“Heather, there is something else Holly brought to my attention that I’d like to discuss with you,” Queen Plume begins. The cadence of her voice reminds me of a teacher about to send someone down to the principal’s office. I look toward Moth for support, but he’s already shown himself out. The base of my shoulders stiffens, and I feel my antennae go rigid. I know we’re still mad at each other, but couldn’t he have stuck around for a few more minutes?
“That device you carry around… your cellular phone?”
“Yes,” I gulp, taking the phone out of my pocket. I’ve been careful to keep it turned off during the day, but I’m dangerously close to empty on this thing.
“I understand you have been taking portraitsusing it.”
“Oh, is that not … okay?” I scramble to slide open the gallery so she can take a look. “I haven’t taken photos with anyone, but I can delete anything you want me to.”
God, I can’t believe I didn’t ask first. I’m turning into my mother. A flash of guilt sinks through my chest. I remember the feeling of my privacy being invaded when she came to visit and took pictures of Moth and my home. Yeah, she posted them to all her followers,but still…
Maybe Queen Plume doesn’t want me to have the memories of this place captured inmy pocket.
Skillfully, she copies the swiping motion I had used to open the app. With wide eyes, she flicks through the gallery, studying each photo long enough to make me squirm in my seat. “These are—”
A horrible invasion of privacy.
A silly and frivolous waste of time.
Totally vain and ridiculous.
“Absolutely stunning,” she gasps. For the first time, I notice the bright curiosity in her wide, green eyes.
“Really!?”Holly and I shoutin unison.
“They are so terribly personal; I feel as though I’m getting an actual glimpse into your day,” the queen remarks musically. “Would you replicate this for us?”
“Like a photo booth?” I frown. “I love that, but I don’t think I’ll have enough battery to take pictures all night.”
She hums. I know she’s capable of getting me a phone charger—or heck, I could go through the portal myself. But that would raise questions with Moth, and I feel bad enough keeping one secret from him. We really do needto talk.
“For just us then—a familyphoto.” She nods decidedly. “Our portrait is long overdue for an update—”
“Which I have already commissioned,” Holly interrupts.
“Yes, my darling, but I’m curious to see what Heather comes up with.” She taps her chin, tilting her head to one side then another, looking not unlike a porcelain doll. “I would like something less… stiff.”
“I’ll try my best.” That is, if I can get Moth to stand next to me for long enough to take a picture. It’s not like we haven’t gotten into squabbles this past year, but nothing like this. I keep retracing each of our words, and I can’t figure out who even started it. Given our history, it was probably—no,definitelyme.
We usually talk aboutit by now.
“Do you want it to be displayed at the ball?” I ask. If so, I’m going to have to figure out how to get aprinter…
Queen Plume hums to herself. I think she’s about to say yes until Holly stands.
“No, nothing this intimate will be shown to our public.”
“Well, you heard the princess.” Queen Plume nods. “This will be something special for us afterthe ball.”
“After the ball.” I nod.
Will the photo be a memory of our time here or the beginning of a new future?
18.
The thing about having conversational warfare over dinner is that you rarely eat much. My growling stomach has been keeping me awake for hours. Moth hasn’t come to bed, and as much as staring at him across the room has unlocked another kind of hunger, he’s not the snack I’m looking for.
I need to find actual food in this maze, and considering it’s pitch black, and I can’t remember if I took a left turn or a right, I’m having a reallyfuckinghard time doing that.
