Page 154 of Cursed Crowns

Afterward the twin queens and Shen Lo had officially pledged to defend each other and the land of Eana from anyone who sought toattack it, either from within or without. Now Shen and Rose were not only equals but allies, as fiercely protective of each other as they were of their kingdoms.

Shen had invited them to visit him on the final stop of the tour, and Rose had gratefully accepted, vowing to make the most of their time together this time.

“You’re blushing,” said Wren. “You must be thinking about Shen.”

Rose swatted her arm. “Don’t be so uncouth.”

“Just get married already,” said Wren through a sprawling yawn. “Put yourselves and the rest of us out of your misery.”

“I’m far too busy to even consider such a thing,” said Rose quickly. “And besides that, he hasn’taskedme.”

“So ask him.”

“And forgo my ring? Now you really are trying to rile me.”

The carriage slowed. Wren drew the curtain back to peek out the window. “We’re almost at Ellendale,” she said. “I can see the banners up ahead.”

“So there are townspeople?” said Rose anxiously.

“Lots.” Wren sighed. “We’ll be shaking hands for hours.”

Rose smiled. Now that Edgar Barron was dead and his rebellion had been extinguished, mistrust of Rose and Wren was finally petering out.

“I’m starving.” Wren kicked her feet up. “When can we eat?”

“You just ate an entire bowl of candied fruit,” said Rose. “Which was Grandmother Lu’s gift tome, by the way.”

“Next time, tell her to make double.” Wren closed her eyes, a furrow appearing between her brows.

“What are you thinking about?”

“How much Banba would hate this.”

“It’s strategy. She’d understand.”

Wren hmm’d. “I’m thinking about Gevra, too.”

Rose stiffened. The thought of Gevra still sent a chill down her spine. Not just because it was the place where Banba had died, but because she couldn’t bring herself to trust its frost-hearted king or his strange hold over Wren. Rose couldn’t quite figure out how or when it had happened, but there seemed to have developed a kind of bond between Alarik and Wren, which made her more than a little uneasy. And then there was the matter of Oonagh Starcrest.

Wren must have sensed her sister’s discomfort. “I’m just wondering what’s going on in Gevra.Generally.That’s all.”

In an effort to keep her sister’s mind on Eana, Rose pulled back the carriage’s privacy curtain. “Do you hear that, Wren? They’re cheering for us.”

Wren snapped her eyes open. “If anyone tries anything untoward, I’m blowing them away in a hurricane.”

Rose sighed as the road turned to cobbles beneath them, the golden carriage trundling onward into the town of Ellendale. “Mind the children, at least. They might throw a few roses at us.”

“So long as they’re not on fire,” muttered Wren.

Rose knocked twice on the roof of the carriage. “Ramsey, lower the roof, please!”

There came the sudden sound of cranking as metal wheels shifted somewhere behind Rose. The roof groaned as it was peeled away from the carriage, like the skin of an apple. The sky yawned overhead, revealing the crisp autumn sun.

“Nice trick,” said Wren.

Rose smiled. “Why, thank you. It was rather fun to design.”

“We have very different ideas of fun.”

---