“‘Bree, no,’ indeed,” she says. “I only mean to help.” She steps to the center and turns toward the crowd. “My sister has put me to shame. I have brought no offering. But I can help her in the burning of hers.”
Katharine nocks the arrow and lights the head in the nearest lantern. The arrow burns prettily as she sights up into the darkening sky. When she draws back and shoots, it arcs out over the cove and strikes the barge dead center. The fire spreads, and the crowd aahs with relief. Many clap softly, and not only poisoners. High Priestess Luca scowls at Natalia, but when Katharine looks back, Natalia nods. Mirabella’s moment has been thoroughly stolen.
“This puts me in mind for something else,” Katharine says loudly, looking at her bow. “I know there is a great feast awaiting us in the square. But we are in Wolf Spring, are we not? Home of the naturalists?” People in the crowd nod, their eyes filled with reflected flames from the burning barge. Mirabella and the High Priestess shrink backward, but there is nowhere to go but into the sea.
“I have nothing to offer,” Katharine half-shouts. “No fine gifts. But I would still honor the naturalist queen.” Her eyes settle on Arsinoe, petting her bear. The creature looks confused. Nothing to be afraid of, the poor thing. “Before we sit down to feast together . . . I would have Queen Arsinoe lead her sisters on a hunt.”
Arsinoe’s stomach drops into her shoes. Everyone is cheering for Katharine’s challenge. Even her Wolf Spring people. The great, wild fools can never resist a hunt. And with her bear, they think she can win. They think the poisoner queen has made a fatal mistake.
Amid the poisoners, a handsome boy with pale blond hair whispers furiously into Katharine’s ear, and Natalia Arron and the Black Council shift on their feet. They did not plan this. But they cannot stop it now, and nor can the priestesses or the Westwoods.
It is a challenge from one of the queens. It is why they came.
Arsinoe stares straight ahead. She will not plead and make Cait and Ellis feel guilty when they cannot help. Soon enough, Cait’s strong voice cuts through the din.
“The hunt will commence in the northern woods, past the orchard. Make your queens ready.”
Out over the sea, the sun is setting. There is too much light left. Too much to be able to wait for cover of dark, when Arsinoe’s knowledge of the landscape could help her. She scans the crowd. Billy’s eyes are full, as though she is already dead. Luke is praying, probably thanking the Goddess for a sure victory. Arsinoe digs her fingers into Braddock’s fur.
“Jules,” she whispers. “Where are you?”
THE QUEENS’ HUNT
Arsinoe runs from the gathering at the cove. Braddock jogs by her side and butts her with his head, the impact hard enough to send her nearly sprawling. She leans down to quickly kiss his ears. The sweet bear thinks it is only play.
“Arsinoe!”
She turns. Billy lingers at the bottom of the hill. He cannot follow. If only they had a moment to talk, he would try to tell her what to do. He could find Jules and Joseph. Maybe act like a mainlander fool and make her angry enough to have a fighting chance.
“Don’t look so sad,” she says even though he is too far away to hear. “We both knew one of them would do something like this.”
Running probably seemed cowardly. Neither of her sisters ran. Mirabella scarcely could, surrounded by priestesses and Westwoods, and of course Katharine would not. The little poisoner has been waiting for her chance, hatching a plan all on her own.
“Arsinoe!”
It is Luke, with Hank flapping on his shoulder.
“I can’t wait!” she shouts. She has to make it to the orchard and into the woods before her sisters or it will be over before it begins. Katharine said that Arsinoe was to lead the hunt. But all that means is that Arsinoe will be the quarry.
“Luke, stay out of the woods! Find Jules! Find Jules and Joseph!”
The Westwoods and Luca stop Mirabella just west of the square. They form a wall of robes, and Bree, Sara, and Elizabeth take her out of her Midsummer dress and put her into her hunting clothes: leggings and light boots, a warm tunic and cloak.
“Quickly, quickly,” Luca orders breathlessly.
“I need my crossbow,” Bree says. “And one for Elizabeth.”
“Bree, you cannot interfere.”
“I know that. But this is a hunt. Do you think the poisoner queen is going to charge into those woods by herself? She will have an entire Arron guard!”
“She is right,” says Elizabeth. One of the priestesses hands her a weapon, and she hoists it in her good hand. “We will not interfere. But we won’t let you face this alone.”
Mirabella looks at Luca, but the High Priestess says nothing. Instead, Luca takes Bree and Elizabeth by the shoulders.
“You good girls,” she says. “You loyal friends. Do not let our queen fall to treachery. If death finds her, it must come from a queen and a queen only.”
“Wait,” Mirabella protests. “Arsinoe does not know that she may have a guard! I saw her run off alone, and the Milones have not gone after her!”
“Good,” says Sara. “An advantage.”
“But that is not fair!”
“Mira,” Luca says as gently as she can. “This was never going to be fair. Now, to the woods. Over the hill to the orchard. Follow the Wolf Spring priestesses.”
“Katharine, what have you done?” Pietyr asks. He puts his hands on both sides of his head as servants help Katharine out of her gown and into hunting clothes.
“She is doing what she is meant to do,” says Nicolas as he watches her change. Pietyr looks like he would break him in half.
“You stay out of this,” Pietyr barks. “I have had enough of your mainlander ideas. You are a suitor and not even her chosen one. You are not an Arron.”
Katharine lets them bicker. The tension between them must overflow eventually. She just hopes she is there to see it when it does.
“If he has put ideas into my head, Pietyr, they are nowhere near as many as you have.” Pietyr quiets. He glares at Nicolas. It is a good thing she is taking them with her on the hunt.
Katharine slides her throwing knives into their sheaths and buckles them about her waist as Natalia sweeps into her room.
“My sweet Kat. You continue to surprise me.”
“This will be easier, Natalia. You will see.” She slides a longer knife into her boot. “It would have been chaos trying to poison at the dinner. So much sleight of hand and changing plates. You know I have never been good at that.”
“You are a skilled archer, Kat, but I have never known you to be good at hunting. This is more risk than the Council cares to take.”
“Be that as it may, they cannot stop it now.” Katharine gestures to a servant. “Crossbow. And bolts dipped in Winter Rose,” she orders, referring to the Arrons’ favorite hunting poison.
“No, we cannot,” Natalia agrees. “The wait for your return will be long, with my sister and Renata in my ear. Do not tarry. You must promise.”
Katharine pauses. No one else can see what she can in Natalia’s eyes. Natalia will never show fear or doubt. But they are there. Be careful and return to her is what she means.