Page 47 of Wingless Crow: Part 1

ChapterTwelve

SPARROW

Aguard knocked at my door shortly before lunch on Tuesday to inform me that King Tiane wished to see me at his dinner soirée that evening. That was the official invitation I’d been waiting for. It was somewhat concerning that it arrived so last minute, but Brebie was immensely relieved that it had arrived at all.

I couldn’t help but share her relief. My mood lifted. Everyone had been so excited about my winning the king’s attention. Eventually, I had no choice but to believe it was what I needed to ensure my future.

I didn’t even mind the hours of torture Brebie and the maids had put me through to get me ready for the “casual” event that tonight’s dinner was supposed to be. After hours of bathing, oil rubbing, hair brushing, and dressing me into yet another outfit that had a lot of cloth but hid nothing, I was finally ready.

“Good luck,” Brebie exhaled, adjusting a purple vine with glowing crystal berries in my hair. “Remember, smile a lot, say little, and do whatever the king says,” she prepped me like a coach giving a pep-talk to his team before the most important game of the season.

I certainly felt the pressure like this was the most important game. In my case, the stakes were even higher.

The guards escorted me to one of the top floors of the palace but to a different set of doors than before. Several more guards stood by the doors, but I didn’t see Voron among them. Disappointment knocked some air out of my lungs. I would’ve liked to see him before going in, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because the last ball went well in terms of my gaining the royal favor, and I hoped Voron would be my “lucky charm” tonight as well.

Before I could cross the threshold into the room, however, the tall woman with dark-green skin and intricately coiffured purple hair exited.

“Sparrow, dear,” she said, passing by and lifting her hand in a gesture for me to follow, “I need to have a word with you.”

I stopped in my tracks, unsure what to do. I recognized the woman. She had stood next to the king’s throne at the last ball. Her striking appearance made her impossible to forget. Just like the last time, she wore a dress that bared her left breast. The same design of the letters P and T was painted on it in gold.

She noticed I continued to stand by the door.

“Are you coming?” she asked sternly.

One of the guards nudged my side. “Her Majesty wishes to speak with you.”

Her Majesty?

Shock jolted my entire body. Now, I couldn’t move even if I tried.

This was the queen?

Why did no one ever mention to me therewasa queen?

She pursed her mouth in a highly displeased expression and ordered to the guards, “Bring her over here.”

Two guards grabbed me under my arms and practically carried me after her into another room down the hallway. They deposited me inside and left me at the mercy of the queen I hadn’t known existed until now.

She strolled in, the long train of her ivory-white dress snaking behind her. A thin circlet of golden thorns lay upon her head, but it was largely overshadowed by her extravagant hairdo, decorated with much more prominent jewelry than her crown.

“We haven’t been formally introduced,” she started.

“No onehas been introduced to me,” I said.

She shrugged one slim, delicate shoulder.

“Well, you’re a piece of property. There is no etiquette for that kind of introduction. You’ve been presented to the king, which was supposed to suffice. I want, however, to have this conversation to express my expectations of you.”

“Your expectations?”

Didn’t I already have enough of those to fulfill? The entire court was watching me, to see whether I’d fly or crash. King Tiane surely had his own expectations of me, which I hadn’t even guessed yet. And now, the queen I never knew existed apparently wished to impart her expectations for me, too.

“Yes.” She inclined her head in a very regal manner.

I found it stressful enough to please the king. If I also had a queen to worry about…

“Okay,” I exhaled. “Let’s hear it.”

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