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The sisters laughed. Tulip’s head spun; she felt like she was caught within their laughter and she would never escape.
“Why, it’s your dear sweet nanny. Didn’t you know, my dear? She’s a witch like…us.” Martha cackled.
Tulip backed away from the witches as if they were deadly serpents.
“You’re what?”
The witches could see Tulip trying to take it all in. Nanny felt she had made a horrible mistake not sending Tulip away while she dealt with this matter. She hadn’t wanted to diminish the princess’s chances with Popinjay, but this wasn’t working. It was a disaster. There was far too much to explain to Tulip to make her understand, and they were losing time.
“I’m sorry, my dear heart, but I think it’s time for you to sleep.”
Tulip looked dazed, as if in a waking dream. “Yes, if you’ll excuse me, I think I will go rest now.”
With a kiss for her nanny, Tulip went off to her rooms, where she would stay until Nanny went to wake her.
“I see you remember how to put young girls to sleep,” said Lucinda, laughing. It had been a very long time since Lucinda had laughed; she had laughed more on that day than she had in several months and thought it was a very fine thing. Her sisters seemed to agree, because they joined her. Their laughter swelled and fed upon itself, becoming louder and wickeder until it filled the entire sitting room, shaking it and rattling the chandeliers.
No, witches, no!
It was Pflanze, making her thoughts known to all the witches.
You will catch this beautiful room on fire! she said, looking up at the chandelier bouncing about, jostling the lit candles.
“Ladies, tea is waiting for us in the solarium. The view is much better there and the room is less, ah…combustible,” said Nanny as the footmen came into the room. She turned to them. “The princess is very vexed from her ordeals over the past several days, so I gave her something to soothe her nerves. Could you please tell Rose to make sure she’s made it to her rooms?”
“Yes, mum.”
“Now, let’s go help ourselves to some tea.”
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The witches made their way to the solarium down a long hallway with striking murals, which looked particularly lovely in the golden candlelight. Tea was waiting for them, with tiny pink frosted cakes, scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, and a beautiful cherry and walnut cake. Ruby sneakily slipped one of the black-and-silver teacups into her purse while fawning over the selection of confections.
“What a lovely tea, Nanny. Very thoughtful.”
The main room was astonishingly beautiful, with its glass-domed ceilings and breathtaking view of the rest of the Lighthouse of the Gods. The twilight sky was darkening, and sunset was almost upon them. The witches were growing nervous about the part they must play in Ursula’s plot.
“That’s why we’re here, sisters. We know what you’re planning with Ursula.”
Lucinda was quick to anger. “Has the Dark Fairy contacted you, then? Did she send you her odious warning, as well?”
Nanny hadn’t heard from the Dark Fairy in ages. In fact, she had forgotten all about her until recently, much like her powers. She had lost her memories before coming to the Morningstar court.
“No, I can’t imagine she’d be involved with this madness,” she said as Martha scoffed.
“She was always a favorite of yours, wasn’t she? Always so perfect. She could never do wrong in your eyes, not even when she destroyed the Fairylands in a fit of rage.”
Nanny sighed. “I thought she was your friend.”
“And so she is,” said Lucinda. “But I won’t have her interfering with our plans to find Circe! She has crossed the line with us far too many times. It’s time she was knocked down from the lofty place she’s set herself upon!”
Nanny was growing impatient.
“We’re not here to discuss Maleficent! Her story is too long and complicated to debate in the time we have left, but I am interested in this warning she sent you.”
Lucinda rolled her eyes. “It was nothing. I won’t discuss it.”
Then, giving Nanny a sly look, she continued. “I’d rather discuss how you came to remember who you are. How long were you here among the Morningstars, not knowing your own powers? Not remembering?” She smiled. “I wonder just how much you truly remember.”
