For Want of a Fiend

by Barbara Ann Wright

  “Well, let’s not keep her ladyship tied up when she has circulating to make,” Countess Nadia said. “Come, if you please, Crown Princess Consort, and hear what Duchess Skelda has to say about this year’s fashion.”

  Starbride let herself be pulled away.

  “Don’t look back,” Countess Nadia said. “She’s slipping out.”

  “I didn’t expect her to leave so soon. I have to ask Dawnmother—”

  “Don’t worry, my dear. Your mother has already thought of it. Dawnmother is following Lady Viper as we speak.”

  “Remind me never to try and hide something from you, Countess.”

  Countess Nadia chuckled. “Oh, my sweet, you can try all you like.”

  As soon as she could, Starbride ducked out of the party and left it in her mother’s capable hands. She hurried to Katya’s apartment where Dawnmother would meet her. She only had a few moments of pacing before Dawnmother came in.

  “She went directly to her townhouse,” Dawnmother said. “I wasn’t able to follow her inside, but I bribed the potboy to tell me what she was doing. I was quite clever, telling him that my mistress had to know what Lady Hilda planned to wear to the next—”

  “I’m sure you were as clever as Horsestrong and Birdfaithful combined, Dawn, but please tell me what happened.”

  “She summoned her pyradisté immediately. The potboy couldn’t catch everything they said, but Lady Hilda was yelling about needing another plan. If she isn’t the assassin, then she’s plotting something else. Whatever it is, we can finally be rid of her.”

  Starbride grinned. “You want that more than me.”

  “A woman who threatened you deserves no less.” Dawnmother bustled around the room, straightening it, even though Averie kept it tidy. It was her nervous habit. When Katya came in, Dawnmother retired to the formal sitting room.

  Katya had changed her clothes and bandaged her scratches, though Starbride could still see the weal on her cheek. Starbride told all that she knew of Lady Hilda.

  Katya rubbed her chin as she paced. “Now all we have to do is dangle a fish so big she can’t resist. She has to be confident you know she’s guilty, Star. She won’t walk easily into a trap.”

  “You’re right.”

  “We need to spread a rumor of something she can sabotage.” Katya grinned. “Did I tell you how happy I am that you and your maid are so devious?”

  “Devious? Us? We’re models of lawful decorum.”

  Katya sank to her knee and took Starbride’s hand. “Oh, the very model!”

  Before Katya could rise up for a kiss, Starbride planted her palm against Katya’s forehead. “Stop! We’ve spent enough time on this settee lately.”

  “We’re heading to the bedroom, then?”

  Starbride gave her a black look, but then thought about it. “Well, we do seem to come up with our best ideas just after.” While Katya was still blinking in shock, Starbride ran for the bedroom door.

  *

  “How do you do that to me?” Katya lay on her side, her breath coming as hard as Starbride’s, and her flesh shining amidst the wine-colored sheets.

  “Would you like me to show you again?”

  With a tired smile, Katya kissed her cheek. “Though your skills are a miracle, I meant your ability to make me forget all my cares, all my responsibilities. You’re quite addictive.”

  “I think we clear each other’s minds, and then we can think.”

  Katya kissed her deeply, stealing her thoughts again for a few moments. “You drive all sorrow away, that’s what it is.”

  Starbride captured Katya’s face before she could get away and returned the deep kiss. “As long as we have each other, what sorrow can truly capture us?”

  “Is that Horsestrong’s wisdom?”

  “Spoken to his love.” Starbride didn’t mention that in the tales, Horsestrong’s love usually met a tragic end, all so Horsestrong could continue to mature and grow. As a girl, she’d always thought the lovers had gotten a bad deal, and she wouldn’t have been one for all the world.

  “And how will we catch Lady Viper?” Katya asked.

  “With me as bait.”

  Katya drew back quickly.

  “It’s the only practical solution,” Starbride said. “I’m an irresistible target whether she’s still after you or not. If she still wants to be your consort, she needs to kill me. That would give her two avenues to power, a chance at you and whatever Roland’s offered her, if he’s working with her.”

  “And if she doesn’t still want me?”

  “How could she not? But even if she has gone insane and no longer wants you, she’ll want to kill me anyway. I’ve thwarted her too many times.”

  “She won’t risk her safety on a poorly planned attempt to kill you.”

  “Ah, that’s where the irresistible part comes in. The rest of the family will be safe and secure, and I’ll be on my own.”

  Katya shook her head. “She wouldn’t fall for that.”

  “You sound as if you know her very well.”

  “Star—”

  “I know, I know. It’s my jealous heart speaking. We have to make her believe the trap. While you and your father remain here in Marienne, I will tour the countryside in your place, just as your brother would be doing if he were here.”

  “Tour?” A grin started over Katya’s face. “Outside the palace visiting the homes of nobles. Lady Hilda will think she’ll find only you, but the Order will be waiting for her whether she takes the bait or whether she waits in Marienne.”

  “Brutal’s feeling better, then?”

  “Yes, I had word from the chapterhouse while you were at your party. He thinks he may be back to fighting shape in a day or two. The monks are plying him with herbs and good food and making him rest. In the past, Star, this plan would be perfect, but now…” She shook her head. “If we leave the safety of the palace for the countryside, we could run into Roland and more of those things we met in the street, and we don’t know how many guards Lady Hilda has.”

  Starbride sighed, hating what she’d have to say next. “The hunting princess isn’t going to work anymore. As crown princess, you’re not that free.”

  “I never thought I’d be sad to drop the hunting stories.”

  “I am sorry so much has changed for you, dear heart, but I have faith in how adaptable you are.” She lifted an eyebrow. “And how flexible.”

  Katya snorted a laugh. “Then we’ll truly have to sneak out of the palace, but with Roland creeping around…”

  “That’s the genius part. We’re not going anywhere. A carriage train will leave Marienne, supposedly carrying me. Imagine Lady Hilda’s surprise as she attacks and finds it filled with members of the city Watch.”

  “You mean the king’s Guard.”

  “No, Captain Ursula wanted a catch for all her trouble. We’ll give her one.”

  Katya nodded slowly. “We lay the blame for unrest at Lady Hilda’s feet since we can’t mention Roland.”

  “And an unprovoked attack on me will prove it.”

  “You’re getting very good at this, Star.”

  Starbride kissed her softly, glad she didn’t have to push for her plan. “I’ve learned from the best.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven: Katya

  For three days, they could only wait, tell Ursula of their plan, and finalize arrangements. When she wasn’t wandering the palace halls and being seen, Katya stuck as close as she could to Starbride’s side, even through her first encounter with a head of the Pyradisté Academy.

  They practiced in Crowe’s office, though Katya guessed it would be Starbride’s now. It hurt to think about. She sat on a leather couch, surrounded by the smell of ink and paper, while Starbride met with the head of mind magic. He was a fussy little man who perched with her at the practice table and drilled her on the subject of mind pyramids.

  He seemed more patient than Crowe, if less open to questions. To most, he simply answered, “In time.”

  Katya
watched Starbride’s pinched look of frustration. She always burned with curiosity. Someone who dodged a question was almost as bad as a liar in her book, especially when he wouldn’t tell her why she couldn’t know.

  After they were finished and saw the little man on his way out, Katya gestured after him. “Well?”

  “What he wouldn’t tell me I’ll look up in Crowe’s books.”

  Katya’s heart ached again, but she smiled, too. Crowe would have been proud of her tenacity. “Do you have your schedule set up now?”

  “Every waking moment I’m not spending working with the Order or smoothing out the nobles, I’ll be learning.”

  Katya draped an arm around her shoulders. “You’re fantastic.”

  Starbride beamed, and Katya suddenly wished they had longer just to learn and wander around court. Even a week before, she would have kicked herself for such a thought.

  *

  On the day of their trap, Katya fidgeted, even though she had Starbride with her. The only people who’d be in danger were Captain Ursula and her people. The city Watch employed one or two pyradistés, though they couldn’t use mind magic without a magistrate’s permission. They were only present to combat criminal pyradistés, like the one Lady Hilda might be using to attack the fake Starbride.

  Secretly, Katya hoped they’d catch Roland in their net and not Lady Hilda. She was willing to forgive Lady Hilda all her machinations if the matter with Roland could be put to bed. Of course, if Roland were with the attackers, Ursula and all her party might be as good as dead.

  Dawnmother’s servant spies informed them that Lady Hilda didn’t leave the palace, but that her townhouse in Marienne emptied of guards. The princess consort was too big a fish to resist, that or Roland had commanded Lady Hilda to go after Starbride. Whatever the cause, Katya waited with Starbride in her apartment, both of them pacing a hole in the carpet.

  When a light scratch came from the secret passage entrance, Katya nearly jumped out of her skin. “Come!”

  Pennynail stepped out and pointed to the ceiling, telling them he’d received the signal from his post atop a tower. “How many lights?”

  He held up three fingers. The trap had been sprung, and the pyradistés had signaled a catch. Katya slapped a fist into her other palm. “Finally, some good news. Now all that’s left is Lady Hilda herself. Are you ready?” He nodded. When Katya looked to Starbride, she nodded, too. “Good. We’ll collect Hugo on our way. Let’s catch her before she escapes the palace.”

  Starbride grabbed her arm. “Brutal wants to come, too. He sent a note.”

  “Is he well enough?”

  “He claimed to be.”

  Katya chewed her lip for a moment. “He knows his limits. We’ll gather him on our way.”

  If Katya was waiting for a signal, no doubt Lady Hilda waited for one, too. Katya hurried for the stables where Lady Hilda kept her carriage and her fastest horse. That last bit of information had come from Castelle, of all sources. She’d been getting to know the servants and grooms like she always had, and her team had found out a great deal of information about Lady Hilda’s movements.

  With her usual alacrity, Castelle had known Katya would be looking for the source of the recent troubles in Marienne. Katya had always thought she’d concealed her involvement with the Order, but Castelle was more observant than Katya had given her credit for. Castelle didn’t know about the Order itself, but she knew Katya had a greater role in security than what was widely known. That was surely what all her talk about duty had been about.

  Katya needed all the help she could get. Castelle’s team waited in Marienne just in case Lady Hilda got away. She’d already cleared the front stable not only of grooms, but horses as well.

  Just after the Order hid, Lady Hilda hurried into the empty stable, two servants with a lot of baggage in tow. Katya leaned against a post as if simply lingering there.

  Lady Hilda pulled up short. “Hi…Highness.” She and her two servants bowed.

  “It doesn’t surprise me that he’d sacrifice you as a pawn.”

  “I…don’t know what you mean.”

  Katya leaned forward and relished the anger that pounded in her, for once enjoying that she didn’t have to worry about the Fiend. “Roland.”

  Lady Hilda sucked in a breath, but she didn’t look confused or blink or ask who Katya meant.

  “I had rather hoped you wouldn’t know who I was talking about. I can’t save you if you’ve gotten in bed with him.”

  Lady Hilda dropped her bag. Her servants followed suit. She put on a languid smile and threw the cloak from her shoulders. No low-cut gowns today, only sensible leather trousers and a plain white shirt. Her long red hair had been braided behind her. “Wanted to save me, did you? Then you should join us. All he wants is his rightful place. There’s nothing to say you couldn’t still be the heir.”

  “Ah, so that’s the song he sang you.” As Lady Hilda’s hand inched toward her pocket, Katya held up a finger. “No, no, no.”

  From the corner of the stable, light blazed, and Starbride held up a pyramid. “I’ve neutralized the fire pyramid you’re concealing and the two flash bombs carried by your ladies.” She put on a smug smile.

  “My, my, haven’t we been learning. And here I thought you were just a pretty face, but it seems you bring more to the table than just the stink of horses.”

  Starbride stepped forward and held the pyramid high, revealing Brutal and Hugo standing in the corner behind Lady Hilda’s servants, their weapons already drawn. “I suppose I should tell you to surrender,” Starbride said, “but I’m so hoping you won’t.”

  “Politics isn’t the only thing I’ve learned under your uncle’s tutelage.” Lady Hilda’s smile stretched far to the sides as her eyes went all green. “You missed one.” Little horns erupted from her forehead, curving slightly over her hairline.

  Katya drew her rapier even as she gaped. Roland had given Lady Hilda a Fiend. More than that, he’d somehow taught her how to control it. Lady Hilda leapt at Katya as her two servants drew weapons and rushed Hugo and Brutal. Lady Hilda didn’t move as quickly as one of the Umbriel Fiends, but she was faster than the dead creatures from Marienne. Katya tried to dart out of the way, but Lady Hilda’s claws grazed her arm and shredded both her coat and the shirt underneath.

  Katya tried to return the strike, but Lady Hilda dodged, her pointed teeth snarling. A knife sank into Lady Hilda’s side before she could attack again. She shrieked, and the sound brought the metallic tang of blood to Katya’s mouth.

  Katya darted in for another attack. Lady Hilda slapped the rapier away and dashed into the shadows of the stables. A moment later, Pennynail flew by as if thrown by a catapult. He slammed into a wall and thudded to the ground.

  “Temperance!” Starbride cried.

  Katya shielded her eyes. Lady Hilda loosed that horrible screech again. Starbride ran toward her, another pyramid raised. Katya followed and aimed for the Fiend’s heart.

  Lady Hilda knocked Starbride to the side. The sudden movement sent Katya’s rapier into her shoulder instead of her chest. Lady Hilda shoved Katya, pulling the rapier free, and then knocked Katya to the floor, making her teeth rattle in her skull as she hit.

  Katya tried to scramble up, but the wind had fled from her lungs. Brutal’s mace flew over her head and slammed into Lady Hilda’s midsection. Roland should have left her mindless; she didn’t know how to use her speed.

  Lady Hilda staggered. Her hideous face swung to and fro as if seeking a way out. Katya scrambled up, still gasping, and put herself in the stable doorway. Hugo raced to stand beside her. He had a line of blood across one cheek, but seemed otherwise unhurt. From the corner of her eye, Katya saw Pennynail and Starbride standing up. Brutal stalked toward the Fiend, his opponent on the ground behind him.

  Lady Hilda screeched again. Hugo grabbed his left ear, but she didn’t try to rush them. She ran for the wall and slammed into the wood, breaking through. Sunlight streamed in through the ho
le and a scream came from the courtyard. When Katya ran into the light, she saw a groom on the ground, clutching his bleeding face. If Lady Hilda had passed him, she’d gone around the corner, into the street, into the city.

  Katya started to run but skidded to a halt. Several servants were hurrying toward the downed groom from the street, but they didn’t seem alarmed, as if they hadn’t seen the Fiend.

  Katya glanced up. Several roof tiles for a neighboring building hung askew. “She went up there.”

  Even clutching his ribs, Pennynail dragged himself to a windowsill and then to the roof.

  Starbride pointed at Katya’s shredded clothing. “Are you hurt?”

  Katya shook her head. “You?”

  “I’ll have quite the bruise, but that’s all.”

  Katya looked to where Brutal and Hugo bent over the injured groom. Damn the man, why had he come back just then?

  “Princess Katyarianna,” one of the servants said, “what did this to poor Gregory?” She seemed to realize who she was talking to as the words left her mouth. She bowed deeply.

  “Some fool noble brought a hillcat to court as a pet, and the damn thing escaped,” Katya said. “I’ll have someone’s head for this.”

  The servants tried to back away. Katya sheathed her rapier and gestured to Lady Hilda’s downed maids. “The hillcat attacked the groom and the ladies over there. It would have killed more if we hadn’t showed up. See to it that Gregory is tended by my personal physician.”

  “Your Highness,” the grooms and servants muttered. The bowed again.

  Brutal and Hugo stood with her as she walked to the palace doors. “The groom will be fine,” Brutal said, “though he’ll have several scars.”

  “And the ladies?”

  “Dead,” Brutal said. He looked sharply at Hugo. “Well, mine is.”

  Hugo’s eyes flashed. “I saw no reason to kill her.”

  “And that’s why you’ve got that scratch.” Brutal nodded at Hugo’s face.