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Eulalie piled Cecily and Pollyanna into one of the carriages, hoping that Cecily wouldn't retch more on the way back. Eulalie leaned her head back against the seat cushion with Polly's head in her lap and Cecily across from them. Of course, everything would be ruined.
Eulalie ran her fingers through Pollyanna's dark curls, which had fallen limp throughout the evening. Her sister's soft strands against her skin somehow comforted Eulalie, even as she felt her chest tighten at the thought of Kaz and the Crows. It was like they were laughing at her; in spite of her best efforts, Eulalie and her family were destined for absolute ruin, and there would be nothing she could do about it. The thought made Eulalie huff in frustration more than anxiety.
Eulalie peered out the window at the vast snow-covered rolling hills that would soon drop off into sharp cliffs as they neared the coast where Hiraeth sat proudly. As they came to a slow stop in front of the manor, Eulalie shook her sisters awake to prepare them to go home and straight to their beds. Eulalie wasn't sure which problem to solve first: Cecily's poisoned state or Kaz Brekker.
It didn't matter because the house seemed untouched when they entered the foyer. The staff had been sent to their families for the evening, so Eulalie collected her sisters' cloaks and hung them in the coat room. In the dust-covered silence, Eulalie felt the exhaustion soak every inch of her body, but she struggled to ensure her sisters were safely in their bedrooms. As much as she didn't want to leave Cecily alone, Eulalie needed to get her gown off her body. The corset wires stabbed small indentations over her ribs and into her hip bones.
Eulalie pushed her bedroom door open, paying no attention to the shattered mirrors that lined her hallway. With the click of the doorknob and her skirt's soft brushing against the marble floor, she pressed her back against the cool alabaster and took in a deep breath like she'd never known oxygen before.
Another click emanated from a shadowed corner. Eulalie's eyes snapped open and darted to the sound's origin. A small flame burned into a cigarette and barely illuminated Kaz's face. He took a drag, blew out the smoke, and said, "So glad you could join me."
