Free The Ruby Moon by Trisha Priebe

applicants in two days at court in the Great Hall.”
    After the meeting Avery waited for the others to leave before approaching Tuck and blurting, “Consider me.”
    Tuck smiled, but she couldn’t tell if he was amused or willing.
    Boys have a peculiar ability to hide their true feelings behind an ordinary smile.
    “I’m serious,” she said. “I want to be one of Angelina’s ladies-in-waiting.”
    “I know you do,” Tuck said finally. “But several have already volunteered, and it’s only right and fair that I consider everyone. I can’t play favorites, no matter how hard I may want to.”
    “When will you decide?”
    “Tomorrow night.”

    Late that evening a handful of girls, apparently too excited to sleep, huddled in the sitting room talking about who had the best chance of catching Angelina’s eye.
    “Think of everything we would get to see and do!” one said.
    “How would we know
what
to do?” another asked. “I wouldn’t even know how to behave in court during the selection process.”
    Kate—silent until now—left and soon returned with her wool blanket draped over her shoulders, trailing a drab but impressive train.
    “I am Queen Angelina,” she announced. “If you would become my next lady-in-waiting, please stand.”
    Each girl scrambled to her feet.
    Kate circled the pack.
    “Stand up straighter,” she told one.
    To another, “Don’t look so sour.”
    “You all need more confidence,” she continued. “I cannot abide weak women.”
    One girl said, “Are we allowed to—”
    Kate whirled. “Speak only when spoken to!”
    And then to Avery: “Never argue or offer an opinion without being asked.”
    The playacting went deep into the wee hours, the girls practicing walking, talking, eating, and sitting—all solely to become one long-shot candidate among many in the kingdom for a single position on the court of the most powerful woman in their world.

Chapter 21
The Decision
    Awaiting midnight court—particularly Tuck’s choice of a candidate for Queen Angelina’s potential lady-in-waiting—made the next day drag on like a week.
    Avery occupied herself with busywork, like helping with breakfast and lunch and assisting Kate with sewing in the afternoon. She sought from the scouts, in vain, anything new about the investigation into the fire, and she spent time exploring more of the underworld.
    She still needed to learn whether the tunnels ended at the tiny country chapel on the other side of the Salt Sea. Kendrick wanted to know the same, and Avery was determined to beat him to it. Legend had it that it was nothing like the one in the castle. No, this was a magical place nestled among the cozy, rustic village homes—where the country girls married in unforgettable ceremonies in its unique sanctuary.

    Finally the time arrived for the kids to file into their underground Great Room for midnight court. Four chairs had been arranged at the front—one for Tuck and three behind his for Kate, Kendrick, and Avery. A silk flag with the kids’ emblem hung on the wall between two sconces, ablaze with the room’s only light.
    To Avery it seemed a bit much for such a small crowd.
    Tuck stood. “We still don’t know what’s become of our friends,” he said, trembling, something he did only when speaking of the missing—which told Avery how heavily they weighed on him. “But I am grateful we have lost no one since moving down here, an idea we can credit to Avery.”
    He asked her to stand, and she was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
    “Let’s continue to be cautious, especially when we have to venture back upstairs. Look out for one another and report unusual behavior.”
    “Okay, enough of that!” a boy hollered. “Can I be lady-in-waiting?” And even Tuck had to chuckle.
    “I know that’s why we have perfect attendance tonight,” Tuck continued, “so about that … I had a lot of things to consider, and it wasn’t an easy decision.”
    Kate reached over and squeezed