“Too bad we can’t serve wolf,” she says smoothly. “Will someone find my horse?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Unwanted
Dark is falling when we make it back to Castle Reigenbach. Gisele and I endure a rowdy, quick dinner banquet with the rest of the hunting party, where the tale of her victory is sung again and again. I can’t help but notice Count von Hirsching looking increasingly uneasy with the number of nobles clapping Gisele on the shoulder. That I file away for later. If Gisele’s star is on the rise, it means further murder attempts are going to draw more scrutiny than Adalbrecht can aff ord.
Ragne is waiting for us in the bedroom. Almost immediately after the hallway door shuts, there’s a knock at the veranda. I let Emeric in.
He’s surprisingly pale, almost rattled; his sleeves have a myriad of wrinkles from being rolled and unrolled over and over. “I heard a wolf attacked you,” he says the moment he steps in. His hands close over my shoulders, as if to verify I’m still in one piece. “Are you hurt? Was it the margrave?”
“It was the margrave,” Ragne answers. Emeric blinks over at her. I’d almost swear he forgot she was there.
Gisele hangs her cloak on the rack. “We’re all fine. But that copper knife came in handy.”
“The wolf was amahr. I’ve seen bigger,” I say. “But I’m also on your side now, horses are absolutely cursed.”
He lets me go, looking a bit flustered, and mumbles, “They justbitethings for no reason.”
I pull the copper dagger from my belt and hand it back to him, a grin unfurling across my face. “You were worried about us, weren’t you?”
Emeric starts futzing with a sleeve. “Of course I was.”
“Did you find anything in the study?” Gisele asks, sitting on the trunk to undo her boots.
Emeric shakes his head. “Von Reigenbach left two soldiers posted outside the door this time. I can handle it, but they’ll know what hit them, so . . .”
“We should save that for right before the Godly Court is called.” I set my gloves on the vanity.
Emeric catches my wrist with just his fingertips, eyes on the new outbreak of pearls. Each one is as wide across as a white penny. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”
I duck my head. “Full moon is Sunday night, after the wedding. If we haven’t brought Adalbrecht down by then, I have bigger problems.”
No one seems to know what to say.
I know what Gisele is thinking: She could take her place back now, but that would only be to help me. That might even make the curse worse. I know what Ragne is thinking: Her mother’s curse is killing her first friend.
I’m never quite sure what Emeric is thinking; I just know his fingers tighten the briefest moment before he drops my wrist.
Gisele tries and fails to stifle a yawn. Emeric starts at that. “I should go,” he mumbles. “You all need to rest. Good night.”
Before I can tell him he’s welcome to stick around, he’s slipped out the door.
Gisele sighs. “Sorry, Vanja.”
“For what?”
Ragne and Gisele trade looks. “I think,” Ragne says delicately, “that the Emeric wanted to be alone with you.”
I laugh too loud. “No, he didn’t, he wanted to make sure we were fine after the hunt.”
Gisele raises her eyebrows. “Sure.” Then she yawns again.
I lunge for the opening to change the subject. “You can sleep here, if you want. The cathedral’s a long walk, and if you aren’t wearing the pearls, Adalbrecht may mistake you for a servant and try something desperate.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you,” Gisele says, but I can tell she’s exhausted.
I also suspect it’s been too long since she slept on anything but a straw pallet. “You and Ragne can take the bed, and I’ll sleep by the hearth.”
