We both smiled at each other and returned to the dishes that were waiting for us.
Part Three, As Recorded By Eleanor Baxstresse
CHAPTER 1
WINTER WAS COMING fast, and soon the fields would be covered in a blanket of snow, but for the moment, there was only a light dusting of frost over the grass. The cold winds from the north brought more strange dreams with them. Plans for the ball and worries about Luciana had pushed them to the back of my mind, where they lingered like the last gray snow, but the sorcerer's chain and the eye were never forgotten.
At least six times I saw the eye, twice in my dreams and sometimes in waking-dreams that fell upon me while I was working. Once, I nearly fell down the stairs. Only Cate's quick grab at my arm saved me from a nasty fall. It was golden and silver, glinting wickedly in a pulsing light.
How could an eye be awake? Why was it watching me? I did not think that these were visions like the ones Cate had. They were a warning. I often felt the strange hum of magic in my skin and blood after seeing the eye. Perhaps it—or someone using it—really could see me? Maybe the eye wanted me to see it? Something was watching me, and I was terrified.
I told Belladonna about the dreams. I did not tell her how frightened they made me, but she could tell. My lover knew me better than I knew myself. Even Cate noticed that something was wrong, and when she asked, I could not lie to her.
“Maybe your magic is reacting to the sorcerer's chain. You said that it burned your skin. Could your magic have made the burn stronger?”
“We are the only two magical people I know of at Baxstresse.” I looked at Cate. “You would have to touch it to find out, and I want you as far away from Luciana as possible.”
“There is something behind the chain. It is not some leftover relic from the ancient past. If the magic in it is strong enough to burn your skin and give you nightmares, then there is some powerful force channeling through it.”
When I told Belle about my conversation with Cate, she did not respond for several minutes. She stroked my hair, a thoughtful expression on her face. I was patient with her, and she finally said, “I wish there was a way to research its history. Maybe I can ask Cieran or Cassandra at the ball.”
“It’s worth a try. You should discuss it with them.”
Belle sighed and pulled her arm tighter around my shoulder. “If they don’t know anything about the history of this chain, perhaps they can direct me to another resource. I know how hard it is to get magical books in Seria, but I’m surprised that there isn’t more information about sorcerer's chains in our library.”
I patted her shoulder, offering comfort. “It's a wonderful library, Belle. Magical books are rare on this side of the border. We can always look for more later.”
“Something else to ask Cieran and Cassandra about,” she said, but she still looked worried and disappointed.
I decided to give her a kiss to brighten both our moods. One kiss turned into two kisses, and we completely forgot what we had been talking about. My sleep that night was blissfully empty of all dreams.
***
Sarah spent several hours each evening tailoring the borrowed dress to fit me. She used her eyes to estimate most of the measurements, since I was too busy to stand for fittings more than a few minutes long. As the dress took shape, feelings of excitement rose in me. The dress was a link to my old world; the one Luciana had stolen from me. I hoped to return to it, and Belle, wiser, kinder, and humbler.
I was also excited about modeling the dress for Belle. Her dashing good looks and fine clothes intimidated me, even though our relationship was not built on such trivial things. I wanted to remind her that I was a lady, more to improve my own self-image than to change Belle's perception of me.
Proper underthings were borrowed from Loren's never-ending piles of laundry, and Sarah's quick fingers stole several pieces of costume jewelry for me to wear. I could have asked Belle, but Sarah still did not know we were lovers. The only thing I could not find was a pair of shoes. My feet were smaller than Luciana's, Belle's, or even Lady Kingsclere's.
I was considering the problem as I cleaned a spare bedroom. Jessith, who was sunning herself on the bedspread that I had just changed, stretched one paw and batted at my working dress, her claws catching the fabric. I felt the tug and looked down at her. “Ellie? Are you listening to me? I just said that I have a message for you from Belladonna.”
“How long have you and Belladonna been having discussions?” I asked. I had not been able to focus all day. I was too embarrassed to admit that I had been worrying about something as trivial as shoes when there were many more serious problems to be concerned with.
“Since you told her you could talk to me. I usually pretend that I am not paying attention. She mostly rambles about you. Human love softens the sharpest minds. Thank goodness I am a cat.”
“Jessith, do you have a point?”
But Jessith was a cat, and cats are used to taking their time. Licking her right forepaw was too important an activity to interrupt. “Belladonna told me she wanted you to meet her this afternoon. She has a surprise for you.”
Knowing my lover as I did, I immediately interpreted the message as a physical invitation. “I suspect she does,” I purred. Jessith ignored me and rolled across the bed to reach her back leg. “No, stop that. I just made that bed and washed those sheets, and you are going to get fur all over them.”
Jessith glared at me. “Humans leave hair everywhere, too.”
“And I have to clean up that hair as well as yours, so stop making my job harder.”
“What job? You haven't done any work all day.” I couldn't argue with her. I had been especially lazy today. Thankfully, Cate and Sarah had understood.
“So,” I said, changing the subject, “when is Belladonna going to give me this surprise, or did she not say?”
“I told you, this afternoon.” Animals experience time differently than people. There are four times of day for them: morning, afternoon, evening, and night. However, their bodies are very sensitive to the earth's physical changes, and they are able to follow their own particular schedules almost to the minute without trying.
“Right now,” said a rich voice that made my skin prickle. Belladonna leaned against the doorframe, and I turned to watch as she stepped toward me. Held over one of her arms was something I recognized. My hands flew to my mouth.
“Oh, by the Saints! That was my mother's dress. How did you find it?” The dress was a subtle red, not bright enough to make me appear wanton, but deep enough to bring out the color in my cheeks. It looked more beautiful than I remembered.
Belle smiled, looking almost like Jessith when she had caught a mouse or a spider and was bringing it to show me. “I managed to steal a few things before Luciana got rid of them. Nothing else as big as a dress, but I did find some other surprises for you.”
My smile split my face in two as Belle set the dress carefully on the bed beside Jessith, kissing me until I thought I would float from the floor. Even Jessith seemed impressed by Belle's actions, and did not make any snide comments.
“Thank you, but why did you keep it a secret?”
“I like seeing you smile,” she said in the dreamy way that we both spoke after kissing. “I have another present for you, too.”
“Oh? Something else? Was it my mother's as well?”
Belle lowered her eyebrows mysteriously. “I will just have to show you. Close your eyes.” I closed my eyes tight and clasped my hands behind my back, like a child waiting for a treat. Belle pressed her lips to my forehead, and I listened as she moved back out of the room. It did not take her long to return, less than a minute, so I guessed that she had left my surprise just outside the door.
I nearly jumped when I felt soft hands lifting my ankle and removing the worn brown working shoes that I wore when Luciana did not force me to put on the wooden ones. My feet only had one or two small cuts on them, and they were healing, so her touch did not hurt. She slipped s
omething cool onto my foot, and I opened my eyes and looked down.
Instead of my dirty working shoes, delicate silver slippers rested on my feet. They had also belonged to my mother, and they were a perfect fit. Belle pressed her face against my belly, breathing against the fabric of my dress. “Do you like them?” she asked, looking up at me with a hopeful expression.
I was so warm with happiness and love that I might have been glowing. “Belle...thank you, thank you...”
“I would do anything for you. I am sorry I waited so long to give these to you. I planned on doing it before, but then we fought, and I was distracted.”
I curled my hands through the soft, dark strands of her hair. “I am distracting?” Belle lifted my ankle and dropped a kiss on the soft skin. “What other things did you take?”
“You.” I gasped, heat rushing up to my cheeks and down to pool between my legs. Belle's warm hands explored the skin behind my knee and slid up my thigh. My eyes darted to the door, relaxing when I saw it was closed. “Oh,” Belle said casually, “you meant your mother's things. I stole some jewelry, some books, some flower bulbs, a beautiful red shawl...”
I let out a cry of delight just as Belle's lips caught my knee. “That shawl belonged to my mother, and those bulbs are some of Sandleford's white roses. I wanted to plant some here...”
This was too much for Jessith, who leapt off of the bed and crawled underneath it, slightly reproachful that we were not paying attention to her any longer. She was, however, polite enough not to disturb our moment, for which I was grateful. I sat down in her place, certain that my legs could not hold me anymore.
Belle's teasing became more serious as she lifted the skirts of my dress and ducked her head underneath. I giggled as her breath tickled the sensitive skin of my inner thigh and groaned as her sharp teeth nipped me. “My rose,” she said, her words muffled by the fabric of my dress. Her lips, hands, and tongue proceeded to drive all thoughts of my mother's things out of my head. Her clever fingers made quick work of my underthings, and I was grateful that I no longer wore layers of petticoats.
She spared no time, possessing me with one smooth stroke of her fingers, and I nearly fell backwards onto the mattress with surprise. She held still inside of me, unwilling to leave my warmth. My hands clutched my skirts to my hips. I needed to watch Belle as she had me.
Belle pressed her face against the fluttering muscles of my stomach, curling her fingers to find me. I cradled her head against my belly, still holding up my skirts with one fist, gasping at the familiar, wonderful stretch. “I can feel how much you need me,” she breathed, her voice controlling me even while she was on her knees in front of me. Her fingers moved, leaving me empty and aching until she filled me again, grasping my waist with her other hand.
We fell into an easy rhythm, moving together as one. The pleasant burn I felt as two of Belle's fingers stretched me caused my head to fall back and my eyes to squeeze shut. I rocked hard against her hand with every thrust, allowing Belle to touch me deeper than she ever had before.
“So full...I feel…more…” My hips jerked unevenly as Belle kissed up along my thigh, settling between my legs and leaning forward to taste me. Her lips wrapped around me, tugging at the stiff point just above her fingers, and I whimpered as her tongue began to paint over me in circles. With her mouth occupied, Belle could only groan against me, and I felt the vibrations in her lips.
My hands flexed, releasing the material of my skirt as her fingers hooked inside of me. They pressed up, filling me with slow, deep thrusts. I was helpless against her hands and mouth. My only regret before colors burst behind my eyes and empty sound roared in my ears was that I could not look into Belladonna's eyes as I gave all of myself to her. I tightened around her fingers, spilling into her hand and twitching wildly against her lips.
Finally, when I could see again, I looked down at her face, blushing furiously when I noticed the wetness smeared across her cheeks and chin. Although it was a sight I had gotten used to, it still made me ache hollowly with want. “I'm far from finished with you, pet,” she said after she licked her lips, pulling her fingers out of me and standing up so that she could join me on the mattress. “But first, let's get you out of your clothes. I don't want to ruin them.”
***
“Ellie, you look beautiful!” Sarah cried, clasping her hands with delight.
I could see Sarah's reflection in the mirror, but I did not need to look to see how happy she was. I could hear it in her voice. My own reflection was smiling, but I hardly recognized myself. The thin, pale girl that I had seen in warped metal pans for the past months looked nothing like this soft, golden creature I had become. I felt a surge of confidence. I was going to make Belladonna proud tonight, even if I could not walk into the ball on her arm. I was wearing the finished blue dress, which really did suit my complexion well.
“Yes, you do,” Cate agreed. I could not see her reflection, because she was still behind me, brushing my hair. She had already stroked it to gleaming with the fine bristles, but was not ready to stop. Around my neck was a piece of costume jewelry that Belle had found for me. I did not explain its presence, and perhaps Sarah assumed that I had taken it with the dress from Lady Kingsclere, but Cate gave me a knowing look as I fastened the catch.
The smell of lilacs still surrounded me from my bath. I had been plucked, rubbed with oil, prodded, and laced into a corset for the first time in months. But I forgot the discomfort now that I was staring at myself in the mirror. I liked what I saw. No one at the ball would ever guess that I had been picking lentils from the ashes and cleaning garbage for the past few months. Only my rough hands would give me away. I would need to wear gloves.
“I'm ready,” I said, and Cate helped me gather the layers of my gown as I stood up, tossing one last glance over my shoulder at my reflection. I would fit in perfectly at the ball. The pleasure that I took in my appearance helped me dismiss some of the fear that still clung to me. I had no idea what Luciana planned to do, and could not prepare in advance. Belle and I would leap on Luciana and physically restrain her if we needed to, although we would probably look foolish tackling her to the ground in the middle of the ballroom.
I examined the skirt of my dress, enjoying the movement of the soft underlayers against my legs as I walked down the stairs. “You really did a beautiful job with the waist, Sarah.”
“You could work professionally at dressmaking or sewing if you wanted,” Cate added.
“You did at least a third of the dress, Cate,” Sarah said, blushing prettily. She turned to me. “And I'm sure that you will attract quite a bit of attention at Prince Brendan's ball. I hope your secret lover is not the jealous type.”
I shared a quick glance with Cate. Although she was not controlling, Belle was an extremely possessive lover. I was glad that she would be tailing Luciana instead of watching me near the Prince. Even if he showed no interest in me, I could stay near him. It would not look too suspicious, since many other young women would be trailing after him, vying for his attention.
“I have no interest in Prince Brendan,” I said firmly.
Sarah smiled dreamily. “He's handsome all the same.”
“You can have him. One love is enough for my lifetime.” And for all eternity, I thought. Of course, the Church discouraged thoughts of reincarnation, but if I did have more lives to live, I would spend them looking for her. If I was only granted this one life, I would follow Belladonna to heaven, hell, or whatever came after death.
As if she could read my mind, Cate stared at me with such a naked longing that I nearly gasped. Here, I thought, is a heart aching, calling to its other half. Cate had transformed since I first got to know her. She had become braver, friendlier, more talkative, and more confident. If she was not ready to seek love yet, she would be soon.
“I would come with you if I could, Ellie,” Cate said. Though her voice was soft, it did not lack support.
“I would, too,” Sarah agreed.
Both of them really meant it. My heart floated. A girl could not ask for truer friends. I tucked a lock of Cate’s red curls behind one of her ears, leaving my hand on her shoulder. “I know you would. And thank you both again for the dress.”
CHAPTER 2
THE PALACE WAS white and gleaming, a miracle of magic and craftsmanship. Its crisp outline stood proudly against the dark night sky. I stared at its painted turrets, watching the long, flowing banners flutter and then fall still. They were all stitched with the same coat of arms: two crossed quill plumes for knowledge, and a sword pointing down between them for strength.
The carriage—the second-best one, since Belladonna and Luciana had used the finest—jolted to a stop in front of a white set of stairs. Since Belladonna knew that Matthew would be driving me, she had arranged for one of the stable hands to drive their own carriage. Luciana had not seemed to notice or care that Matthew was not on the box.
Since Belle and Luciana had taken the matching pair of carriage horses, I had to enlist the services of Brahms and Corynne, even though they were not exactly built for pulling a carriage. Matthew took them slow, which infuriated them, because he did not want to strain the delicate horses with work they were not used to. They lifted their hooves, their flanks twitching as they tossed their thick, corded necks, eager to keep moving.
The main roadways, which had been magicked to allow us faster travel, had them excited. The bewitchment was another example of how hypocritical Serians were. Magic was evil, except when it was convenient. I appreciated the shorter journey, which had taken about two hours instead of five days. It would have been impractical to house all of the courtiers and visiting nobles in the capital for three days and nights.
“The castle, Lady,” Matthew said, bounding down from the driver's box and opening the door for me. I blushed in spite of myself. It was the first time I had been treated like nobility since my forced servitude, and I found returning to my status unsettling, almost unpleasant.
The Second Sister (The Amendyr Series) Page 16
