Page 80 of Reign By Wrath

“We’ll get to that.” She flapped a hand, sending the attendant away. “This is my first time meeting my youngest grandchild in person. I hope you don’t mind, I asked you here so I could spoil you.”

“Spoil me?” What the hell was happening?

“Of course.” She snapped her fingers and another attendant appeared at my side, startling me so bad I tripped out of my sandal. “On Saylor’s sixteenth birthday, I brought her here for her first bespoke gown. I’m a few years late, but I hope you’ll allow me to do the same for you. Every bright, beautiful young lady deserves a dress that changes their mood just to look at it.”

I was helpless to stop the attendant guiding me to the small raised platform and beginning her measurements.

I knew what Astoria was doing. Everything—the dress shop, the sweet smile, compliments, pleasant tone. All of it was meant to throw me off-balance.

I blew in there expecting a fight. Thinking I was going to face sneers and insults for being the maid’s daughter. Expecting her to sniff and tip her chin at my questions. Preparing to fight for every inch in a battle with the Burkhardt matriarch.

I was ready for it. I had my responses and rebuttals ready to go. So she did the opposite.

I doubted very much that she saw me as bright or beautiful, and I’d eat my shorts if the lady actually gave a crap about meeting her youngest grandchild for the first time. All of this was a carefully choreographed dance intended to give her the upper hand.

I knew what she was doing, but that didn’t mean I knew how to stop it.

I dithered on the platform, opening and closing my mouth a few times while the attendant whipped her tape measure up and down my body. How did I start this conversation? If I was accusatory, it’d be my rudeness that was to blame for this meeting going sour.

“Thank you,” I said when I found my voice. “My mom’s parents died before I was born. I never got to do anything like this with a grandparent.”

Her smile was soft. You could even fool yourself into thinking it was genuine. “That breaks my heart, dear.”

I waited for more, but none came. No acknowledgment that not ignoring me my whole life could’ve saved her a broken heart.

“You look like Winter,” I blurted. I didn’t want to say it. I just couldn’t help it. The auburn hair; cupid’s-bow lips; oval face; and the teasing light in her eyes when she smiled made her look like she was up to something at all times. Everything about her was so heartbreakingly Winter I was certain I would’ve known instantly that we were related had we met before Alistair dropped this bomb. “Just like her.”

Astoria said nothing. No change in expression gave her thoughts away.

“You’re an autumn,” she said. “I can tell by looking at you. You’d look lovely in a peach A-line gown. Nimia.” She tipped her chin to my tailor. “See to it.”

“Yes, madam.”

“How long do we do this?” I asked. “Pretend like we’re grandmother and granddaughter out for an early morning bonding session.”

Still no change in expression. “Are we pretending?”

“I know you don’t see me as a part of your family, Mrs. Burkhardt, and that’s fine. Honestly, I never bought into the ‘blood is thicker than water’ idea. Love is a choice, not a lineage.”

She sipped her champagne—unblinking. She seemed content to let me fill the awkward silence.

“Even so, I was hoping you’d have information that could help me and your son.”

“Information,” she drew out. “What information would that be?”

“Everleigh Starling wants Alistair dead and she killed Winter to make it happen.” I dropped that with the same mild look she was giving me. I didn’t come here to play her games. “She’s spun a web of lies, betrayals, secrets, and murder in the name of avenging her father, Everton, and the only way to untangle it is for her to confess her crimes.

“I thought you might know something that’d help her along. Something about the only person she cares about—Everton.”

Astoria nodded, humming. “I see. If what you say about Everleigh is true, it’s quite concerning. But, forgive me, I don’t understand why you believe I can help you? Everton was an old school friend of my son’s, but our interactions were limited.”

“Yes, but then he became a member of the Regalia-born criminal organization called the Rogues”—I matched her smile—“and got a lot more interesting than the troublemaking teenager. You kept tabs on him. I simply want to know if there’s anything he did—besides his partial responsibility in the death of a child—that would hurt his daughter all these years later. Something she’d do anything to know or anything to stop others from finding out.”

Another sip. “Why do you believe I kept tabs on him?”

“Because I’ve seen—and burned—your scroll detailing all the ties connecting the families of Regalia. I wondered how you could know the secrets that connected the families until I got a peek into the Truth or Dare Club. People around here make a habit of digging into each other’s lives until they find a gem that’ll ruin them.

“If you’d do that for the law-abiding citizens, why wouldn’t you do the same for anyone you found out was a Rogue? Having someone like that under your thumb is infinitely more valuable.”

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