Page 43 of A Dark and Drowning Tide

“That he is an exceedingly unpleasant man,” Lorelei said impatiently. “However, once you are queen, he will not attempt to depose you until it’s politically expedient for him to do so. Are you satisfied?”

Sylvia looked as though she meant to argue more, but as Lorelei shrugged off her waistcoat, she suddenly took great interest in the ceiling.Lorelei—ratherheroically, shethought—resistedthe urge to roll her eyes. There was no need to get so worked up about it. The Albisch and their prudish modesty!

Without dignifying her with a reply, Sylvia collapsed in front of the vanity in the corner of the room. The mirror had gone hazy and spotted with oxidization. She rummaged through her things and lined up a series of crystal bottles on the counter. Then, she began miserably applying various potions (tinctures? serums? It was all beyond Lorelei) to her skin and finger-combing oils through her hair. She looked tragic, like some lovelorn maiden sitting by her window.

The scent traveled through the room. Lorelei had gotten bare whiffs of herperfumes—lemon,bergamot,roses—overthe years, whenever she leaned too close or Sylvia swept the mass of her hair over her shoulders. But now the sheer concentration of it was making her feel light-headed. It would haunt even her dreams.

Lorelei tugged the knot of her cravat loose with force. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“Well, you shall have to cope,” Sylvia snapped.“Now...looksomewhere else.”

Obediently, Lorelei turned around. Behind her came the soft sound of Sylvia undoing the buttons of her fine linen shirt, the rustle of fabric as it slid off her shoulders and pooled onto the floor.

Lorelei’s mouth suddenly felt quite dry. She fumbled to remove her gloves, but they caught on her skin, damp with river water and sweat. Despite the draft stealing in through the window, it had gotten terribly hot in here, and it was making her irritable. She splashed her face with water from the washbasin.

As quickly as she could, she changed into a sleeping shirt and slid into bed. The covers were thin and scratchy, and they made her painfully aware of every inch of her skin. For a few moments, she lay stiff beneath the linens with her eyes trained on the ceiling.

Footsteps padded lightly against the floorboards. There was ashushof breath, followed by a flood of darkness as the candle went out. The creak of springs as Sylvia climbed into bed. Lorelei lay awake, listening to the wild thrum of her own heart, to the slide of sheets over skin. She’d found Sylvia napping in sunny spots in the library and on campus so many times, she knew the exact cadence of her breath as she slept. She listened for it now, the moment she would surrender.

Neither of them slept for several hours.

Eleven

LORELEI WOKE TO THEcrow of a rooster. She nearly launched herself frombed—andthen directly into the headboard when she saw Sylvia standing by the window. She had almost forgotten they’d shared a room last night.

The light filtering through their window veiled Sylvia in white. Her hair was a sleek rope draped over her shoulder. It dripped from its ends and stained the starched white of her shirt. Lorelei’s stomach twisted itself into a knot as Sylvia tipped her face toward her. The stupid smile on her face evaporated into pity.

“What?” Lorelei bit out. Her voice was raspy with sleep.

“You have nightmares.” Sylvia winced as soon as it was out of her mouth, as though she hadn’t meant to say it. “Ah, in anycase...Itis a beautiful day!”

Lorelei didn’t dignify her with a response. She only rolled her eyes as viciously as she could and flung off the covers. Sylvia von Wolff, looking atherwith pity. It was an insult too great to bear. Furthermore, it was far earlier in the morning than Lorelei preferred, and she saw little to be so chipper about.

When she rose, she saw the state of the room and made a helpless noise of dismay. It looked as though a gale-force wind had blown through in thenight—orperhaps Sylvia had smuggled one of her infernal creatures in with her luggage. The contents of herbags—books,clothing,saber—layscattered across the floor. “What happened here?”

“I had to get ready,” Sylvia said, as if that explained anything at all. Lorelei did not know how she’d slept through such an event ifthiswas the result. The saber, Sylvia rescued from the pile of refuse and strapped to her hip. “Emilia mentioned there is a shop down the road. We should be able to restock our supplies there.”

Lorelei already felt a headache coming on. “We have no money, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“I am sure Ludwig can help us. Now, hurry up. I have been awake for hours!” This came floating from beyond the door. She had not bothered to finish her sentence before whisking into the hall.

“Ludwig is a merchant’s son, not a miracle worker. He already told me the moneyis—”Lorelei called after her, but the door fell shut.

She sighed. Ludwig could be quite persuasive when he wanted to be. His father had taught him how to haggle and run a business. It did not hurt that there was something sweetly pathetic about his face that made most people go weak in the knees.

When she went downstairs, she found the two of them already waiting by the door. Miraculously, it seemed Ludwig’s wardrobe had survived the journey. He wore an impeccably tailored cloak embroidered with cornflowers done in pretty lavender thread and twirled a ring on his littlest finger. Something about it looked vaguely familiar.

“Ready to see a professional at work?” he asked slyly.

“Where did you get such a thing?” Lorelei asked.

“This thing?” He flipped it into the air like a coin and caught it in his fist. The facets of the absurdly large gem refracted light into her eyes. “Oh, Heike gave it to me to pawn. She said she was bored of it.”

Sylvia looked quite smug, which Lorelei thought was entirely unwarranted.

Together, they walked into the cool morning light. Beyond the inn’s rickety wooden gate, the town unfolded into rows of obnoxiously bright houses, huddled together against the chill. At the end of theroad, they found the shop. A crudely painted sign propped up beside the door read:

ENCHANTEDGOODS—INQUIREWITHIN