“I have cash,” said Lovisa, hearing her own childish belligerence and not understanding it. Who cared where they went? Who cared who paid?

“Let’s save it,” said Bitterblue quietly, “until we really need it. My rings are replaceable.”

Vera was now studying Bitterblue more closely, with a new, amused gleam in her eyes. “Besides,” she said, “I think that after all, I’d like a ring or two. I have a feeling that someday, they’ll be souvenirs of a very interesting story.”

“Oh?” said Bitterblue. “You’ve changed your mind about whether I’m an act?”

“My colleagues are quick to believe stories,” she said. “I believe gold. I know the difference between the rings worn by the Lienid commonfolk and the rings they don’t ever wear. Though I suppose you could be a thief,” she added, still peering at Bitterblue critically. “But that would also be an interesting story.”

“What exactly are we paying for with these rings?” Lovisa said. “We’re not boarding an airship leased from the Varanas.”

“Indeed you’re not,” said Vera. “We’ll leave as soon as the sky is dark, and have you in Torla’s Neck by morning. Until our departure, you’re welcome to enjoy the comfort of our baths again, or the bathhouse.”

“The baths or the bathhouse? Nighttime is hours from now!”

“There’s nothing I can do about that,” said Vera. “No number of fine gold rings will make the earth turn faster.”

—

Back in the bathhouse, the queen began to strip off her coat.

“You’re bathing again?” said Lovisa.

“My whole body hurts,” Bitterblue said. “It hurts less in the bath.”

“Where did you get all your rings?” said Lovisa, watching them flash as the queen undressed. “I’m sure you weren’t wearing them the first time I saw you.”

“I found them,” said Bitterblue.

“In the attic room?” said Lovisa, surprised.

“Yes.”

“Oh,” said Lovisa, slipping her hand into her pocket, touching Katu’s ring.

“May I ask,” said Bitterblue, “if you know anything about my delegation? Hava, Coran, Barra, Froggatt? Giddon?”

“I heard that Coran, Barra, and Froggatt went to Kamassar,” said Lovisa. “Giddon and Hava stayed in Ledra. They came to dinner at my house one night and I caught them snooping in my father’s desk.” How angry she’d been about that, once. “I didn’t know you were in our attic then,” she added defensively, not actually sure she would’ve told them if she’d known.

The queen only nodded. “Did they find anything?”

“Not that I know of.”

“How much do you know about what’s going on?”

Lovisa’s fingers closed around her uncle’s ring. It was a small, hard, sharp reminder of why she’d done all the things she’d done. She pulled it out and sat beside the queen.