Page 95 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

We can’t have careers or aspirations beyond husbands and children, and the staff handles most of that, leaving us to things like charitable endeavors, which aren’t always enough to fully nourish our souls.

Before I knew I was a lycan, I’d been plagued by a restlessness I could never understand. I’ve wondered whether human women feel the same—their restlessness being a lack of purpose and mental stimulation. The cure for that, apparently, is laudanum. Numb our minds and our nerves, and the problem seems resolved.

The first sip told me that a full glass wouldn’t likely be lethal. The second sip has me relaxing nearly as much as that opium experiment had, and I’d taken very little of it that time. Which means that a full glass of this would knock us out.

We’re being sedated. Heavily sedated.

For what purpose? Well, the only way to discover that is to play along.

“Oh my,” I say as I fail to stifle a huge yawn. “I am so sorry, ladies. That was unbearably rude of me. I seem so tired all of a sudden.”

“It’s the journey,” Hanora says. “Travel always takes so much out of me.”

“And me as well, it seems.” Ann covers a yawn. “Is it warm in here? Perhaps if we opened a window? I do feel as if I’m a few moments from falling asleep on this chair, which would be dreadfully embarrassing.”

“I think we both will,” I say. “And to spare these poor ladies the sight of me sprawled and drooling, I’m afraid I must suggest we make an early night of it. I am truly sorry, ladies. I do hate to cut the evening short.”

“We understand,” Ruby says, getting to her feet. “You do seem very tired. Let us escort you to your rooms.”

THIRTY-FOUR

Hanora and Ruby assume the role of escorts, and I swear they take us on a longer route, which passes Ann’s room before mine. They open Ann’s door, and Ruby helps her inside.

“I will see you in the morning,” I say.

Hanora shakes her head. “You should lie down with her. You seem about to fall, and if you do, we can’t carry you. You’re such a big girl.”

That could be a mere observation, but her tone turns it into an obvious insult.

“Yes,” Ruby says, hurrying over. “I’m in envy of your height, Mrs. Daniels, and your figure. However, if you fall, we wouldn’t be able to move you. Why don’t you come lie beside your cousin?”

So they want Ann and me in the same room. Not a bad idea—otherwise, I’d have needed to sneak back here and stay with Ann.

“I think I will,” I say, stifling a fake yawn. “Could you please tell my husband where I am? I know I’m not small, but that is one advantage to a werewolf mate. He can carry me back to bedchambers.”

“I will tell him as soon as he returns,” Hanora says, and helps me to the bed.

Ann and I both pretend to pass out as soon as our heads hit the pillows. I want to see what Hanora and Ruby will do. Or what they will say. The answer is “nothing” on both counts. They leave without an exchanged word, but once they’re gone, there’s an unmistakable sound at the other side of the door.

The sound of a key turning.

“They have locked us in,” Ann whispers.

I motion her to silence and listen until the footsteps are gone. Then I say, “That is very odd.”

“Odd? We are locked in.”

“Locked into a room with windows, Ann.”

“On the second floor.”

I shrug. “I could get down, and I could help you do the same, but it’s only a keyed lock. I can undo that with a spell.”

She visibly relaxes. “Good.”

“The odd part is that the door locks on the outside, while there are windows anyone could escape from, if they needed to. Perhaps it was originally a child’s room? Keeping the child from wandering at night?”

“I have no interest in knowing what this room was originally used for and every interest in knowing what they are using it for now, having locked us in here after drugging us with gods knows what.”