Page 52 of A War of Crowns

Seraphina shot the other woman a bewildered look. “Why?”

Olivia shrugged and suggested, “It could be useful.”

Breathing out a sigh, Seraphina shook her head and further withdrew from the necklace as if it were a snake lurking in the grass. “No. I don’t want it. You can take it. Do whatever you want with it.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she muttered, “Prance about in it within that workshop of yours for all I care.”

Olivia made a face. “I don’t want to prance about in it…” But then she tilted her head to the side. “Well. No. Idoactually want to do that. Only the once, though.”

While her friend bent down and busied herself with shoving the diamond choker back into its box, Seraphina asked, “Did you finish those lists for me, then?”

“Yes, yes. Everything’s in order. Here.” Olivia righted herself and tucked the jewelry box beneath her arm. With her hands free, she fished two sealed missives from somewhere beneath her cloak. “As ordered—a list of all the courtiers I predict His Majesty will bring with him to Nerina Reef and all the ways you might appease the man’s mother to weasel your way into her good graces. Win over Dowager Queen Charlotte and you’ll have Edmund, too.”

“Thank you, Olivia,” Seraphina whispered, accepting the papers. “I don’t know what I’ll do without you with me.”

Those words were enough to steal the smile straight from Olivia’s lips. “Speaking of.” Her Spymaster procured something else from beneath her cloak. Two other somethings. “Now, I want you to listen to me closely. You must do exactly as I say, or you may very well hurt yourself.”

“What?” Seraphina’s brow furrowed.

Olivia unwrapped the first something—a small gold ring set with some blue jewel. Seraphina stared at it dumbly as her friend explained, “This is a poison ring. If anyone threatens you, I want you to strike them while wearing it. The gem is glass. It will break. And the needle hidden beneath will activate.”

She fixed Olivia with a fresh stare. But all she could ask was another, “…What?”

“Well, it won’tkillthem. It’ll only just render them unconscious for a little bit. Goodness, Seraphina. Don’t look at me like that. When have I ever tried to kill someone?”

She thinned her lips. “Well, there was that time with the head cook—”

Olivia brushed her hand through the air. Chuckling, she corrected, “When have I everintentionallytried to kill someone?” Her friend’s merry mien didn’t last long, though. As it was wont to do, the other woman’s mood shifted with all the abruptness of a flash of lightning. “Please. Take it. Wear it. Use it if you’re in danger.”

“Very well…” Seraphina reluctantly took the ring.

“Good. Then this is…well. Naturally, the ring is only good against a solitary foe. But use this packet against a group. You’ll want to be careful opening it. If the powder gets in your eyes, it’ll hurt you just as much as it hurts them.”

Blinking down at the parchment packet in Olivia’s hand, Seraphina asked, “What do you think I’m going to bedoingat this peace summit, Olivia?”

To that, her friend shrugged. “Well, I won’t know, will I? It’s best we’re prepared for all outcomes.” Stepping in closer, Olivia gently placed the packet in her palm and closed her hand around it. “Keep your bodice dagger on you. Keep the packet close. And I want that ring on your finger at all times.”

The threat of tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she looked up at her dearest friend and teased, “You’re starting to sound like Duke Percival, you know.”

Olivia cracked a grin and jested, “Like father, like daughter, I suppose.”

But those words existed for only a moment between them before they both sobered, their smiles lost to the late spring air.

Seraphina prayed that saying didn’t hold true.

For the sake of all Elmoria, she prayed she was nothing like Reynard de la Croix.

Two Weeks Later

“When Oracle Raena came of age and donned the veils, her twin sister, Raesa, came and begged Raena to bestow on her the same power Raena herself possessed. Raesa wished to be an Oracle herself. But Raena wept, for this was beyond her. ‘An Oracle is only born, never made,’ Raena said. But Raesa did not want to hear and she was soon lost to the lies of the Enemy.”

-The Chronicles of Raena,

the first Oracle, as written

within the Scriptures

Chapter fifteen

Seraphina

---