“That’s exactly what I said,” Father tells me, and we share a rare smile.
Trixie takes my hand, and Mother puts an arm around me as Felix talks a mile a minute about what has been going on at home. Cobbler glass slipper sales are through the roof. Han and Hamish are at Mother Goose Pre-K today. (“It’s the golden egg party, and they really want to win,” Trixie says.) I expected Anna to be silent, but Father is equally so. We shared a moment last time he was here, and yet today he looks worried and is wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
“I can’t believe you’re a Royal Lady-in-Waiting,” Trixie coos. “Can you, Anna?” She nudges my sister, then touches my glowing sash. “You’ve wanted to be one forever!”
“Yes, well, thanks to Gilly, I’m one step closer since her tricks in the village got me a warning.” Anna gives me a nasty look.
I forgot they knew about my breakout. Father must be furious with me. “I’m so sorry about that. You see—”
“Anna is old enough to take care of herself,” Mother says stiffly. “If she wants to be foolish enough to aid you and your friends when you’re sneaking out of school, then she must pay the consequences. We already know you have two weeks of detention. Headmistress Flora sent a Pegasus Post.”
“Yes,” I say, failing to mention how Princess Rose sweet-talked Madame Cleo into letting me serve my time with extra RLW sessions. “It’s been very trying.”
“Trying? Curtsies?” Anna asks. “Who are you kidding?” She storms off, but I see the hallway in front of her waffling.
“Wait!” I put an arm out to stop her, and the hallway seals up in front of her. Anna is stunned.
“That. Is. So. Cool!” Trixie squeals when a new hallway opens in its place.
“The hallways are magical,” I explain. “You need a map to get around this place.”
“Do you get a wand?” Trixie says eagerly.
“Now, Trixie, you know you can’t have one of those ’til you’re twenty-one and have taken Wand 101,” Father reminds her.
“We have training wands,” I say, hoping this will impress Anna. She’s always wanted her own wand. “We were allowed to take them out for a test run a few weeks ago. They have a number of spells programmed in them but they only worked for an hour.”
“Is that why you now have some purple hair and a weird hairdo?” Felix asks.
“No, my hair was cursed, but it’s fine,” I say quickly when Mother raises an eyebrow. Anna glances at me, intrigued, then looks away. “My friend did my hair today and I like it.”
Felix frowns. “It’s not very you.”
We’re almost at the RLW tea when a new hallway takes us in a different direction and I get completely turned around. I’ve been so overwhelmed with all my new RLW duties and this fight with my friends that it takes me a minute to get my bearings. When we find a new hallway, I practically throw my family through the opening. We land in front of the observatory where light music is playing and Raza and Tessa are at the door handing out roses to guests on their way in. The way Mother gasps at the gift when she’s handed one makes me feel guilty. I can only imagine how Maxine’s mom would have reacted. Trixie and Felix race in after Mother, but Father hesitates.
“Anna, your sister is waiting to take us inside,” I hear him tell my sister.
My sister folds her arms across her chest stubbornly, looking a lot like…well, the old me. “I’m not going. Not until you tell her about the note you received this morning.”
“Anna!” Father scolds, sounding a lot like…well, how he sounded when he used to yell at me. “I told you we are not bothering your sister about this.”
“Why not?” Anna demands. “It’s her fault we’re even getting scrolls!”
“Show me,” I insist to Father, feeling nervous. “I want to know what’s going on.”
Father sighs and pulls out a piece of parchment. The handwriting in this note is different from the one Kayla received, and the message is menacing.
YOU have riches and a famous daughter, but I can take it all away. If you care about your family, tell Gillian to be a charming girl and do what she’s told.
I feel ill. My biggest fear is there on paper taunting me. I peer closer at the parchment, noticing an extremely long, golden hair. A clue! I pluck it and place it in my pocket.
“I found the note tucked into our morning scroll,” Father tells me quietly. “Your mother doesn’t know. A clipping of the story on your breakout was with it.” He gives me a look.
I ignore that part. “Why didn’t you call the Dwarf Police Squad? They can protect our boot!”
Father shakes his head. “We’re obviously being watched.” He pats my hand. “I don’t want you to worry about this.”