“Of course I did,” Eulalie said. “It’s clear you can’t control yourself. I did you a favor, like cutting a horse to tame it. Just think how much happier you are without having those urges to contend with. I think we can all agree that this was the best possible outcome for everyone. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

“You certainly enjoy forgiving yourself, don’t you?” Isabelle said, stepping in from the alcove behind the tapestries. She was magnificent in her full cappotto di piume, feathers glittering, her spark swarm flaring like a bonfire from the fan of her crest, her eyes ablaze with fury that could have incinerated a mountain. “That ends now.”

Eulalie backed away from Isabelle’s unfettered wrath. “I don’t have to forgive myself,” she said. “I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s Bitterlich who has to answer for all he’s done. I was only defending myself. I did what was best for everybody.”

Isabelle stalked forward. “And then when you were done with him, you set your hooks in la reine, drawing her into your circle with the Order of the Succoring Shadow, so that you could spy on her on behalf of your cousin, the late, unlamented Comte de Travers.”

“Don’t be absurd, there’s nothing wrong with sharing gossip with my cousin. That’s what cousins are for, and besides someone had to reach out to la reine, to warn her against the pernicious influence of people like you, abomination.”

Isabelle cocked her head to one side. “Even to the point of hijacking her bloodshadow to try and kill me?”

Eulalie lifted her nose in the air. “I only did what was best for l’Empire. La reine never should have trusted you. You are an abomination. You should have been destroyed, but you had her under your spell. I had to do something. Once she hears what you’ve done to me, how you’ve attacked and threatened me, she’ll have you thrown from the sky cliff.”

“I think that’s very unlikely,” Sireen said, striding in behind Bitterlich. Bitterlich stepped out of the way and bowed deeply. Everyone else made obeisance as well, even Eulalie.

“Madame,” Eulalie said without looking up. “Thank the Builder you’re here. These fiends have been conspiring—”

“Comtesse Eulalie,” Sireen said, to instant silence. “If I were you, I would consider cutting out my own lying tongue and making a noose of it to hang myself. I guarantee it will be less painful and humiliating than the traditional punishment for treason. Guards.”