Page 113 of Of Monsters Of Kings

“There now, my lady,” Valetise cooed, twitching the shoulder of my dress into perfect place.

I stood in the entrance to the new wardrobe that branched off my sleeping chamber. The wardrobe was twice the size of my sleeping chamber and bursting with hundreds of outfits. I had no idea how the garments were arranged, and I didn’t have to, for my valet suitcase had become a person during my stint in Raise’s kingdom.

Valetise yanked on one of the many tape measures that seemed to be part of her body. She released the end after measuring the length of my arm, and the soft tape measure lazily recoiled until only a silver hook protruded from the bodice of Valetise’s matronly dress.

Aside from the ability to hold tape measures in her monstrous body, my valet had thickened bands of calloused skin around her collarbones and forearms where she held innumerous needles.

She tsked, then pulled a needle free of her left forearm. Valetise plucked a hair from her head, and it turned midnight blue to match my backless gown. Threading it, she looped a few stitches down the side of the dress, then snipped the end of the thread off with her fingers, which were also scissors.

“You are a wondrous monster, perfectly formed to carry out your purpose,” I told her.

“The lady speaks again,” she replied. “And my function is my joy, so I revel in my body. I’m glad you find it wondrous. You shall see much of me, as I am determined that you will always be dressed to match your unmatched brilliance.”

She’d outdone herself tonight. The gown was beautiful and sensual and perfect for a dinner with King See. A dinner I was just on time for. I’d spent six hours in King Raise’s kingdom, and each hour had equated to a day here.

“I have not much felt like speaking since you all saved me,” I answered.

Recovering from the wounds didn’t take long, though I did feel tired in the wake of them. I said, “I haven’t often felt frightened since monsterdom, Valetise.”

“Is that all that bothers you?”

She’d mostly been a suitcase in my life, but she’d seen a lot. “I must get back the final snuffing share from King Raise, but now I know he wishes to enslave me, and I will not return to his kingdom either. I cannot think how to get my snuffing share back.” And then there was the matter of how I’d spoken to Prince Sign. He hadn’t deserved so much of my ire, and if I ever saw him again, I’d apologize straightaway.

“A solution will present itself,” the matronly brunette answered. She whirled away in a dress that seemed made of every single possible fabric, then returned with a thick headband of midnight gems.

She fixed it upon my head, then clipped a short veil over my eyes.

I already had towering heels on my feet—sleek and sensual to match the dress.

“How do you know what to dress me in?”

“I sense what must be, as you do with the return of your snuffing shares, lady.”

I nodded. “You’re right. I must not worry overly. I have come this far, and the fifth will be returned in time.”

Yet I felt the most pressing need to have it returned without delay. “Have the princes been by?”

“Not since last night, lady. They give you time to rest, I imagine. Recall that they are princes to kings first and foremost.”

I pulled a face at the reminder. They’d come to my aid, however, and I would thank them from the bottom of my heart.

My skin itched, and my stitches and patches appeared in short measure. None were revealed below my neck, but I imagined a fair few were left for viewing on my back. I’d felt the great stitch down my spine rub against my clothing many times, and I’d gathered that the stitch extended up to the nape of my neck.

“I must go,” I told her. “Good evening, Valetise.”

“Good evening, lady.” She curtsied as I left the room.

I swept from my bed chamber, and my heels clicked against gems as I walked down the landing and stairs, then across the courtyard.

“Good evening, Mother.”

The ground yawned in response, and out popped a wooden horse. I gathered that the horse was once a rocking horse, but Mother had added gold here and silver there to extend its shape to lifelike proportions—and none too elegantly. I had to jump to pull myself on top of the timber steed.

The horse reared stiffly.

“To King See’s palace, thank you,” I asked it.

The steed’s legs didn’t move as I’d imagined a horse’s would. There was no independent movement to any part of its body. The horse scraped along the ground as a rigid sculpture. The slowness of the mount nearly saw me walk because I could blink to See’s palace far quicker, yet Mother had given this to me, and I didn’t wish to upset her.

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