Page 58 of Moonmarked

Either way, he left, and even though I didn’t believe him when he said he’d find Rune, it didn’t really matter. I was here now, in the queen’s palace, and I wasn’t dead. Instead, I was in this fantasy room, and the sun would set soon, and then I could go looking for him myself. I’d find him even if I had to search every inch of this place until I did. I’d find him no matter how long it took.

And the thought of seeing him again made my heart pound in my chest when I was all alone, feeling like I was wearing another skin altogether.

So much.The colors, the textures, the scents—it was all so much, and I eagerly let it distract me for a bit in hopes of getting myself together.

The faint smell of fresh peaches lingered in the air, and then it became heavier when I went closer to the windows and the bookshelves—old parchment and ink unlikeanything I’d ever smelled before. Even libraries back home didn’t smell quite so delicious.

The curtains and drapes pulled to the sides were gauzy and fine, basically weightless between my fingers when I touched them. The shelves were so full of books and scrolls, worn leather bindings, thick volumes, all full of stories I couldn’t wait to study thoroughly when I got the chance.

A beautiful archway led to the bathroom hall—yes, it was most definitely ahall. It was long, too, as long as the room, and it ended with a gorgeous balcony, the railing higher, almost up to my chest, the sky beyond a perfect blue. If you sat at the end of the enormous tub, you could see all of it perfectly.

Then there was a knock on the door.

At first, I wasn’t sure what the hell to do about it. I just froze there on the threshold of the bathroom hall and I stared at the doors.

Another knock.

I could not make a single sound if you stabbed me right now. Just too strange, this whole thing.

Then… “May we come in, Miss Nilah?”

A voice. Awoman’svoice.

No idea how I managed a weakyes,and I thought for sure they wouldn’t hear it, but the door opened anyway, and three fae women came inside. Stopped in a row in front of the door. Curtsied in front of me with their heads bowed.

“Good day, Miss Nilah. I am Pippa, and these are my sisters, Poppy and Pera.”

I blinked slowly, waited another minute, analyzed their flawless, glowing skins, their golden blonde hair tied at the base of their necks in a bun, wrapped up in a white mesh. They all wore identical dresses with aprons tied in the front—uniforms. White and with threads of silver, big pocketsin the front, and a single golden crown sown right over their hearts.

“It’s, um…nice to meet you,” I said. “Can I help you with something?”

The women straightened their shoulders, looked up at the same time with wide golden eyes. So similar yet very different as well. Their jawlines, the shape of their lips. “We’re here to helpyou, Miss. Her Highness appointed us your chambermaids, and we will be at your service in the time you spend at the palace.”

One more deep bow of their heads.

Fuck me sideways.They were serious.

I cleared my throat. “Thanks so much, ladies, really. I’m flattered, but I think I’ll be just fine on my own.”

The first of them looked up—Pippa. “I’m afraid it’s not a choice, Miss Nilah. It’s an order by the queen.”

Order,she said, and I instinctively wanted to be pissed off.

“I don’t need chambermaids, ladies. Really, I?—”

“Oh, don’t you worry about a thing, Miss Nilah. Allow us to accommodate you.” And suddenly the three of them were coming toward me.

Two—Poppy and Pera—were holding something in their hands, one a basket, the other a red velvet bag that seemed pretty full. Then Pippa was right there in front of me, just an inch or two taller. Her smile was genuine as she looked me over, then slowly brought her hands up to push my hair behind my shoulders.

So damn awkward in my own skin, and it took all I had not to move away.

“Nilah,” I said. “Nilah’s fine.”

“A bath is in order. A honey treatment for yourhair and face—and hands, too. I’m sure your feet would benefit as well.” She looked down at my boots with arched brows.

“No, no, I—”don’t need treatments,I wanted to say, but this woman meant business because she didn’t even let me finish.

“Lots of lotus milk—your skin is dehydrated, I’m afraid.” And she turned to her sisters. “Go, Pera. Bring me the milk while we clean Miss Nilah.”

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