Hester glared back, demon twitching. “That can be arranged.”

Hort muttered something obscene and vanished behind the wall.

Hester saw Dot goggling at her. “What now?”

“Did you just defend me?”

“Only because you look so stupid in that crown,” Hester grumped.

All the girls laughed, even Dot.

“What’d I miss?”

They looked up at Tedros, licking yogurt off his fingers.

“Ugh. The old ball and chain,” Hester moaned.

“Nice to see you’re as awful as always, even when you’re working for our side,” said the prince.

“Let’s go,” said Hester to her coven-mates as she stood up. “The smell of spoiled prince makes me sick.”

Anadil and Dot followed her, but not before Tedros swiped at Dot’s head and snatched back the crown.

He waited until the witches were out of earshot and peered down at Agatha. “I don’t, uh, you know . . . smell, do I?”

“Hester thinks Reaper is cute,” said Agatha.

“Point made.” Tedros sat down next to her, still in his grass-stained shirt and ragged breeches, but he’d taken a bath, because his hair was wet and he smelled of the tea-scented soap Guinevere kept by the tub. He leaned over and fixed the crown back on her head.

“I knew you’d do that,” Agatha sighed. “I’m not even a real queen, Tedros. For one thing, you have to be crowned king first—”

“I will be in a week.”

“If we’re alive, which is looking more and more doubtful,” said Agatha. “And even if you are crowned king, I’m too young to be a queen . . . officially, I mean . . . you know . . .”

“No one’s asking you to be official. Yet,” said Tedros, straightening her crown. “But you are my queen. No one but you. And I like seeing you wear it. Because as long as you do, I know you still love me. And given our history of miscommunication, physical cues are helpful.”

Agatha snorted.

“This is where you tell me how I can show my love,” Tedros prodded.

“Uh, romance isn’t really my thing,” said Agatha, resting her head on his shoulder. “Every year, there’s a Valentine’s Day dance in Gavaldon. One year, I got so annoyed by all the couples I set off a flaming skunk bomb and cleared the place.”

“I hope they punished you for it.”

“They were too scared I’d boil their children in a witch stew.”

Tedros put his arm around her. “Remind me never to give you something for Valentine’s Day.”

Through the archway, Agatha could see Guinevere in the dining room, collecting dirty dishes by herself.

“There’s nothing I’d want anyway,” she said. “Only gift I’d ever want is to talk to my mother one more time.”

Tedros looked at her.

“Though if you could find a time to talk to your mother, just the two of you, that would mean nearly as much,” said Agatha.

Tedros looked away. “I think I’ve come far enough on that front.”

“You asked me for a way to show your love,” said Agatha. “I didn’t know it had limits.”