Page 51 of Legacy of Roses

“Do we need to?” Dimitri asked as a final bang rang out and silence fell. He smiled. “Look, it obeyed your command.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, almost on a wail. “Any fireworks is too many. I don’t know where Jace is holed up with his men, but I’m guessing it was close enough to hear those!”

Dimitri paled as he finally realized what she had grasped immediately. Everything wasn’t going to plan at all. Their whole strategy hinged on keeping his transformation a secret from Jace, but the Legacy had just made a very loud and public announcement.

“He can’t know where it came from or what it signified,” Daphne said. “Not for sure.”

“Perhaps not.” Tension radiated from Rosalie’s shoulders. “But we’d better be prepared for him to come looking.”

Dimitri’s stomach tightened. He had already decided never to step outside without his sword, but that didn’t feel like enough. He needed to start wearing it inside the castle as well.

“Who knows,” he said, trying to sound cheerful. “Maybe they’ll take one look at me and run in horror.”

Both girls turned to him and blinked, seeming to take in his new appearance for the first time. But there was only one reaction he cared about. His eyes stayed fixed on Rosalie.

Chapter 16

Rosalie

Rosalie had been so focused on getting her lines right and successfully completing the substitution that she had barely even noticed Dimitri beyond his basic presence.

But now that she was properly looking at him, shock coursed through her. It wasn’t that he was hideous—she had actually been fearing worse. His basic form remained the same as far as she could tell, he was just covered in so much hair that he looked entirely different. Even his clothes fit awkwardly.

It would have been worse if he’d had darker hair, she decided. It would have made the effect more startling. As it was, the most unnerving aspect was the inhuman air that now hung about him like a pall. Before she had looked at him and seen Jace. Now she looked at him and saw the Legacy.

She wasn’t sure which was worse.

“The Legacy really does move quickly,” Daphne said in choked tones.

Rosalie glanced at her suspiciously. Was shelaughing? She owed Daphne a lot, but it seemed a little inconsiderate in the circumstances.

“Don’t look at me like that, Rosalie,” Daphne said primly. “I think it’s an improvement.”

Rosalie ignored her nonsense, focusing on the important point. “If the Legacy is moving quickly, that’s a good thing.” She looked around the entryway before turning back to Dimitri. “Have you noticed changes inside the manor yet? I can’t see any in here, but I don’t remember its old appearance that clearly.”

He raised an eyebrow, gesturing up and down his body, finishing with his face. “No comment about this? Really?”

Rosalie frowned at him. “Yes, yes, it’s a good thing the Legacy is moving so quickly. We already said that.”

Dimitri laughed. “I suppose I should take that as a compliment. You aren’t regretting your promise to come here? No inclination to run screaming?”

Rosalie gave a single, huffed laugh. “Have I given you the impression I’m that chicken-hearted? You would have to look a lot worse to scare me off.”

“I don’t think you could look frightful enough to scare Rosalie off,” Daphne said. “That’s why it’s a good thing it’s her, not me.”

Rosalie gave her a chiding look. “You’re far braver than you pretend to be, Daphne.”

“Am I?” her friend asked in mild surprise, but Rosalie could see the laughter dancing in her eyes.

Most people looked at Daphne and saw only the excessive napping. They missed her dry humor, but Rosalie had known her too long to be taken in. Daphne was far more astute than she pretended to be.

Rosalie had tried calling her out on it, but Daphne claimed it wasn’t worth the effort of convincing anyone. She seemed to like being underestimated.

“There isn’t much change in here.” Dimitri ran his eyes over the lofty entryway. “Everything seems brighter than yesterday, though, and I’m pretty sure that gilt edging wasn’t there.” He pointed at the doorframe and the stone of the mantelpiece.“But it’s more noticeable elsewhere. I only had time to look in one bedchamber before you arrived, but the difference was startling.”

He glanced at Rosalie with an expression she couldn’t read. It was harder to read his face now that most of his features were obscured.

“It’s the bedchamber I thought would work best for you,” he said. “Apparently the Legacy thought so too.”

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