The Herbwitch's Apprentice Ireen Chau (best life changing books txt) 📖

My gaze wandered to the oak doors that led to the queen’s study. Voices could be heard. Narcissa and the duchess were inside, perhaps overdramatizing the situation to reap a harsher punishment. I closed my eyes in frustration, wishing I were Elowyn so I could disappear and reappear elsewhere.

The doors burst open and the Whittingtons walked out. Narcissa was red in the face from fuming. Her Grace barely spared me a glance.

“The queen will see you now, Miss Flora,” Duchess Wilhelmina said icily.

I swallowed and stood, careful to distance myself from Narcissa, who was glaring daggers at me.

“Prepare for the worst, city girl,” she hissed, her slender shoulders shaking as I entered.

Queen Cordelia’s study consisted of a sprawling desk and shelves of books that spanned the length of two walls. Before us was a stained-glass window depicting a mermaid at the shores of an aquamarine sea, tinting the carpeted floor with shards of multi-colored light. The queen herself sat behind the desk.

She looked up. For a moment, a scarlet aura rippled around her. It disappeared when I blinked.

I dipped into a low curtsy. “Your Majesty,” I said, my voice hopelessly feeble.

“I suppose you know what you’re here for, Miss Amarante?” the queen said with a firm, though not unkind, voice.

Shame colored my face. With Narcissa’s glare burning into my cheek, I was sure I looked like one of Rowena’s ripe heirloom tomatoes. “Yes, Your Majesty,” I murmured.

“I am sure as a young lady of good upbringing,” Queen Cordelia said, pressing her fingers together, “you are aware that splashing drinks on another debutante is a great offense.”

It was difficult to meet her eye. If I did, she’d know I felt no remorse. “Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.

“Well then. An apology is in order,” the queen said.

I bowed my head. “I apologize.”

“Not to me, child. To Narcissa.”

Duchess Wilhelmina scoffed. “Your Majesty, Miss Flora owes more than an apology. Perhaps an explanation for why she decided to soil my daughter’s gown with the same punch Narcissa so kindly offered her before?”

“Well, I-I...” I stuttered.

“I was only trying to be friendly,” Narcissa said, sniveling. I looked up, shocked at her drastic change of demeanor. The venom in her words before was gone. Now, she was all teary innocence.

“The punch was laced with a laxative, Your Majesty,” I said, finding my voice. “Tori, Miss Victoria Strongfoot, could attest to that.”

Her Majesty’s brows raised ever so slightly. She turned to Narcissa. “Is that true?”

Narcissa’s snivels crescendoed into a sob. “I offer you an olive branch and in turn you have struck me with it and tainted my name with nonsensical slander,” Narcissa wailed. I stepped back, thoroughly appalled at her theatrics. If only she had used half that effort during the hunting party, I would’ve truly believed she wanted to be friends.

“Miss Flora, have you no decency?” Duchess Wilhelmina scolded, wrapping an arm around her daughter, who was dabbing her nose with a lace handkerchief. “Your Majesty, I demand you to punish this young lady at once. I have never seen such an ill-mannered, nefarious girl in my life.”

Queen Cordelia stared for a minute, not quite at me and not quite at the duchess or Narcissa. She looked more tired than thoughtful, the dark circles beneath her blue eyes deeper than they were before.

When she finally spoke, Narcissa’s wails had quieted into whimpers. “You’re distressed, Narcissa,” Queen Cordelia said. “Wilhelmina, take her to rest, will you?”

A flash of irritation passed through the duchess’s face, but  disappeared as quickly as it came. “Your Majesty, I really—”

“Will you?” the queen repeated.

Duchess Wilhelmina curtsied deeply, hiding her expression. “Indeed.”

She and Narcissa swept out of the room without another word, though their hostility was tangible when they slammed the door.

The queen folded her hands before her.

I curtsied again. “Your Majesty—”

“Rise, child. I have enough formalities to last me a lifetime.”

I rose, surprised to hear that her voice was not brimming with anger. She motioned for me to sit in the chair across her. I sank into the velvet cushion.

“We have rules on how young ladies should act during the Season,” the queen said. “Your behavior during the hunting party will be frowned upon.”

I swallowed. “Your Majesty, I really didn’t mean—”

“Next time you will do well to handle your affairs in a more private and ladylike way. Is that understood?”

My mouth gaped open. “P-pardon?”

Queen Cordelia sighed. She offered me a small smile, her almond eyes glimmering. “Growing up in a palace has taught me many things, both about myself and other people,” she said. “But there is one thing I always keep in mind. Quarrels, no matter how badly you want to win them, are not worth their consequences. I will speak with Wilhelmina myself after this, so rest easy.”

I nodded slowly, though not quite comprehending what she meant. “What about my punishment?” I asked.

“Ah, that,” the queen said, leaning back in her chair. “You will dust the library this week, if you have no objections.”

I shook my head, hardly knowing whether to be more surprised at the lax punishment or that the queen asked if I objected to said punishment.

“Good. And remember to pay extra attention to the east end, will you?” she said with a mysterious smile. “I’ll have someone show you the way.”

I nodded, speechless.

“Very well, you are dismissed,” Queen Cordelia said.

I left the study with a servant who was to show me to the library. I followed her down the hall in a daze, hardly believing my luck. I had escaped a conference with the queen unscathed. To say I was relieved was an understatement—I was elated. Narcissa couldn’t convince the queen to behead me after all.

When we reached the library, which wasn’t too far from the queen’s study, the servant thrust a duster in my hand and left, leaving me to wander the shelves alone with a ridiculous smile on my face. Luckily, there was no one there to see me, besides an old balding gentleman I assumed to be the librarian perched behind