Great Sinner Queen [Death and the Maiden, #2]

Chapter Seventeen: The Last Blossom of Spring

I expect something to happen. Call me ungrateful, but upon burning the leaf I'd imagined the Spring Court just opening its doors in my room and room service waiting on the other end. The return of the prodigal daughter, they would weep. And I'd pretend to be overjoyed, fake cry, learn all their secret plans...

None of that happens.

I wait five minutes before burning the leaf has had no effect and I huff. Hadrian is still asleep, so I cross to the door and leave the room, shutting the door quietly as I leave.

I'm expecting Quill outside the door, ominously chanting a spell to take me to Spring. But nothing but the spiral staircase greets me, so I clomp down it.

'If I'd have known it took three days to take effect, I'd have burned the bloody thing sooner,' I mutter furiously. Really, when I got ahold of Quill—

I walk into Jefferson.

'Oh! My Queen! I was just coming to get you,' he says, cheerfully. 'Please don't look so grave. It's your dress fitting, after all.'

'Dress fitting?' I ignore the terrible pun. 'I never picked a dress.'

'My lady, your friend Sybella has been making all the wedding arrangements for you as you've been quite...buried under.'

I blink. Sybella has been organising my wedding? I feel...an odd tingle of excitement. My wedding is going to be...

...a happy event? Could I dare to dream it? After all, I would get all the fun without the hassle of choosing table linens and what bows to put on tables. Surely karma would ensure I had a miserable wedding day.

I couldn't help being a little intrigued as to what Sybella had picked for me.

'Will you be going to try it on now, my lady?' Jefferson rocks on his heels, looking up at me from where he's stood on the steps below. He looks even more like a frail elderly man.

'Of course,' I'm feeling particularly nice. 'But if you see Quill...could you let him know I need to speak to him?'

Speak to him: code for question why he's making me burn leaves like a fool.

Jefferson agrees, hastening to show me to the fitting rooms. We continue through the castle, into a set of rooms on the second floor that appear to be sitting rooms. When we step inside, the world turns to chaos.

Sybella is in the middle of the room, shouting. She's pulled her golden curls into a topknot, and she's opted for her usual cheek and nose piercings. She's dressed head to toe in leather and purple lipstick, and she's standing on a chair, hands on her hips, pointing every so often.

'I need those groomsmen's waistcoats by this evening! I want those table plans sorted as soon as possible! We only have two more nights, gang!'

Around her, there's proof of projects half-finished, all in disarray. A group appear to be working sewing silver-and-grey suits for the men, whilst another is hammering and chopping to form what looked like furniture. Others scribbled away on desks, whilst one woman was constructing the artwork that was a table plan. I'm amazed at the number of tables.

Sybella spots us, waves us over. 'Nerissa! You finally stop drilling Hadrian and come view your wedding preparations.'

She hops down from the chair with a flourish, before looking up and meeting my very red face.

'Still a virgin,' she grins. 'It was worth a try...'

Jefferson is still hovering when I spot a woman frantically sewing lace onto a strange-looking garment. It's red and saucy and oddly see-through...