“You can’t.”
Elodie frowned at the New Maiden. “Yes, I can. I do what I wish.”
But Sabine shook her head. “Elodie, he’s dangerous.” She swallowed thickly. The motion drew the queen’s gaze to the New Maiden’s neck, which was dappled with bruises. “He threatened my life in the training room. I managed to get away, but if he sees me again, I don’t know that I’ll be so lucky.”
Elodie leapt to her feet. “I’ll kill him,” she said, anger rising so quickly it threatened to knock her off balance. “I’ll banish him, I’ll lock him in the dungeon to rot.”
“You can’t protect me from him.” Sabine’s voice was so quiet Elodie hardly heard it over the ringing in her ears. She had nearly lost Sabine, all because she was too frightened, too weak, to see the truth.
“Tal is only the vessel. If we eliminate him, the Second Son will move on to someone else, the same way that if I die, the New Maiden would choose another third daughter. No,” Sabine said, shaking her head resolutely. “The Second Son intends to finish off the New Maiden and we need to learn how. I am in danger, yes, but so is She.”
Elodie wondered at the other girl’s loyalty to the New Maiden. The queen would sacrifice the deity in a second if it meant she could save Sabine.
“We need to use your ties to Tal to get ahead of Him,” Sabine continued. “You should go to your friend and let him tell you his side of the story.”
Elodie felt sick at the idea of facing Tal after his fingers had left marks upon Sabine.
Katrynn clucked her tongue. “That won’t do. If Elodie sidles up prodding for information, he’ll grow suspicious. Deceitful men are always defensive.”
The chapel was silent as the five women considered this.
“I know what makes him weak,” Sabine finally said, looking miserable. “Tal needs to believe that we have ended our relationship. That your heart might one day belong to him instead.”
Elodie blanched. This was so far from any strategy she could imagine. “What?”
“You were the catalyst for our argument,” Sabine said sheepishly. “His jealousy was his undoing. If you have forsaken me, he’ll be much more likely to trust you.”
“But I don’t—”
“It’s probably best to orchestrate a public performance,” Katrynn interrupted. “Something loud and messy enough that news spreads quickly through the palace and Tal hears about it from someone other than Elodie. That will feel more authentic.”
“And I’ll have to leave to uphold the optics,” Sabine added grimly. “Although I won’t be sorry to put some distance between myself and Tal.”
Elodie bit her lip. Sabine would be safer that way. Still, the idea of the other girl on her own made Elodie anxious. She had been unable to protect the New Maiden from the Second Son’s manipulations while residing under the same roof. What misfortune might befall her out in the world alone?
“I’ll come with you,” Katrynn declared.
“No,” Sabine said. “Please.” She turned to Elodie. “Let my family remain.”
“It’s not up for negotiation,” Katrynn said darkly. “Ma and Artur can stay here, but where you go, I go.”
“Me too,” Brianne chimed in.
Elodie turned to her youngest sister, surprised. “Bri, are you sure?”
Brianne nodded emphatically. “I’m a third daughter. My place is with the New Maiden.”
“All right,” Elodie said. But there was nothing right about their situation. If she had discovered Tal’s spiritual allegiance, if she had been less distracted by Edgar’s threats, perhaps the other women in her life would be safe.
Brianne frowned curiously. “Where would you stage this quarrel to ensure an audience?”
“The corridor outside the south wing library,” Katrynn answered immediately, much to Elodie’s surprise. “I was having tea with the Duchess of the Upper Banks when two Loyalist guards stood there talking about the Duke of Arlington’s second family in the Third Republic.” The Duke of Arlington was a self-important man who was always late to deliver his taxes. Now the queen knew why. “His wife hadn’t the faintest idea until she found out with the rest of us over tea.” Sabine’s sister grimaced. “But that’s not the best part.”
“There’s a best part?” It seemed the Royal Chaplain had very little patience for gossip.
“The best part is that when I went to tell Ma, she already knew.”
“How?” the Royal Chaplain asked, seemingly despite herself.
“She takes tea with the servants,” Katrynn explained. “She’s more comfortable there.”
“And the servants’ quarters are beneath the south wing?” Brianne ventured.
“Exactly!” Katrynn beamed. “Ma and I heard the same story at the same time.”
Understanding dawned on the New Maiden’s face. “The gossip will be dispersed by both servants and nobility. No one will be able to escape the rumors.”
It was a decent plan, but Elodie didn’t like it one bit. There were too many moving pieces. Too many unknowable parts. But the entire proposal hinged on her participation and subsequent execution. She owed Sabine that, at the very least.
“Fine,” she agreed, against her better judgment. She helped Sabine carefully to her feet. The other girl still looked shaken, fragile as a hatchling. “I’m frightened,” Elodie said. She put a hand to the New Maiden’s cheek.
Sabine nuzzled into her palm, her brown eyes endless pools of light. “Me too.”
“Promise you’ll be safe?”
Sabine’s grim laugh was not a satisfactory answer, but it seemed all the New Maiden had left to give.
“We need to move quickly,” Katrynn instructed. “Bet, I’ll accompany you to the south wing. Elodie, count to fifty before you follow.”
