Tara’s wand has an O engraved on it. I only know one person whose name starts with an O: Olivina. I have a million questions. Did Tara steal it? Did Olivina give it to her? Is she secretly working with her? My heart beats wildly. Tara seems deathly afraid of the fairy godmother and has been hiding out in the woods to avoid seeing her. None of this makes any sense.
The two of us walk in silence the entire way to the castle. We arrive around the back and pause near the vegetable patch, hiding by the stables. I take a deep breath and give the signal: a birdcall.
A few seconds later, I hear the same birdcall back.
“She’s here! Let’s go,” I tell Tara, hurrying ahead of her and her stolen (borrowed? lended?) wand.
Brynn lifts her lantern into the approaching darkness, and I see her blue eyes light up as we approach. The kitchen at RA is notoriously busy with dozens of chefs cooking to suit every prince’s and princess’s favorite cuisines. As such, it’s the easiest place, according to Logan, to slip in unnoticed. One of several back doors to the kitchen are open, and I can hear pots and pans banging and people shouting requests. Brynn stands in the doorway, her blond hair tucked into a white cap trimmed with a pink ribbon. She’s wearing her lady-in-waiting apron and uniform. The two of us run to each other.
“Miss!” Brynn hugs me. “You made it safely!”
I give her an extra-tight squeeze. I hate knowing she’s risking her life to help us. The thought of her having to work with Clarissa makes me want to break out in hives. It’s so good to see you. Even if this meeting might get us both wanded to the ice caps if we’re spotted.”
“I’ve taken every precaution, miss,” Brynn says. “I helped Clarissa dress and sent her off to Marta to cover for us with a one-of-a-kind final fitting. All I had to say was ‘one-of-a-kind’ and ‘Marta,’ and she was running, miss!”
I laugh. “You’ll have to thank Marta for me.”
“She misses you. We both do.” Brynn’s face falls. “Clarissa expects me to trim her hangnails and make sure her night masks don’t smudge while she sleeps. I’m so tired, miss, and—oh!” Spotting Tara for the first time, she falters. “Hello.”
“Brynn, this is Tara. Tara, meet Brynn,” I introduce them. “Tara…” With everything that’s been going on, I have no clue how to introduce her, so I just say, “Tara lives at the tree house in the woods you’ve had Demetris bring letters to. She’s been looking out for us while we’ve been banished.”
Brynn beams. “Thank you for taking care of my favorite people.”
Tara side-eyes me. “Yes, well, let’s get on with the night, shall we?” She slips past us and heads into the hallway. Brynn looks at me worriedly.
“You’re not the only one who’s had to endure a cranky roommate,” I say lightly. I quickly update her on Sasha and Logan and how they’re staying behind.
Brynn takes the lead. “I’m afraid you might be too dressed up for the kitchen waitstaff.”
“We’re not guests too?” Tara asks.
“Sorry for the last-minute change of plans, but every guest has been accounted for, and you only made aliases for Princess Scarlet and her date,” Brynn explains. “I thought there might be a few no-shows whose identities you could take, but this is the event of the season and everyone’s showing up. The two of you will be able to get around the castle by posing as ladies-in-waiting who are doubling as waitstaff tonight. Thankfully, I’ve hidden a few extra uniforms in a sack in the bread pantry. You can change there.”
After we change and I make sure Lily and the jewel are safely secured in my new uniform, I’m ready to get to business.
“Kira, any updates?” I ask my kobold.
“Yes!” Kira tells me. “Prue says Olivina’s quarters are unoccupied tonight. At the moment, she’s greeting the royal court and Princess Scarlet at the entrance to the school.” I breathe a sigh of relief that Raina and Heath made it inside.
The scent of baked apples greets me as we near the kitchen again. Brynn pulls us inside where I immediately start coughing.
We are standing in a dust storm of confectioner’s sugar.
“Keep sprinkling!” instructs a chef to a group of ladies-and lads-in-waiting standing in front of miniature chocolate ganache cakes. While Logan probably would have opted for the less-is-more approach to cake decorating, this chef has taken a different tactic. “Hazel says Olivina wants each cake covered with sugary perfection! Sugar is Princess Scarlet’s favorite ingredient!”
I try not to laugh. This is all for Raina? What exactly did Prue write in her letter to Olivina?
“You three? Why are you just standing there?” A sous chef holding a tray of steamed carrots spots us and frowns. “The appetizer course just went out, and we’re prepping the plates for the main course. Shouldn’t you be at your stations?”
“Sorry, sir! We’re headed over there now.” I spot a table where ladies-in-waiting are arranging swirls of potatoes and gravy on plum china plates. (Plum, I believe, is Princess Scarlet’s favorite color.) Everyone has their heads down and is busy chopping, prepping, and garnishing. The three of us jump right in.
“Your plate is missing carrots!” the same sous chef yells at me. “Oh!”
I guess the steak on my plate does look kind of lonely without any side dishes.
“Weren’t you prepped on the dinner course ahead of time, lady-in-waiting?” the sous chef questions.
I’m not thrilled at his tone. “I have a name. It’s…” Drooping dragons. What is it?
“Lila,” Brynn replies. “Why don’t you watch me assemble my plate? That way you can get yours out faster than a lion can outrun a dragon.”
I grab a pair of tongs to start plating the dish. I get one carrot on the plate when a bell rings. People cover their plates with silver tops and leave the table with them. I follow Brynn and Tara. A chef at the door is watching us head out into the ballroom.
“Heads held high! Smile!” he says. “You are here to serve the royals of this land, and you are thankful for this job Olivina has graciously granted you! Whatever your royal asks of you—whether it be a request for more steak sauce or butter—you grant it! You were placed at RA to serve your royals!”
I bite my lip. This is what ladies- and lads-in-waiting have to hear every day? It’s terrible! Why can’t we get our own butter or steak sauce?
Brynn gives me a look before entering the room ahead of me. I quickly follow and enter a banquet hall that puts my anniversary ball planning to shame.
Glittering black and green beads and feather-covered chandeliers match the color scheme and decor on every table in the room. A band I’ve never heard of (Gnome-More) is playing on the black-and-white-checkered dance floor. They’re tiny in stature, but wow, can they play. The royal court watches them from a table on a raised platform near the center of the room, while the Dwarf Police Squad patrols the perimeter. Students have flooded the dance floor in elaborate masks that sparkle and glow. I spot one that flashes the words I RULE.
“What is it about royal gatherings and the need to one-up each other?” I wonder aloud.
“I know,” Brynn agrees, her voice in my ear. “I wonder what would happen if we took all the time and energy everyone placed on parties and put it into something really useful like disarming villains or combating ogre breath.”
“Who is that girl?” Kira asks in my ear. “I like her.”
“Me too,” I reply as a couple in full feather headdresses swings by me.
No one seems to notice the parade of ladies- and lads-in-waiting making their way to their tables.
“After we place our dinners, we should be able to slip out of the room unseen,” Brynn whispers.
“You three,” the chef points to us. “Table sixteen!”
I’m halfway to the table when I realize whose it is: Princess Scarlet’s.
Unlike most of the tables that are empty as students dance the night away, theirs is full, and Raina and Heath—Princess Scarlet and her escort—are holding court with Clarissa Hartwith and her roommates.
“Well, finally!” Clarissa says when she sees us. “I thought we’d have to wait all night to get our meals.” She turns to Raina. I mean Scarlet! “It’s not normally like this here. As Hazel will tell you, we have the best ladies-in-waiting in the kingdom. Normally, those with high royal rankings are served first, but I suspect this one forgot.” With an eye roll and a not-so-subtle hand motion toward Brynn, she leans in and whispers. “This is just my temporary lady-in-waiting until Hazel finds me someone more suitable.”
I hold my tongue and remind myself why we’re here—to oust Olivina and make sure no royal is schooled to think like Clarissa.
“Temporary because three others have already quit on her,” one of Clarissa’s roommates mumbles to Heath. “Brynn is the only one they could convince to put up with her, and she was only free because of what happened to those other royals a few weeks ago.”
“If you ask me, Princess Clarissa, you have poor judgment,” Raina speaks up, and I almost drop my platter. “I’ve heard great things of this Brynn Haun from Hazel, and any princess would be lucky to have her. Maybe she can become mine if I attend RA.”
Clarissa’s cheeks are a deep shade of plum.
I hear a hoot in my ear and wince. “Way to go, Raina! You tell them!” Kira shouts. “Hey! I can’t see!” she cries.
Brynn blushes and stares at the platter she’s holding.
“Prue says you guys need to get a move on,” Kira tells me. “Olivina is headed to the banquet hall to give her opening remarks.”
“I think Princess Scarlet could use some air,” says Heath, grabbing Raina’s arm and steering her away from the table. “We are going to step outside for a moment. Excuse us.”
I suppress a giggle as I set the covered plate in front of Clarissa and follow the others back the way we came. I’m still close enough to hear Clarissa.
“Hey!” she complains. “How come my plate has only one carrot and no sides?”