Page 24 of To Steal the Sun

The queen’s eyes followed the object. “You said you would give anything. Surely you would not begrudge such a bauble.”

Charlotte drew herself up, pretending to gather her courage. “If one such as Your Majesty desires it, it must have value.”

The queen’s eyes narrowed. “You know who I am. With a word I can have you arrested and take everything you possess.”

Charlotte held her ground. “The old woman who gave it to me said it won’t reveal itself if taken by force. She said it can only be used by someone who has received it as a gift, freely given.”

Celandine let out a sharp breath, and Charlotte had to suppress a smile. Their gamble had worked. The queen believed it.

For all I know, it might actually be true, Charlotte thought.

“If I give it to you,” Charlotte continued, “I want more than to just be taken to Henry.”

The queen’s brows rose, but Charlotte thought she detected amused respect beneath the disbelief. Celandine thought she had the unassailable upper hand, so she was willing to play along with Charlotte’s game. Now Charlotte had to turn that to her advantage.

She’d spent her time waiting on working out a strategy, so the words came easily. “It’s nearly sunset. In exchange for this object, I want to spend the whole night with Henry. Just the two of us alone.”

Another smile flickered across the queen’s mouth. “Just one night?” she asked, the words almost mocking. But Charlotte knew she had to walk a fine balance. If she asked for too much, the queen might decide to risk taking the apple.

“One night undisturbed with Henry.” She lifted her chin. “And in the morning, you let me walk away from the palace and its grounds alone and unharmed.”

The queen let out a laugh. “You’re a bold one. Are you sure he’s worth it?” The amusement danced in her eyes, inviting Charlotte to doubt her husband. But she met the queen’s gaze unflinching. She wouldn’t fall into the same trap again. She trusted him.

“That’s my bargain,” Charlotte said. “I get tonight with Henry, and in the morning I walk away. If the conditions aren’t met, the object will cease to work and become an ordinary apple. Assuming we can believe the old woman’s words.”

She could see the sour note in Celandine’s gaze. She didn’t want to give authority to the godmother, but she also understood the futility of trying to deny it. She had a whole room full of their objects, so she couldn’t deny the High King’s power.

Charlotte gave a final small toss of the apple, letting it wink in the fading light.

“Well?” she asked.

The queen glanced at the approaching sunset, her jaw setting. Then something shifted in her eyes, and she looked back at Charlotte and laughed.

“If you will willingly walk into the spider’s lair, who am I to deny you?” she mocked. “It’s a bargain.”

Charlotte moved the apple to her left hand and thrust out her right. After only the smallest pause, the queen took it and shook, her face twisting. But Charlotte didn’t care. Her heart was singing. She was about to be reunited with Henry.

The queen pulled her hand free of Charlotte’s as soon as possible and held it out, palm upward. Charlotte dropped the apple into it, glad she had thought to bury the other objects.

Celandine gazed down at her new treasure, her expression gloating. But before long she looked up again, glancing once more at where the sun hung low in the sky.

“Come,” she said, her tone cold and commanding.

Charlotte hurried behind her, barely able to keep up with the queen’s long strides. Everything had gone as Gwen had predicted, but it was hard not to feel a shadow of dread as she stepped inside the palace. If Gwen had miscalculated or Charlotte had misread the queen, everything could be about to go terribly wrong.

The queen opened a door and ushered Charlotte inside. She hurried in, full of excitement, only for her heart to plummet as soon as she saw the empty space.

“Where—” she cried, turning back to the queen.

“It is not yet night,” Celandine said curtly, cutting her off. “Your bargain was to spend the night with your prince. You will be guided to him after sundown.”

Charlotte tried to protest, but Celandine had already left, closing the door firmly behind her and turning a key in the lock. Charlotte blew out a long breath. It wasn’t what she had been hoping for, and after the heady expectation of only moments before, it was bitter to find herself still parted from Henry. But the situation hadn’t exploded yet. She had always expected the queen to do as little as the bargain would allow—it was why she had tried to word it carefully. She only needed a little more patience and she would be with Henry again.

At least the room she was confined in had a small window, allowing her to watch the sunset. The sun had never descended so slowly, but finally—finally—the last of it slipped beneath the horizon and the sky darkened.

She ran to the door and banged on it. When no one answered, she tried the handle, aware of the futility of the attempt. To her surprise it twisted beneath her hand. When had it been unlocked?

She pulled the door open tentatively, peering at the corridor outside. A large white bear filled her view, startling a screech out of her. But the bear made no aggressive moves, and after a moment she calmed, embarrassed at her outburst. She had seen Gwen and the count change the night before, and she had spent months’ worth of days with Henry in his bear form. She even knew the palace was full of bears at night. She shouldn’t have been so startled.

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