Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George [47]
Galen looked up, clearly startled. “Did you know Heinrich, Your Highness? I never met him.”
“Of course,” Orchid said. “We all knew Heinrich. Especially Lily.”
Rose interrupted before Orchid could say anything else. “Orchid, your hair is coming out of its ribbons. Why don’t you find Maria and have her fix it?” She smiled stiffly at Galen. “Maria is our chief maid.”
Grumbling, Orchid went into one of the bedrooms. She returned a moment later. “She’s asleep on Iris’s bed,” she reported. “And she’s snoring.”
“Oh, dear.” Rose glanced at the clock. “No wonder, it’s nearly eleven.”
“Shouldn’t your maids wait up for you?” Galen raised one eyebrow.
“Well, yes, but she can’t because …” Rose’s voice died in her throat, courtesy of the enchantment. She closed her mouth with a snap and looked at Galen. He gazed mildly back at her without the slightest sign of sleepiness. Her eyes widened and her mind raced.
Why hadn’t he fallen asleep as well? What were they to do if he was wide awake at midnight? Hope rose in her bosom. If Galen could resist the sleeping spell that had affected all the other suitors, then he might be able to uncover their secret and … what? Die horribly? She grimaced, her hope fading.
“Is something the matter?” Galen gave her a bland look.
“Oh, look at the time!” Jonquil jumped to her feet, almost knocking Hyacinth off the window seat. “I’ve got to change my shoes and —Why is he awake?” She pointed in horror at Galen. Then she got ahold of herself, dropped her arm, and looked helplessly at Rose.
“If you’ll excuse us, I believe I need to talk to my sisters.” Rose smiled ingenuously at Galen as she untangled the yarn from her feet. She grabbed Petunia with one hand and Pansy with the other and all but ran into her bedroom. The rest of her sisters followed.
“He’s awake! It’s eleven o’clock!”
“Jonquil, keep your voice down,” Rose hissed. “Yes, he’s awake. I don’t know how or why, but he is.” She looked around. “Poppy, make sure he doesn’t eavesdrop.”
Grinning, Poppy went over to the door and opened it the barest crack. “He’s still sitting in the chair,” she whispered. “He put his yarn down, though, and he’s leaning back … he just yawned!”
Rose was a little suspicious of this, but she didn’t tell her sisters.
“There, you see?” Lily looked relieved. “It was just that Pansy and Petunia were climbing around him. That kept him awake. Now he’ll sleep and we can rest easy.”
“But …” Rose hesitated. “What if he did find out the truth?” Even speaking the words made her heart pound. “Would that be so bad?”
They all stared at her.
“Rose,” Lily said cautiously. She took Rose’s arm and led her away from the others. “Rose, what are you saying? There’s nothing he can do to help us—no mortal can. He’s in grave enough danger as it is. If he learned the truth …” Lily shook her head sadly. “I hate to think what he would do if Galen tried to help us.”
“But we need help,” Rose said, her voice low and intense. “We can’t go on like this for six more years! Every night while we were ill we had to get dressed and dance until dawn; we’re lucky to have survived! Pansy is seven years old; she’s been dancing every night since she could walk. Another year and her sanity will break, I swear it. And you, can you keep on this way?”
“We don’t have a choice,” Lily said, shaking her head. Pansy had begun whimpering at Rose’s vehement words, and Lily picked her up and held her, though she was really too big for such treatment. “We must persevere. There’s no point in arguing about it, and neither Galen nor anyone else can help us. It’s folly to even let him try.” Lily paused, then asked delicately, “You do realize that this is a death sentence for him, don’t you?”
“No.” Rose shook her head. “Not Galen. He’s not like those useless princes. He knows how to fight, how to work. You of all people should appreciate that, Lily. Even if he doesn’t find a way to help us, he’ll survive.”
“I hope you’re right,” Lily said dubiously, but her cheeks had colored a little and a spark of hope lit her eyes. “Galen does remind me of …of Heinrich.”
Rose