Page 19 of Burning Crowns

Felix grinned over the rim of his goblet. ‘I look forward to showing you the rest of them in due time.’

Stars above, thought Rose, reaching for her own cup of wine. Maintaining trade relations with their closest allies was going to bemuchmore complicated than she had anticipated.

Wren

CHAPTER 9

After dinner, Wren followed Rose back to her bedroom, where her sister slumped on to the end of her bed and kicked off her shoes.

‘That odious prince,’ Rose huffed. Her hands flew to her temples, massaging the ache there. ‘For such fine food, I’ve never enjoyed a dinner less.’

‘I’m only sorry I missed the grand serenade earlier,’ said Wren. Indeed, she had spent the day preparing for her imminent trip to Sharkfin Point, sending word to Celeste’s brother Marino, the dauntless captain of theSiren’s Secret, to be ready for her, and secretly arranging for a carriage to take her to Wishbone Bay this very night. Her satchel was packed and ready. Now all she had to do was tell her sister.

Rose’s hand shot out. ‘Help me soothe this awful headache,’ she said, reaching for Wren’s hand.

Wren stiffened. ‘I can’t.’

Rose frowned. ‘What’s got into you?’

‘You know my healing strand is poor.’

‘It’s just a headache,’ she said, impatiently. ‘Can’t you at least try?’

‘I’m too tired,’ said Wren, a bolt of panic running through her. This was not the way she wished for Rose to find out she had no healing strand.‘Prince Caro drove me to exhaustion.’

Rose did not relent. ‘Why are you being so difficult?’ she said, coming to her feet. ‘Even at dinner tonight. You were so distracted, so … so disagreeable.’

Wren recoiled, hating how the words wounded her. Only because they were the truth. ‘Maybe I have other things to think about,’ she snapped. ‘I don’t have time to swan around all day, obsessing about being queenly or whatever it is you spend all of your time thinking of.’

Rose bristled at the barb, and Wren regretted it at once.

‘I do not think about being queenly. Iamqueenly,’ Rose shot back. ‘And at least I care about Eana! These days, I feel as if I have to drag you everywhere against your will. I don’t know what you care about any more, Wren. You’re too selfish to even bother healing your own sister.’

Something inside Wren crumpled.

Rose stilled at the pain in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, quickly. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

Wren tried to blink away her tears, but her eyes were welling up, and so, too, was another more terrible truth. ‘I’m sorry, Rose. I want to help,’ she confessed, in a small voice. ‘But … I can’t. My healing strand is broken. There’s something wrong with me.’

Rose came towards her, her face tight with worry. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘This.’ With little ceremony, Wren rolled up the sleeve of her gown, revealing the angry silver scar that had been haunting her for weeks now. ‘It’s hurting me, Rose. It’s hurting my magic.’

A gasp stuck in Rose’s throat. ‘Stars,’ she muttered, looking more closely at the mark. ‘How did I miss this?’

‘I’ve been hiding it from you,’ Wren admitted.

Rose jerked her head up. ‘Why would you do that?’ she said, a bite of anger in her voice.

‘Because of the way you’re looking at me right now.’

Rose glared at her sister, fear and betrayal warring in her eyes. ‘How exactly am I looking at you?’ she said, crisply.

Wren pulled her arm back. ‘Like I’m Oonagh Starcrest.’

There was a beat of silence. Of more bitter truth.

Then Rose shook it off. ‘Show me the scar again,’ she said, reaching for her wrist.

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