Moments later, Gideon’s gentle sister joined me in the lavatory, patting my face with a damp rag as I emptied the last of my stomach’s contents. Slumping to my rear, I leaned against the wall. “I’m sorry I didn’t add dealing with a drunk queen on your list of lady-in-waiting duties.”

Marlis looked young and innocent in her white sleeping gown and loose hair. She was young and innocent. I vowed to do what it took to keep her that way.

“You’re not the first sick person I’ve cared for, Evie.”

“My nurse, Gerda, used to tend to me when I was unwell, but she was like a mother. You, however....” I let my head fall against the wall, and I closed my eyes. “You’re like a little sister. It doesn’t seem right.”

She made a rough sound in her throat and stroked the damp cloth over my face again. “I take it you had a good time tonight?”

“Up until a moment ago, yes.”

“Overindulged a bit?”

“That’s putting it nicely.”

“I know just the remedy. I’ll send Gideon to fetch the proper herbs.”

“Good. It’ll give him something to do other than pace outside like an anxious bull.”

“He’s worried.”

I pried open one eye and peered at her. “He’s always worried. Tell him I’m not going to die, but I might be a little under the weather for a bit.”

She chuckled. “He won’t let you forget this, you know.”

I grimaced. “Like he needed more ammunition against me.”

After Gideon returned with the herbs Marlis requested, she made a stiff and bitter tea. I choked it down and let her put me to bed. “Good night,” I muttered. “And thank you.”

“Pshaw.” She blew out the candles. “It’s what I’m here for.”

Darkness fell like curtains at the end of a play, and I slept the night through without dreaming.

Chapter 7

Thanks to a vicious hangover, I spent most of the morning in bed. Bouts of cold sweat washed over me like waxing and waning tides. A hot, burning mass had settled in my stomach and occasionally tried to crawl up my throat. Marlis fussed over me, bringing me greasy eggs, bacon, and endless teapots of herbal concoctions meant to stave off nausea, dehydration, and headache. Mostly, her efforts worked.

A morning of endless wallowing allowed plenty of time for my dread to build. In several hours, I would be expected to meet a group of unknown dignitaries, and my identity would be revealed. Anyone questioning the status and whereabouts of the heir to the throne of Inselgrau would have their answers soon enough. My exposure was hazardous, but necessary—I still believed that.

In the early afternoon, I managed to leave the bed without my head rolling from my shoulders, and at Marlis’s beckoning, a footman drew a steaming bath. After several rounds of lathering and rinsing, I no longer smelled like sour sweat and stale brandy. Later, I sat before the mirror at the vanity table, watching Marlis work a comb though my tangles. The steady rhythm of her movements hypnotized me and eased the last of any lingering sickness. “Where has Gideon been all day?” I asked. “I’m surprised he hasn’t been in to poke fun at my wretchedness.”

“I told him to leave you alone. He went to the stables.”

My chest tightened as my thoughts shifted to Karolina. Was she there with him? “Oh?”

“He likes horses better than people, and you know he detests being idle.”

“Does he have anything appropriate to wear tonight?”

“He said a footman brought something the empress asked him to wear.” She paused, comb in hand, and frowned. “He seemed less than excited about it.”

“Well, whatever it is, I’m sure he’ll be dashing.”

“My brother is handsome, isn’t he?”

“Hmm.” Handsome was the least of it. Gideon’s appeal defied simple labels. He possessed a force of personality that refused to be overlooked. In some ways, his conspicuousness made him a terrible spy—he would never fade into a crowd. Then again, most people would have had a hard time believing he was anything other than exactly what he said he was. Subtlety had never been Gideon’s forte.

Marlis accepted my ambiguous answer without pressing me further. Instead, she wove my hair into a loose braid and tied it off with a bright-green ribbon. She crossed the room and tugged open the doors to my wardrobe. “Let’s get you dressed, unless you plan to lounge around in your robe all day.”

The idea appealed, and I nearly told her not to bother with a dress when a pounding at the apartment door interrupted me. “My lady!” Otokar called, raising his voice to carry from the hallway. “Please, it is urgent.”

My heart surged into my throat. Had something happened to Gideon? I hurried to the door and yanked it open. The Magician stood before me unkempt, his hair disheveled and wild, his robes open, revealing a wrinkled shirt and dark pants beneath. “My lady, please excuse me, but I must know if Karolina is with you.”

Puzzled, I blinked at him. “Why would she be here?”

“We have scoured the castle for her, and no one has seen her.”

“Have you been to the stables?”

His forehead creased as he frowned. “That was the first place we looked.”

“Was Gideon there?”

“If he was, I did not see him.”

I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and gnawed as I considered the possibilities. “Was her horse there?”

“Her horse?”

“Yes, her horse. Has she gone riding?”

“She is forbidden to leave the castle grounds without an escort, and she would certainly never leave without telling someone where she went. On her own, the princess is too much a liability, too great of a temptation, for those who might wish to manipulate the empress by abusing her sister. Never mind the sum one could command for her ransom if she were ever kidnapped.”

A cold hand of fear gripped my heart. Otokar’s worries were justified. I had been used as a pawn more than once. Wouldn’t Karolina be as susceptible to exploitation as I was? “I’m going to dress and find Gideon. If she’s ridden out somewhere, he’ll find her. He’s a fine tracker.”

Otokar nodded. “I am going to my laboratory to see if I can scry her whereabouts.”

I turned away, heading for my bedroom. “You haven’t done that already?”

“We hoped she was on the grounds somewhere.” He followed me, but stopped at the threshold of my bedroom. “Now that we have verified her absence, I will use other methods to locate her.”

I knelt by my bed and drew out my boots. “You do that. Gideon and I will hunt her on horseback.”

“Where will you search?”

Standing up, I looked at him and shrugged. “I don’t know, but I can’t find her if we don’t start somewhere.”

Otokar started to leave but paused and glanced back. “Why should you care about finding Karolina? She is not your problem, and she was not particularly kind to you last night.”