The fox was impressed, because Hava was right about the secret drawers. The fox knew how to find the hidden latch in Benni’s desk and he knew what Benni kept hidden in those drawers. If Hava found it, big things would happen.

Suddenly the fox sensed that Lovisa was about to step into the room.

Chapter Seventeen

First Lovisa crashed into Giddon, who was making himself enormous in her father’s doorway. “Ow!”

Then, at the sight of that Graceling rifling through her father’s desk, Lovisa was blindsided by her own indignation.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she practically shouted at Hava.

“I’m looking for a handkerchief,” said Hava. “Calm down.”

In fact, Lovisa was trying to calm down. She wasn’t a yeller; she’d taken herself by surprise. “You’re the one who stole those formulas from Minta Varana, aren’t you?” she cried.

“What are you talking about?” said Hava. “What formulas?”

“Do you really expect me to believe that where you’re from, it’s considered polite to snoop in someone’s desk for a handkerchief?”

“I’m not myself,” said Hava. “Really, I’m sorry.”

Lovisa saw then that Hava’s face was wet with tears. Hava blotted at them with her sleeve and they disappeared. Lovisa felt a little sick, but not at all repentant for making Hava cry. She had the sense that she was somehow being tricked. “Weren’t you at Minta’s house for dinner the night you all arrived?” she said, focusing stubbornly on the theft from Minta’s safe.

“Hava didn’t attend that dinner,” said Giddon tightly.

“Couldn’t Hava sneak into a house without anyone knowing?” said Lovisa. “You could absolutely be the thief.”

“Are you seriously suggesting that the night we were all in shock from losing our queen,” said Giddon, “Hava robbed one of your neighbors?”

“Anyway, robbed her of what?” said Hava. “What formulas?”

“Varane,” said Lovisa, with a dismissive gesture. “The airship gas. I don’t believe you don’t know.”

“And I don’t like your indignation about thieves,” said Hava. “Your own father is one of the thieves who tricked Queen Bitterblue out of some of her zilfium.”

Lovisa remembered that incident. Lots of people had done that, and her father was not a thief. “It’s not his fault if his vendors don’t know their own business,” she said hotly.

“Sounds like your father doesn’t know his business,” said Hava. “We heard he’s growing his shipping firm too fast, even running it into the ground.”

And that was an outrageous lie. “Better than running a whole country into the ground,” snapped Lovisa.

Immediately, three things happened. First, Hava surged toward her, white with fury. Second, Giddon stepped forward to block Hava. And third, the moment Giddon wrapped his arms around her, Hava turned into a sculpture again.