Page 104 of Twin Crowns

Rose glared at her. “BecauseIam the princess. And technically speaking,you’rea criminal.”

“Technically speaking, we’rebothprincesses,” said Wren.

“Don’t even joke about that!” Rose leaped off the bed and crossed to her dresser, where she sat in front of the mirror and roughly dragged a brush through her hair. “I still can’tbelieveyou took a Gevran lover in my name.”

Somewhere outside, a wolf howled.

Wren grabbed her drawstring pouch from under the bed and stalked to the dressing table. “Actually, I used my own name. And you’re just jealous you didn’t think of seducing Tor first.” She yanked the hairbrush from her sister and tossed it aside. “Here, let me fix you up.”

Two enchantments later, Wren and Rose looked like a pair of prim and proper princesses. Despite the waning potency of the rose petals, somehow Wren’s spellwork was better than ever. She couldn’t trace a single freckle along the bridge of her nose, and her hair had fallen into perfect loose curls, the exact same shade and length as her sister’s.

Huh. I must be a better enchanter than I thought, Wren told herself, ignoring the prickle of unease that walked down her spine.

Rose admired herself in the mirror. “Perhaps we can find a way to let you stay on here as my personal lady’s maid.”

“You couldn’t afford me,” said Wren dryly.

Rose gave her a wide smile. “You underestimate my exorbitant wealth.”

“Ourwealth.” Wren skipped toward the wardrobe. “So, which one of us gets to be Rose today?”

Rose threw her a withering glance. “That’snotfunny.”

Wren flung the wardrobe open and began riffling through the dresses. “Don’t forget, there’s still work to be done, Rose,” she said as she pulled out three at once. She held a shimmering violet one up to her neck. “And bywork, I mean the swift and brutal disposal of—”

Wren fell out of her sentence as the door to the bedroom swung open. She froze with the dresses clutched against her chest. Celeste stalked into the room, beautiful and fuming in the morning sunlight.She slammed the door behind her, looked once between the twins, and then whirled on Wren. “You!” she hissed in accusation. “You messed with my memories!”

Wren looked at Rose, straining now to keep her voice low. “Youtoldher?”

Rose folded her arms. “Of course I told her. She’s my best friend.”

Wren reeled. “When?”But then she remembered Rose’s midnight trip to the kitchens. Clearly, she had gone to see Celeste instead. “And you thinkI’mreckless!”

“You are reckless!” said Celeste as she came toward Wren.

Wren felt like a naughty child about to be punished. “Now, Celeste, I can explain.” She flung a lavender dress at her to keep her at bay. “We can’t afford to make a scene.”

Celeste batted it aside. “There’s only one of me, Wren. I can do whatever I want.” She slipped off her shoe and returned fire. Wren ducked at the last second, dropping another dress in her haste as the shoe clattered against the wall.

“Shhh!” said Rose, fanning her arms wildly. “We’ll get caught!”

Celeste removed her other shoe. “Your guard is taking his privy break.”

“Sound still travels!” said Wren as she backed away.

“Well, so does my shoe.” Celeste let it fly, and this time it hit Wren squarely on the shoulder.

Wren threw the final dress at Rose as she climbed onto the bed. “Tell your best friend to stop chasing me!”

“Only if you tellyourbest friend not to kidnap me,” said Rose as she picked up the dress and shook out the wrinkles. “Oh, wait. Too late.”

Celeste laughed as she clambered onto the bed. She flung her arms out as if to tackle Wren. “I’ll stop chasing you when you apologize for what you did.”

“You were too clever. You were going to turn me in,” said Wren, hoisting a pillow in defense. “What was I supposed to do? Just give up and be done with it?”

Celeste’s eyes flashed. “I didn’t hear the wordsorryin there.”

Wren leaped off the bed and hid behind Rose. “I did what I had to do,” she said, over her sister’s shoulder. “I didn’twantto wipe those memories, but really, Celeste, would you have preferred me to kill you?”

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