we’l be page boys together,” Gwen said, applying the finishing touches to her costume. “If I can’t go as a 100
MALINDA LO
queen, I suppose this wil have to do.” Finally satisfied with her appearance, she turned to leave the room, then paused and asked, “Do you want me to help you?”
Ash shook her head. “I’ll be all right—go ahead and I’l meet you downstairs.”
“Ten minutes, not more,” Gwen reminded her, then left and pul ed the door shut behind her.
When she was alone, Ash unbuttoned her dress and pul ed it over her head, folding it careful y at the foot of the bed. She pul ed off her petticoat and her shoes, and stood for a moment in the room in her camisole, her arms crossed over her chest, until she realized that the air was too chil y to be standing around undressed. It felt strange to be invited to go anywhere, and part of her just wanted to stay in Gwen’s room alone and not have to talk to anyone. But Gwen had been so kind to her—an unexpected friend—that Ash did not want to disappoint her, so she pul ed on the shirt and tucked it into the breeches. The fastenings were strange and felt backward, and the breeches were a little too large. She buttoned the waistcoat snugly over the shirt and sat down to lace on her boots, then pul ed her hair back and tucked it beneath the high collar before tying the cravat around her neck. When she shrugged on the overcoat and went to look in the mirror, Ash saw someone else a boy with a proud profile and dark, long-lashed eyes. Although Gwen had looked like the same girl wearing her brother’s clothes, Ash looked like a stranger. And if she looked nothing like herself, she thought, then she couldn’t possibly be herself. Perhaps her entire life all her memories, thoughts, emotions would melt away from her, leaving only the flesh-101
Ash
and-bone shel behind. She blinked at herself slowly, but in the mirror she looked the same: unrecognizable.
Downstairs the servants were laughing in the front hal . She could hear them as she walked down the back stairs, her hand sliding down the polished wooden banister. When she rounded the last corner, Gwen saw her and squealed, “Look at Ash!”
Gwen ran up the stairs to grab her hand and pul her down.
“You look magnificent,” she said, beaming.
Before she could reply, the butler began herding them out the door and into the wagon waiting in the courtyard.
Squashed between the parlor maid dressed in riding leathers and the cook dressed as a king, Ash took the bottle of brandy they pressed into her hand and sipped at it, the bite of the liquid making her cough in surprise. They all laughed at her and patted her on the back, urging her to take another drink. By the time the wagon arrived at the Square, she felt pleasantly numb to the chil air. A massive bonfire was burning at the center, which had been emptied of market stal s and was now fil ed with revelers in costumes of al colors and kinds. She caught glimpses of feathers and crooked paper crowns, rose-hued cheeks and deeply rouged lips, gowns of rich red and gold velvet. She followed the laughing crowd into the circle of dancers weaving their way around the crackling flames, and she let Colin spin her through unfamiliar steps, the Square a blur of color in her eyes.
As they whirled around the bonfire she caught sight of the musicians with their pipes and drums, dressed like jokers in pointed caps with long gold tassels and jingling bel s. When the pounding of the drums suddenly died, the dancers stopped in 102
MALINDA LO
confusion, their applause abruptly ending, but then Ash heard a great cheer go up from the far side of the Square. She pushed through the crowd to see what was the cause of the noise, and saw a dozen riders entering the Square, the heads of their horses plumed with feathered headdresses that made them look like fantastic beasts, half horse, half eagle. The riders were dressed all in black with cloaks lined in shining white
MALINDA LO
queen, I suppose this wil have to do.” Finally satisfied with her appearance, she turned to leave the room, then paused and asked, “Do you want me to help you?”
Ash shook her head. “I’ll be all right—go ahead and I’l meet you downstairs.”
“Ten minutes, not more,” Gwen reminded her, then left and pul ed the door shut behind her.
When she was alone, Ash unbuttoned her dress and pul ed it over her head, folding it careful y at the foot of the bed. She pul ed off her petticoat and her shoes, and stood for a moment in the room in her camisole, her arms crossed over her chest, until she realized that the air was too chil y to be standing around undressed. It felt strange to be invited to go anywhere, and part of her just wanted to stay in Gwen’s room alone and not have to talk to anyone. But Gwen had been so kind to her—an unexpected friend—that Ash did not want to disappoint her, so she pul ed on the shirt and tucked it into the breeches. The fastenings were strange and felt backward, and the breeches were a little too large. She buttoned the waistcoat snugly over the shirt and sat down to lace on her boots, then pul ed her hair back and tucked it beneath the high collar before tying the cravat around her neck. When she shrugged on the overcoat and went to look in the mirror, Ash saw someone else a boy with a proud profile and dark, long-lashed eyes. Although Gwen had looked like the same girl wearing her brother’s clothes, Ash looked like a stranger. And if she looked nothing like herself, she thought, then she couldn’t possibly be herself. Perhaps her entire life all her memories, thoughts, emotions would melt away from her, leaving only the flesh-101
Ash
and-bone shel behind. She blinked at herself slowly, but in the mirror she looked the same: unrecognizable.
Downstairs the servants were laughing in the front hal . She could hear them as she walked down the back stairs, her hand sliding down the polished wooden banister. When she rounded the last corner, Gwen saw her and squealed, “Look at Ash!”
Gwen ran up the stairs to grab her hand and pul her down.
“You look magnificent,” she said, beaming.
Before she could reply, the butler began herding them out the door and into the wagon waiting in the courtyard.
Squashed between the parlor maid dressed in riding leathers and the cook dressed as a king, Ash took the bottle of brandy they pressed into her hand and sipped at it, the bite of the liquid making her cough in surprise. They all laughed at her and patted her on the back, urging her to take another drink. By the time the wagon arrived at the Square, she felt pleasantly numb to the chil air. A massive bonfire was burning at the center, which had been emptied of market stal s and was now fil ed with revelers in costumes of al colors and kinds. She caught glimpses of feathers and crooked paper crowns, rose-hued cheeks and deeply rouged lips, gowns of rich red and gold velvet. She followed the laughing crowd into the circle of dancers weaving their way around the crackling flames, and she let Colin spin her through unfamiliar steps, the Square a blur of color in her eyes.
As they whirled around the bonfire she caught sight of the musicians with their pipes and drums, dressed like jokers in pointed caps with long gold tassels and jingling bel s. When the pounding of the drums suddenly died, the dancers stopped in 102
MALINDA LO
confusion, their applause abruptly ending, but then Ash heard a great cheer go up from the far side of the Square. She pushed through the crowd to see what was the cause of the noise, and saw a dozen riders entering the Square, the heads of their horses plumed with feathered headdresses that made them look like fantastic beasts, half horse, half eagle. The riders were dressed all in black with cloaks lined in shining white
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