gestured for me to sit beside her on my bed. I slumped down and focused on breathing.

  “That woman did this?” Tía Teresa asked once I had calmed down. “She destroyed your dress at the ball?”

  “No, there was an attack, and my clothes got caught in the crossfire.”

  I couldn’t tell her that I had removed my charm and ripped the dress when I bloomed. Or that I had saved the admiral’s life. That particular act of heroism would have to stay buried.

  “What did Donna Senona have to do with all this?”

  “She stopped the people trying to kill the ambassador. She used magic, and everyone saw her. She isn’t a donna anymore, Tía. Prince Lorenzo stripped her title and land as punishment.”

  Tía Teresa blinked at me and swallowed a few times. It took a few tries before she could speak.

  “The rose estate is gone?”

  “This estate. Father traded our home so Senona could keep hers.”

  Her face paled.

  “Oh, Alma. What will we do? Your quince, your-”

  She shook her head.

  “We will find a way. You can stay with Mirella while we settle everything. And now that you’re noble, you can have your quince at the castle.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes.

  “It was Mirella’s family that tried to kill the ambassador. They’re going to be executed.”

  Tía Teresa wrapped me in a hug while I cried. She didn’t say anything. What was there to say? She simply smoothed my hair while I sobbed.

  “Mirella got away,” I whispered. “She ran, and I let her go.”

  Tía Teresa didn’t comment on that. She cleared the sewing supplies from my bed and tucked me under the blanket. Then she kissed my forehead.

  “Get some rest, Hija. There’s nothing more you can do tonight.”

  She left the curtains open so a bit of moonlight streamed into the room. I stared at the silver gleam for a long t
ime after she closed the door. There was something more I could do tonight, but should I?

  I had to.

  I climbed out of bed and pulled Lorenzo’s Rosas Rojas from under my pillow. I had nothing to say to the prince at the moment.

  If I understood the magic correctly, the rose had to be in the same room as me to activate the enchanted dream. I wrapped Lorenzo’s Rosas Rojas in fabric and crept down the hallway. I hid it under a chair in the parlor nearest my room and hurried back before someone saw me.

  Then I sat at the window and stared at Mirella’s estate.

  Dark silhouettes and flickering torches moved around the yard. The guards had begun their investigation.

  I needed answers, and I knew who could give them.

  The other Rosas Rojas rested on my nightstand. I held it under my nose and inhaled. The scent of leather and horses made my chest ache. Why hadn’t I suspected Carlo before? He had been so proud of his carriage. Obsessed with it.

  I tucked the rose under my pillow and closed my eyes, willing myself to fall asleep quickly. Normally that didn’t work, but I was exhausted from the evening’s events. My breathing settled into a steady rhythm as I drifted into the dream.

  I stood in the ballroom in Mother’s red dress. A quick glance in the mirror showed that I looked like myself again. Not cursed. Not fairy blessed.

  Just Alma.

  Would I ever be that again?

  The ballroom was empty, but a familiar presence lurked in the corner. I faced the shadows.

  “I know you’re there, Carlo.”

  The shadows flickered, and Carlo materialized in a swirl of gold dust. He smiled when I stepped back in surprise.

  “Did you think you were the only one who could work magic in the dream? It is possible to do much more than change your clothes.”

  “How long have you been spying on me? How did you get the Rosas Rojas in my wardrobe? Was it Beatrice?”

  He crossed his arms. I stood my ground.

  “Of all the things you could ask, you want to know how I got a rose in your bedroom?”

  “It’s the first of many questions. We have all night.”

  He laughed.

  “Is that so? Mirella sneaked it in while visiting. You almost caught her.”

  “Mirella? But she said she wasn’t involved in the conspiracy.”