Luna stops midway, sniffing the air. “Strange.”
“Is something wrong with My Lady?” one of the voices asks from farther down the hall.
“Sandalwood, amber, and peonies,” she mumbles. My pits sweat knowing she is picking up the scent of the perfume my father has specially mixed for me. Without making a sound, and moving with the speed of sap down a tree, I get the door open and slip inside. “I thought I smelled something.”
“Only your husband and Sir Beetlerum come to this side of the house, ma’am. I’m sure it’s just cleaning scents left behind by the maids.”
“You’re probably right.” Luna turns to continue on and together they finish up what they were doing.
Waiting in the dark, I listen. I hear them go into one of the furthest rooms in the hall and then come out, walking back towards the staircase.
“Once he goes into his office, he’s going to be so surprised, ma’am,” another girl says as they pass the door I’m hidden behind. Her voice is almost childlike, and I can’t imagine she’s over the age of fifteen. Must be a servant assigned to Luna.
She does offer good insight though. If Morren’s office is all the way down the hall, then I would bet some moinlings his father’s isn’t far from it.
“Oh,” Luna says, as they hit the steps. “I forgot something. You two head back down and help with supper. Let the others know I’ll be there momentarily.”
“I can fetch it for you,” the younger one pleads.
“I got it. As I said, you two head back down.”
My heartbeat quickens. Why isn’t she leaving?
The sound of footsteps trail downstairs and then the hall falls silent.
Now would be the time to go for the study, but I know Luna is still around. Giving it a minute, I still don’t hear anything and wonder if she went back to Morren’s office.
Slow and steady, I create a gap in the doorway and peer out into the corridor. There is nothing in my line of sight. It doesn’t mean that Luna still isn’t on this floor. If I go now, then we could easily bump into each other.
A creaking noise sends me flying back, away from the door.
“Ariah?” Luna’s voice is cautious.
New rule, no more perfume while on assignment. Definite violation of the untraceable part, especially when you have a custom scent.
The door swings open and Luna comes in with a candle in hand. She sees me and jumps back, the candle falling and the flame grabbing hold of the tassels on the carpet.
“What’s wrong with you?” I shout as we both stomp to put the fire out.
“Ariah?” She scurries to what looks like a dresser and lights the candle once more before coming over and pulling the mask that I forgot was on, off my face. “What in the hell are you doing here? How did you even get in?”
“The back door was unlocked.”
She lowers the candle and examines my clothes. “What are you wearing?”
Had this been a task assigned by the Queen, I know what would be expected of me for being caught, and the thought makes me ill. Thankfully, the Queen isn’t here, and neither is my mother. Besides my family, Luna is the only person I would trust with my life. With my family’s secret. Our honesty has fueled our friendship—lying now might destroy it all.
“Promise me you won’t say anything.” She nods without question, just as I would. “Not even to Morren.” She nods again, a little more hesitantly this time, but it’s a nod nonetheless. “I leave for the Queen’s court tomorrow.” Her eyes and mouth widen, but I finish before she can interject. “It’s a long story that I promise to tell you about when I have more time, but right now, I need to get into Sabbien’s office. Can you show me where it is?”
She stands there, reluctantly waiting, and I can’t fault her. If someone wearing a strange fox mask, lingering in the dark, asked for my help, I wouldn’t offer it either.
“Let’s go!” I’m right behind her as she charges down the hall—her candle flickering with the speed of her gait. “He keeps it locked.”
“No worries.” Instinctively, my hand goes for a needle in my pocket and I use it to twist the mechanism of the lock until I hear that beautiful click. It’s another useful skill my mother has taught me over the past few days.
Once unlocked, she stares at me, a million questions swim in her eyes, as she allows me to enter first.
Taking another candle near the entrance, she lights it and hands it over. “This is his office. An office he hates people going into, so hurry up.”
