A few more guests had arrived this week: several siblings of Laskaris and his wife, along with their own large families.
Xenia thought it a bit excessive—the wedding wasn’t for at least another three weeks—but she’d overheard mumblings about wanting to arrive at Stoneridge before the rebels made the continent impassable.
Why were Arran and Phidion were so keen to move forward with this wedding if war was about to erupt?
She pondered the question as she entered her final room for today’s shift.
Elodie’s room.
Xenia hadn’t forgotten about that strange encounter in Arran’s office the other day. And now she had the perfect excuse to snoop. The door closed behind her as she surveyed the messy space.
Pastel slippers were scattered across the floor while dresses in matching colors were strewn atop the unmade bed. An arrayof cosmetics and hair products sat atop the vanity, several containers tipped over and spilling onto the wood.
She rifled through the nightstands, the bureau, the vanity, finding nothing out of the ordinary. She had no idea what she was looking for, but assured herself she’d know it when she found it.
Ifshe found it.
Perhaps Cael was right, and her jealousy of Elodie was clouding her judgment. Had her assigning suspicious motives to ordinary actions.
But Xenia couldn’t shake the nagging sense thatsomethingwas off about the beautiful Beastrunner female who was poised to take Cael away from her forever.
She stepped into the closet, and her gaze snagged on a small chest tucked away in the corner.
Purposefully hidden.
Adrenaline tingled through her limbs.
She crouched down on her heels, then pulled the wooden chest out and attempted to pry open the lid.
It was locked.
Of course it was.
She hadn’t seen any kind of key during her initial search through Elodie’s drawers, so she checked underneath the pillows, tore through the blankets, even looked under the mattress.
Nothing.
Shit.
She searched through the pockets of Elodie’s scattered dresses, hanging them in the closet after each perusal, but no luck there either.
Venting a resigned sigh, Xenia returned the box to its hiding place, then began rifling through the dresses that were already hanging in the closet.
Her hand was deep into the pocket of a periwinkle silk dress when the doorknob turned and she froze.
“Whatare you doing in here?” Elodie stepped into the room, her nose crinkling as if she scented something unpleasant. “I’ve informed Mistress Ostere several times that I do not require housekeeping services.” Elodie didn’t bother closing the door. Merely crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her manicured nails against her upper arms. “Get out.”
Xenia scrambled from the closet, her hand catching the pocket and ripping the silk dress in her haste.
“Youimbecile,” Elodie snarled, darting for the dress and shaking it in Xenia’s face. “Do you have any idea how much this cost? Likely more than you’re worth.” Claws dug into Xenia’s flesh as Elodie grabbed her arm. “Let’s go. I’m sure the High Councilor will not be pleased to hear of your ineptitude.”
Xenia didn’t dare argue, blood pounding in her ears as Elodie dragged her through the hall muttering, “…don’t need this ridiculousness when I’m trying to prepare for awedding…going to bepunishedfor this, surely…don’t care how much my father paid for you…”
Xenia’s body slicked with cool sweat as Elodie pulled her down the front stairs. Her feet slipped and she tumbled down several before Elodie reached for her again, her claws slicing two long, painful gashes into Xenia’s upper arm.
Elodie snarled as she tugged Xenia upright, and something glinted at her collarbone.
A thin gold chain holding a brass key.
