Lady Alma

by A. G. Marshall

  “There was someone in my dreams. Someone was spying on me.”

  “You think so?”

  I nodded and sniffed the Rosas Rojas. It smelled of horses.

  “Hija, it is nothing to be worried about,” Tía Teresa said. “They can’t touch you in the dream.”

  But they could listen to everything Lorenzo told me. They would know about the treaty. The fairies. His curse.

  I brushed past Tía Teresa and ran down the hall.

  “Hija, where are you going? Your dress isn’t finished!”

  I didn’t slow down. I wanted answers, and I knew someone who might have them.

  Tía Teresa waved her hands and sent a dressing gown after me. It draped around my shoulders like a cape.

  I found Donna Senona reading in her office. She set down her book when I entered.

  “Alma? What’s wrong?”

  I put the Rosas Rojas on her desk.

  “I need to know who gave this to me. How do you tell?”

  “Where did you get that? I put them away.”

  “Just tell me who this belongs to!”

  Donna Senona took the rose and polished it with her sleeve.

  “Most girls don’t receive so many that identifying them is an issue. Especially not before their quince.”

  “Someone hid this in my room.”

  She frowned.

  “So you have been using the Rosas Rojas?”

  “I didn’t know it was there. Someone wrapped it in my petticoats and hid it in my wardrobe.”

  Donna Senona raised an eyebrow and lifted the magical flower to her nose.

  “This is no time to smell the roses!”

  “Very funny, Alma. I’ll tell you how to identify the owner when you tell me where you went with the prince.”

  I glared at her, but she simply smiled at me from behind the rose.

  “I’m your stepmother, Alma. I’m trying to protect you.”

  “So you keep saying. I’m sworn to silence. I can’t tell you.”

  “I won’t have you sneaking out and kissing boys in the woods, Alma.”

  I flinched. How had she guessed we were in the woods?

  “Your dress had sticks tangled in the skirt,” she said. “It is not appropriate for you to stay out all night unchaperoned.”

  “Rosa was there. Why isn’t she in trouble?”

  “Rosa didn’t kiss anyone.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her. She met my gaze with a serious expression.

  “Alma, I truly do want to help you.”

  “I don’t need your help.”

  “Which is why you ran to me asking questions.”

  I kept glaring. She sighed and handed the rose back to me.

  “Rosas Rojas absorb the essence of the giver.”

  “I don’t need a poetic description.”

  “That means the rose will smell like the man who gave it to you. Or at least, it will smell like something important to him. It smells like a stable to me. Horses and leather. Does that give you any ideas?”

  It did, but I shook my head, reluctant to give her more information than necessary.

  “You can’t tell me anything more than that? Isn’t there a way to track the owner?”

  She shrugged.

  “Most dons own horses. I suppose that isn’t a very helpful scent.”

  But some dons owned more than others. Especially if their father spent his fortune on them. Did Don Diego sneak into my house to hide the rose? Had he been that desperate to win my attention?

  Donna Senona leaned towards me.

  “Alma, I understand that you’ve gone through a lot of changes lately, but please believe that I want what’s best for you. Please promise me that you’ll ask if you ever need help.”

  I left her office without answering. She had no idea how many changes I had been through in the past few days.

  By the time I reached my room, Tía Teresa had torn up more gowns and turned them into a ruffled overskirt. She snapped it onto me, and I studied my reflection. With a few changes, this dress could look like the one I had created in the dream.

  “Could we layer something over the ruffles?”

  “Hija, we don’t have time for this.”

  “Please, Tía? I have an idea. I’ll draw you a picture.”

  I found some parchment and made a quick sketch of the design. A gown with full sleeves and a skirt that looked like rose petals. It wasn’t a very detailed drawing, but Tía Teresa studied it carefully.

  “It really means that much to you?”

  I nodded, and she began changing the gown to match my design. I bit my lip to keep from commenting every time she did something different than I would have. I couldn’t work magic now. This would have to be enough.

  The dress looked something like my sketch, but it would never match the vision in my head unless I was the one who made it.

  I stared at the Rosas Rojas to distract from my disappointment. It sat on the bed, not giving any of the answers I needed.

  Who was spying on me?

  Chapter 34

  “Beautiful,” Tía Teresa said. “Donna Alma, you are officially ready for the ball.”

  I studied my reflection and smiled in spite of myself. I was stunning. Divinia’s spell gave me a glow like an Alessandro painting, and the alterations had made the dress into something new.

  I spun around and examined my gown from every angle.

  “Rose petal skirts may become the latest trend,” Tía Teresa said. “I was skeptical at first, but I do like the effect.”

  “I can’t wait to try more designs. It would be so easy if I used my magic.”

  Her face fell.

  “Alma, you can’t. Working magic is illegal for nobles. You know that.”

  “We could keep it a secret, Tía. No one has to know.”

  “And what if you get caught? Are you willing to risk everything to design new gowns?”

  I stared at myself in the mirror, and my heart sank. The dress had turned out well, but it wasn’t perfect. There were a few flaws I could fix with a snap of my fingers. A few changes that would make it so much better. And what about my other ideas? The other gowns I wanted to create?

  Tía Teresa stood behind me and smoothed my hair.

  “You don’t need magic, Hija. You can tell me what you want. I’ll make it for you.”

  I nodded, not trusting my voice. That wasn’t the same. It wasn’t the same at all.

  A knock on the door saved me from answering. Rosa peeked into the room.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but Ethan and I thought you might like some company.”

  “Alma doesn’t want to see you,” Tía Teresa said.

  “Actually, I do. Please, come in.”

  Rosa and Ethan burst into the room. Rosa wore the same ruffled gown she had worn to the first ball. Ethan wore a blue Castanian-style suit that was too big for him.

  Tía Teresa studied their clothes and shook her head.

  “You all need help. Donna Rosa, stand here, please. I don’t have time to make you a new gown, but I can embellish this one.”

  “Oh, it doesn’t matter,” Rosa said. “No one will notice if I wear the same dress twice.”

  I smirked.

  “They most certainly will. We can talk while Tía Teresa works.”

  Pink lace would look beautiful with the gown, but Tía Teresa picked up green to match the existing ruffles. I fought the urge to comment and handed the mystery Rosas Rojas to Ethan.

  “Smell this.”

  He sniffed it and made a face.

  “Why does that rose smell like a stable?”

  “It smells like the man who gave it to me. Someone hid this in my room. They’ve been spying on me.”

  “If that smells like the man who gave it to you, he could use a bath.”

  “Someone was in your room?” Rosa asked. “Someone you danced with at the ball?”

  She looked around the room with interest. Probably deciding whic
h windows would be the easiest to climb into.

  “Can you tell us everyone you danced with at the first ball?” Ethan asked. “It must be one of them.”

  I shook my head.

  “There were too many to remember. There is one who liked horses though. Don Diego.”

  “Have I met him?” Ethan asked.

  “He has a curled mustache.”

  “Oh, that one. Do you think he hid this here? That he’s the one who-”

  He glanced at Tía Teresa and didn’t finish his sentence. Rosa and I nodded to show we understood.

  The one who had stabbed the prince.

  “Maybe,” I said. “I’ll tell Lorenzo about this, and we can all keep an eye on Don Diego in case he tries something.”

  Tía Teresa added the final piece of lace to Rosa’s gown with a dramatic flourish.

  “There! That’s the best I can do for tonight.”

  “It looks beautiful, Tía,” I said.

  She nodded and turned to Ethan.

  “Your turn.”

  “Me? What’s wrong with my clothes?”

  “A lot, but I only have time to make sure they fit properly.”

  She pulled Ethan to the center of the room and began tailoring his suit. Rosa sat beside me on the bed.

  “Alma, are you feeling alright? The, um.”

  She tapped her throat. I twirled my necklace in my fingers to show I understood.

  “I feel fine.”

  “That’s a relief. Ethan said wearing the ring drained his energy.”

  I glanced up at Ethan. He was arguing with Tía Teresa about the fit of his trousers. Rosa took advantage of the distraction and leaned closer to me.

  “The charm made him dizzy and tired. We worried yours might have a similar effect.”

  I thought back to climbing the stairs to Alessandro’s studio but decided not to mention it. The feeling of exhaustion had passed quickly enough.

  “It uses my soul loop to change my appearance. It channels my magic.”

  She studied my face as if she could see the charm’s effect.

  “So you can’t work any magic while you’re wearing it?”

  “Donnas aren’t supposed to know magic anyway. Maybe this is for the best.”

  “Some donnas know magic.”

  “Rosa, I know things were different in the Garden District, but you need to be careful. The law is clear.”

  “I know, Alma. I just don’t want you to be defenseless.”

  “You sound like your mother.”

  Rosa shrugged.

  “She means well.”

  “Please, no more,” Ethan said. “I look fine! Rosa, tell her I look fine!”

  Rosa looked up and grinned.

  “You look a lot better now that your suit fits.”

  “You think so?”

  Ethan straightened and gave a courtly bow.

  “Ladies, would you care to attend the ball with me?”

  I giggled. His bow was one of the worst I’d ever seen.

  “You all need to go,” Tía Teresa said. “I worked too hard to have you be late.”

  I hugged her as we hurried out of the room.

  “Thank you, Tía. Thank you for everything.”

  Her eyes sparkled with tears.

  “You make a beautiful donna, Alma. Have a wonderful night.”

  Father and Donna Senona waited for us in the foyer. I ran down the steps.

  “Papa! You’re here!”

  I flung my arms around him, not caring that it wrinkled my dress. He bowed as soon as I released him.

  “I came home to escort you all to the ball. Donna Alma, it is an honor.”

  I giggled. A wave of magic passed through my dress as Tía Teresa smoothed the wrinkles from the top of the stairs. Father leaned close and whispered in my ear.

  “I don’t suppose you can tell me more about how you saved the prince’s life?”

  “I can’t, but I was very heroic.”

  “I’d expect nothing less. I’m proud of you, Hija.”

  “And I’m proud of you! You helped negotiate a treaty with the Salarians. You helped bring peace.”

  He nodded.

  “Everyone on the council found my advice useful. Well, everyone but Don Francisco.”

  “He doesn’t count.”

  Father laughed.

  “Perhaps not. He wasn’t able to stop the others from offering me a permanent place on the king’s council.”

  “Papa! That’s wonderful!”

  “I turned them down, Alma. I can’t serve on the council while living in the Garden District.”

  My face fell.

  “You still want to move to Donna Senona’s estate?”

  “She loves it there, Alma, and I have come to love it as well. I haven’t felt so much peace in a place since your mother died.”

  “Papa, I don’t understand. You’d really rather live on a rose farm in the Garden District than serve on the king’s council?”

  “I’m happier there, Alma. Senona has taught me the value of being happy.”

  Donna Senona joined us and took Father’s hand. He smiled at her, and I couldn’t deny the joy in his eyes.

  I tried to picture Father working alongside servants in the Garden District. The image wouldn’t stick, but when I looked in his face, I knew what he said was true.

  He was happy. Happier than I had ever seen him.

  Donna Senona nodded at me and led my father away to the carriage.

  Rosa and Ethan were already in the second carriage hired for the evening. I took Rodrigo’s hand and stepped in carefully, doing my best not to crush my skirt.

  Chapter 35

  Rosa and Ethan talked and laughed as we drove to the castle. I leaned as far back against the carriage seat as my corset would allow and tried to sort through my thoughts.

  Father still planned to move to the Garden District. Should I go with him? Or should I stay with Mirella and be near Lorenzo?

  When planning my future, I had always assumed Father would be there with me. That he would stand by my side when I became a donna. That he would be there at my parties and dance with me before handing me over to my noble husband.

  Instead, he would grow roses and work with servants. If I wanted him close, I would have to do the same.

  The problem ran over and over in my head. I scowled and pushed it aside. If there was a good solution, I couldn’t see it. I turned my thoughts in another direction to distract myself.

  The treaty was signed. Would that end the attacks? Would I truly be safe at the ball?

  My emotions would have surged into a soul loop if I hadn’t been wearing Divinia’s necklace. Instead, they settled into a pit of nervous energy in my stomach. I inhaled, and my ribs pressed against my corset. Each breath reminded me of the attack.

  Tía Teresa thought I would be safe. Lorenzo had promised magical protection.

  But what if it wasn’t enough?

  I rubbed the smooth surface of Divinia’s charm. Beauty wouldn’t protect me from a killer corset.

  Would magic?

  The carriage stopped, and I pushed the question aside. We had arrived.

  Hundreds of colorful stars lit the sky above the castle. They swirled around the towers, shattering into fireworks whenever they touched. The light display was even more brilliant than it had been at the previous ball. Members of the Light Guild filled the courtyards, waving their arms in unison to create the enchantments.

  I knew my way to the ballroom by now, but I followed the footman down the corridors, grateful for his slow pace. My heart pounded as we walked, and I tried to swallow my nerves. I focused on the paintings to calm myself. Soon mine would hang in this hallway. Everyone would marvel at my beauty and Alessandro’s skill.

  I paused in front of Lorenzo’s portrait, buying a little more time before I faced the ballroom full of nobles. What would Alessandro have painted if he had seen Lorenzo with his scars? Would he have left them? Found balance in the marks covering the
prince’s skin?

  Or would he have erased them in favor of perfection?

  “Announcing Donna Alma!”

  The footman’s voice startled me out of my musings. I walked slowly down the staircase, lost in the moment. Heads turned as everyone in the ballroom stared at me. I smiled and stood tall. My rose petal skirt fluttered as I moved.

  I was a donna. Finally, I was one of them.

  Lorenzo met me at the bottom of the stairs.

  “May I claim you for the first dance, Donna Alma?”

  “Always, Prince Lorenzo.”

  I curtsied, but he took my hand and pulled me back up.

  “No need to stand on formalities, Just Alma.”

  “If you say so.”

  He grinned.

  “The admiral has asked for an introduction. Apparently, Ethan has told him a lot about you.”

  I was fairly certain those stories involved my stealing and breaking his irreplaceable salt charm. My head spun, and I clutched Lorenzo’s arm.

  “I think I need some air.”

  Lorenzo looked at me with concern and led me to the balcony. I breathed deeply and stared at the roses until the dizziness passed.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “But after what happened last time-”

  “I understand, Alma, but I have highly trained guards watching your every move. You are safe.”

  He gestured to the door, and I glanced back. A bulky man in nondescript formal clothing watched us from the shadows. He nodded to the prince and ducked behind a pillar.

  I swallowed.

  “That’s unsettling.”

  “Welcome to the world of nobility. You’ll stop noticing them after a while.”

  I turned away from the guard.

  “Will they listen to what we say?”

  “I doubt he can hear us from there, but the guards are discreet if he does. Is something bothering you, Alma?”

  I studied the rose gardens below while I gathered my nerve. Was someone down there? Would I be able to see them in the moonlight if they were?

  “Lorenzo, I found another Rosas Rojas hidden in my room today. Someone has been spying on us.”

  “You were right then. There was someone in the dream the night I passed out.”

  “I don’t know how long it was there. I don’t know how much he heard.”

  Lorenzo studied me with a serious expression.