Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George [31]
Kind-hearted Iris tucked pillows under the heads of their snoring maids and put blankets over them. Shortly after entering the princesses’ apartments following dinner, they had been stricken by the sleeping charm, as always, and sank down on the floor in a deep sleep. They would awaken in the morning, stiff and groggy, to find their charges safely in bed, the brand-new dancing shoes full of holes.
“Are we ready?” Lily looked at her eleven sisters. It had always been Rose who had asked, who had checked lacings and tucked up loose curls. But since her illness, Rose had had neither the strength nor the inclination, so Lily had taken on this task as well.
They all nodded in agreement, Rose sagging between Poppy and Violet, Pansy supported by Orchid and Daisy, and Jonquil propping up Iris. Petunia, Hyacinth, and Lilac all held hands, Petunia actually smiling, for she still loved to dance. Lily knelt in the middle of the Araby rug that covered the sitting room floor. With one long finger, she traced the maze pattern at the center of the rug.
The maze shimmered. What had been gold-colored silk became gold in truth, and it spiraled down through the floor, the gleaming stripes widening into angular stairs that led into darkness. Lily took a lamp from the table and stepped delicately onto the first step, her free hand holding her skirts out of the way. One by one the sisters descended, with Rose bringing up the rear.
At the bottom of the stairs the darkness swallowed them. Once Rose had stepped onto level ground, the golden spiral ascended again, leaving them with no means of escape until the first light of dawn touched the eastern hills of Westfalin. How Rionin and his brothers had reached the king’s garden, how their mother had first made contact with such creatures, they had never dared ask.
Lily’s lamp was little more than a spark, and they followed it with eyes hungry for its light. Through the gate, through forest, to the shores of the lake, over the water to the Midnight Ball.
Spy
When Galen had rushed off to speak to King Gregor more than a month ago, he ran afoul of the palace’s butler, Herr Fischer. Herr Fischer did not allow under-gardeners wearing muddy smocks to speak to the king. Herr Fischer did not allow under-gardeners into the palace at all.
But as Galen was turning away, dejected, he had passed Dr. Kelling arriving at the palace to check on the princesses. Dr. Kelling hailed Galen, curious about the young man’s forlorn expression as he trudged away from the front doors.
“Hello there! May I be of assistance?”
Galen had seen the doctor coming and going in the past, and knew that he was a close friend of the royal family. The physician had an unruly mop of gray hair and impressive eyebrows over twinkling blue eyes.
“Yes, Herr Doctor,” Galen said. “I had hoped … well, I had hoped to speak to the king.” Galen gritted his teeth, realizing how foolish he sounded. What right had he to speak to the king?
“Concerning what? Is there a problem with the Queen’s Garden?”
“Oh, no, sir,” Galen assured him. “It’s was about … about the princesses. I thought that I might be able to … help.” Galen squared his shoulders and looked Dr. Kelling in the eyes. Perhaps he was getting above himself, but he couldn’t bear to see Rose so exhausted and bitter. “I want to help them, sir,” Galen said firmly.
“What makes you think the princesses need help?” One of the impressive eyebrows was raised.
Galen looked at him. Looked down at him, actually. Dr. Kelling was of average height, which meant that Galen topped him by nearly a head.
“Sir, everyone knows about the worn-out dancing slippers and the princesses being so exhausted all the time. They’ve been sick. It can’t help that they go … wherever it is they go every night.” He grimaced. “And I saw the people or whatever they were, that came into the garden the night after they didn’t dance.”
Dr. Kelling gave Galen an appraising