Page 107 of Twin Crowns

“I’m so close now, Banba,” she whispered to the wind.“I will not fail you.”

She closed her eyes and pictured herself sitting on the throne of Eana, surrounded by the witches. When she opened them again, Wren looked to the west tower and wondered if the seer saw that same future, too.

36

Rose

“I don’t trust her,” said Celeste as they walked arm in arm through the courtyard. “You need to keep your guard up.”

“You needn’t worry about Wren.” Rose deftly arced around a Gevran soldier who was out walking her snow leopard, and she smiled at a silver fox rustling in a nearby bush. “She’s on our side.” She gestured to the golden gates, where four soldiers were stationed at each post, while another six patrolled the nearby gardens. “Just look around you, Celeste; sheneedsus.”

Celeste’s frown deepened as they wandered into the rose garden. “She might be on our side now, but that doesn’t mean she always will be.”

They passed beneath the garish statue of the Protector. Rose scowled up at his marble face, the memory of him hunting down Ortha Starcrest passing through her like a violent shudder. She turned abruptly down another path, tugging Celeste with her. “Wren won’t betray me. Not now that we want the same thing,” she said with simmering confidence. “After all, I’m not just her sister. I’m a witch, too. Wren knows when I am Queen, I will do what’s best for them. For all of us.”

“Have you had that conversation with her?” asked Celeste.

“More or less.” Rose waved her hand in breezy dismissal. “We’ll work out the finer details after tonight.”

Celeste looked at her with lingering disbelief. “I still can’t believe that you, Rose Valhart, are a witch.”

“And a healer, at that,” said Rose proudly. “It’s clearly the best kind to be, if you are going to be one at all.” She couldn’t quite believe how much had changed since she last walked among her rosebushes. One moon ago, she would have balked at the idea of magic living inside her, but now she treasured her power. She liked helping people, making them feel good. It made her feel like she belonged to something bigger than herself. Not a kingdom but a purpose. “Healing brings about peace and happiness. My magic isn’t tricky, like Wren’s. Or scary, like our grandmother’s. It makes things better.”

Celestehmmed in agreement, and, not for the first time since her return, Rose was seized by a rush of affection for her. She had told Celeste everything last night during her midnight visit, and Celeste had weathered it all with remarkable calmness, as though deep down, a part of her had been expecting it,bracingfor it. Rose was grateful for her openness, and relieved that the revelation about her magic didn’t frighten Celeste one bit. Her friend’s reaction had filled her with hope for the future. If Rose was lucky, the people of Eana would be just as accepting of her craft. Eventually.

“What about the handsome bandit you told me about last night?” needled Celeste. “He’s a warrior witch. Born to fight. Isn’t that basically the opposite of a healer?”

Rose flushed. “Shen only uses his craft for good. To protect people. To protectme.” She smiled coyly. “Oh, Celeste, if you could only see the way he moves. He’s like a shadow, as quick and silent as the wind. Even that first day out in the desert, when he saved me from that awful blood beetle, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.”

Celeste snorted. “I’m glad to see the desert didn’t change you. You’re still a hopeless romantic.” She gently nudged Rose in the ribs. “Wasn’t it just last month you were waxing poetic about Prince Ansel? Who, by the way, is going to be utterly heartbroken when not one buttwoRoses reject him.”

“That was different,” said Rose, finding the truth in the tide of her guilt. “How I feel about Shen is nothing like what I thought I felt for Ansel.” They wandered deeper into the garden, past the red roses that had been plucked to ruin. She glanced around to make sure they weren’t overheard. “My feelings for Ansel were as real as they could have been at the time. But they were like a painting of... oh, I don’t know, a basket of fruit. Nice to have but never trulysatisfying. And Shen.” She smiled, without meaning to. “Well, my feelings for Shen are likerealfruit. A whole mountain of fresh fruit! Apples and berries and pears and bananas...”

“Bananas?” Celeste arched an eyebrow. “What do you know of men’s bananas, Rose?”

Rose burst into a fit of giggles. “You have a filthy mind, Celeste Pegasi!” she said, swatting her arm. “I just mean that my feelings for Shen are real.Reallyreal.”

“And clearly delicious.”

“I just wish I’d kissed him when I had the chance.” Rose pressed her fingers to her lips, trying to imagine what it would feel like—to be kissed for the first time in her life, by Shen, a man who moved like the night air and laughed like a song.

“Well, maybe someday you’ll get the chance,” said Celeste encouragingly.

“Oh yes, between canceling my wedding, exposing the Kingsbreath, reintegrating the witches into Eana, and becoming Queen, I’m sure I’ll find time to sneak off to Ortha to kiss Shen.” Rose shook her head, thinking of her last moments with him. “I doubt he ever wants to see me again. Not after what I did to him.” It was bad enough that she had stolen his beloved horse and then set her loose in the Eshlinn woods. She had no way of knowing if Storm had managed to make it back home.

“I’m sure Wren would happily pretend to be you again if you ever wanted to slip away and... saysorry.” Celeste lingered over the last word, and Rose could tell by her smirk she meant a lot more than a simple apology. “Speaking of your wily sister, what is she planning to do when you become Queen?”

Rose traced the petals of an unspoiled flower. “Whatever she likes, I suppose. She can go back to Ortha. Or I can find her something to do in the palace. She does have quite a knack for enchantments,” she said mildly. In truth, she hadn’t given much thought to what Wren would do after the coronation. Apart from sulk, probably.

“Rose.” Celeste grabbed her arm, pulling her attention from the flowers. “Can’t you see that Wren still wants the throne for herself?”

“Well, she can’t have it.” Rose folded her arms. “I’m here now, andI am quite plainly therealheir to the throne. So unless she plans on kidnapping me again—”

“I wouldn’t put it past her.”

“We have to trust her, Celeste. What other choice do we have? We need her to expose Rathborne. It’s the only way to stop this wedding.” Rose’s face brightened. “And don’t forget, I have you on my side. You are the cleverest person I know.”

“Too clever for my own good, apparently,” Celeste muttered. “Youdon’t forget that my cleverness nearly got me killed.”

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