You can read Chapter Seven here.
“How long do you think you’ll be in Ivy House?”
“It shouldn’t be long,” Sonja whispered, hoping nobody could see her talking to thin air. “It depends if she likes the dress or not, and how many modifications are needed.” She wasn’t expecting the dress to fit Lady Cosina perfectly.
But if Lady Cosina hated the dress, Sonja wouldn’t get paid. And Wildkeep needed the money. Sonja knew she needed to concentrate on honing her powers, but she also had responsibilities to the villagers and she couldn’t neglect them.
When they neared the gates of Ivy House, one of the guards immediately opened them and stepped aside. “I was told to watch out for you. Lady Cosina was wondering when you would be here.”
Once they were inside, Sonja was greeted by the housekeeper. “Go upstairs to her room and wait for her. Can you remember where that is?”
“Yes.”
The housekeeper nodded briskly. “Good. I’ll tell her you’ve arrived.” She walked away, her shoes making clacking sounds on the floor.
Fresh flowers were on Lady Cosina’s writing desk; the windows were open, sending a breeze through the room and wafting a sweet scent everywhere. A letter lay beside the vase. Sonja glanced towards the door and edged towards the desk, peering down at the paper. The letter was written in a firm, flowing hand.
Dear Cosina,
I miss you, but I’m glad you’ve left court. It’s so cold here now. Father’s…
Footsteps were approaching the door. Sonja swiftly stepped away from the desk and began unwrapping the bundle.
Lady Cosina entered the room. “Good morning, Sonja!”
“Morning, my lady.” Sonja held the mint green dress up and presented it to Lady Cosina.
“It’s beautiful.” Lady Cosina gently took the dress and held it up to herself as if she were wearing it. She went over to a long oval mirror and looked at herself, turning from side to side. The hem of the dress swished as she moved.
She turned back to Sonja. “I think it’s perfect.”
The dress had to be the finest thing Sonja had made so far. “There may need to be some adjustments. Could you try it on, my lady, and we can see how it fits?”
“Of course.” Lady Cosina stepped behind her dressing-screens. Moments later, she emerged and did a twirl in front of the mirror. “I like it! It doesn’t feel too tight or too loose.”
“May I have a look at the sleeves and the hem? I haven’t done the embroidery pattern yet, because I’m not sure if those parts needed any adjustments.”
Lady Cosina frowned as she studied the sleeves, then looked at her reflection again. “They don’t look uneven to me.”
Suddenly a loud noise rang out through Ivy House.
It was the alarm gong.
“We need to go,” she said.
The two girls rushed towards the door, only for someone to open it from the other side.
A figure in black was in the doorway.
Sonja froze.
“Who are you?” Lady Cosina’s voice was shaking.
The figure moved forward. Sonja stepped in front of Lady Cosina. Two of the tiny knives were sewn into her bodice; did she have enough time to reach for them? She couldn’t bring her fire out, not here.
But did she have a choice?
The dark figure pulled out a knife. Lady Cosina gave a small gasp as he pointed the knife at Sonja, then made a quick little motion to the left.
“No.” Sonja wasn’t moving. She braced herself, preparing to summon her fire.
Suddenly there was a swirl of shadow and Rael stood beside the stranger, a sai pointed at his neck. As Lady Cosina shrieked, the stranger whirled around and lashed out with the knife, but she quickly blocked it and stabbed at his chest with the other sai. He took two steps back, knocking the tip of the weapon away.
“Go. Now,” Rael said. “Go!”
Sonja grabbed Lady Cosina by the hand and tugged her out of the bedroom, the sound of clashing metal pursuing them.
“Who are they?” Lady Cosina cried. “How did they…Who was that girl?”
Sonja didn’t have the breath to answer her. There was nobody there to help them.
They rushed down the stairs as fast as they could. Before they reached the bottom, Lady Cosina cried out: “He’s coming!”
Sonja looked back to see the dark shape reach the top of the stairs, Rael close behind him. They had to keep moving, otherwise…
The shadows appeared around Rael again and the next moment she had gone. Then she was there, gasping for breath as she sprawled out on the marble floor, a sai in each hand, her face pale.
“That’s impossible!” cried Lady Cosina.
There was no time to ask how Rael had done that. The three young women raced towards the open door of Ivy House.
Nobody was outside. The whole town seemed to have fallen silent.
“Where is everybody?” Lady Cosina asked. “They should be waiting outside.”
Just then, a chill crept through the air. It was similar to the cold darkness Sonja had sensed in General Aleksei, but this was far stronger and more sinister.
She’s here.
A trumpet rang out. Lady Cosina hurried in the direction it had sounded from, the others close behind her. Sonja glanced over her shoulder but there was no sign of the intruder.
“Where are you going?” asked Rael.
“That was a trumpet. We’ve been summoned. If there are soldiers, they can help.”
Sonja came to a halt. “Don’t. Something feels wrong. My lady, please wait.”
Lady Cosina stopped and turned around.
“Something isn’t right,” Sonja repeated. “When soldiers come here, it’s never good news.”
Lady Cosina nodded. “They’re probably waiting for me. I am the landowner.”
She turned and started walking again. Sonja and Rael went after her.
A crowd had gathered in the square. The three women couldn’t see what was going on, but General Aleksei’s voice rang out, loud and clear.
“Traitors receive no mercy.”
The square was silent. The cold hung in the air, pressing down on the people.
“Not even if they are from the court of the queen.”
Lady Cosina stopped.
“Lord Daran Alarus was a spy for our enemy Aleveth and has been executed as a traitor deserves.”
“No.” Lady Cosina put a hand to her mouth.
General Aleksei spoke again. “You. Bring me his daughter.”
Rael grabbed Lady Cosina’s arm and tugged her down the nearest alley. As Sonja joined them, Rael wreathed all three of them in shadows. Lady Cosina stifled a whimper, tears running down her face.
Soldiers marched past them, heading in the direction of Ivy House.
“We have to get away from here,” Rael whispered, “now.”
“Anyone found harbouring Cosina Alarus will pay the same penalty she faces.”
Sonja barely stopped herself from vomiting on the cobblestones.
They waited in breathless silence until the soldiers went past them again. One of them glanced in their direction, but saw nothing.
Then a single, clear voice said: “Burn the house.”
Sonja gently touched Lady Cosina’s arm. “Let’s get away from here. We’ll get you somewhere safe.”
Piercing screams sounded in the square. People were running away, their feet clattering on the ground. They were fleeing in terror.
“Run!” Rael hissed.
As the trio hurried through the streets, they passed close to the square. Sonja looked back and saw two white-haired women. One wore simple working-class clothes, the other a crown and armour.
The queen was smiling.
To be continued in…