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“Excuse me?” I scoffed. “The servantasked to see me? Who is she to send for me like a kitchen maid?”
Aeris’s blandly polite expression didn’t change. “She said it was a topic you preferred to speak about in private. She merely thought the garden best for such privacy. Of course I can send for her if you wish.”
I pursed my lips, but didn’t give the order. Something we needed to speak about privately? I confessed, the tiger-beast piqued my interest. “It’s fine. I’ll go down to the gardens. In exactly ten minutes, send one of my attendants out with my hot cider.”
I left without listening to her agreement. She’d do what I ordered. Why wait around for her to confirm it?
Heading out to the garden, I spotted Eadaoin sitting on a bench under the rose bushes, waving me over. I barely kept control of my curling lip. It was simply disgusting how familiar these peasants were with their betters.
“There you are, my lady. Come, come.” She took my hand and tugged me down, letting me go before I slapped her off. “I have good news— Well, I hope it’s good news. I think I know where the boy is.”
I stared at her, patience running out fast. “Boy? What boy?”
“The fox boy,” she said. “Honora was in the east wing earlier today when she overheard a child’s voice coming through the wall. There wasn’t a door to the room in that hallway, so there has to be another, possibly concealed, way in.” Eadaoin looked at me expectantly. “Well, isn’t that good news? That child must be the fox boy, and he has to be on the other side of that wall. All you have to do is find the way in.”
Snowflakes dusted my hair, hands, and shoulders—spreading their cold gift and chasing away the lingering warmth of my almost-orgasm. Along with my razor-thin patience.
“Why in the name of Elva would I do that? I don’t have time to go chasing around after little peasant beasts,” I snapped. “If you haven’t noticed, we’re at war!”
Eadaoin flinched, her smile melting away.
“Meya knows why I was so obsessed with that brat.” I tossed my head. “I had obviously taken leave of my senses, and how dare you make fun of me by rubbing it in.”
“But I wasn’t,” she cried. “I was only trying to help, my lady. Honest.”
“I don’t need help from the likes of you.”
Eadaoin’s eyes blew wide. Pathetically, her eyes filled.
Egh. Don’t tell me she deluded herself into thinking she was my friend. As if I’d ever lower myself that low for company.
“I’m certain whatever Lord Lumenfell did with the boy was for the best,” I continued, “and don’t ever question him or his will again.”
“Yes, my lady.” Fixing her face, she straightened. “It won’t happen again.”
A fluttering noise turned my head up to the falling snow. I saw nothing but white, black, and gray. “See that it doesn’t,” I said, rising to my feet.
“Do you still wish me to escort you?”
I halted. “Escort me where?”
“To Riordan. It’s at this time that you usually bring him a sack of jewels.” She noted my surprise. “Yes, I know, my queen, but it’s not my business to question. They are your jewels after all.”
“Yes, they are, but all of that is done with.” I tossed my head, feeling a memory coming and throwing it back. “We’re about to go to war. We need all the coin in our coffers. Now is that all?” My voice said that it had better be.
“Yes, my lady.” She rose to her feet. “I’ll escort you to your archery lesson now.”
I held up a hand. “My archery lessons are over. To imply that I need to learn to defend myself is to say that my guard intends to fail in her single, most important task—which is protecting and defending me with her life. Is that the case, Eadaoin?” I stuck my face in hers. “Are you such a pathetic excuse for a companion, guard, and soldier that I’d better learn to rescue myself, because you’re no better than a furry-faced ornament?”
“No! Of course I’ll protect you. I will not fail you.”
I sniffed. “Good. Now if you ever mention archery to me again, I’ll have you flogged for—”
“Excuse me, Lady Ana.”
I spun around. “What!”
Cold, freezing water splashed in my face. My scream echoed over the mountaintops.
