Free The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones Page B

dress embroidered with vines and leaves and dark flowers, and with dark brown hair that hung loose to her waist. She had the same solemn, noble face and intense blue eyes as Oberon.
    “Hopie,” Zara whispered in Anita’s ear. “She is the healer. She has no interest in what clothes she wears. You will see, it will take all my powers to get her out of her brown habit!”
    Hopie cupped Anita’s face in her hands and gazed levelly at her. “You have been gone too long,” she said, and her voice was almost as deep and musical as the King’s.
    “So people keep telling me,” Anita replied. “But I’m back now.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “For however long it lasts.”
    Hopie frowned.
    Anita shook her head and smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I didn’t mean anything.”
    “Rathina?” Zara called to the third woman. “Will you not come to greet your sister?”
    “Indeed, I will,” the woman said. Anita had been half aware that the third sister had been holding back, but now she stepped forward and gave Anita a hug.
    “Welcome, Tania,” she said.
    Anita gazed at her. She was wearing a scarlet gown trimmed with lace and beaded with ruby jewels. Her hair was long and black and lustrous, and she had the most perfectly beautiful face that Anita had ever seen, heart-shaped with wide hazel-brown eyes, high, slanted cheekbones, and a full red-lipped mouth.
    But there was something in Rathina’s eyes and in her voice that made Anita feel slightly ill at ease. A kind of wariness or reserve that made her wonder whether they had ever been close friends.
    While Anita was still thinking about this, Hopie turned and spoke to a plump woman who stood nearby. “Mistress Mirrlees,” she said. “I have much work to do; I cannot waste time over gowns. Pick for me something appropriate—in brown.”
    “Yes, my lady,” the woman said, curtsying.
    Hopie rested her hand for a moment against Anita’s cheek. “We will speak further anon,” she said.
    “I’d like that,” Anita said. Hopie nodded and strode out of the room.
    “I must go and comfort the squirrel,” Cordelia said to the woman. “Make me a gown that is the color of spring leaves, and cord it with olive and jade.” She smiled at Anita. “We will meet again at the ball.”
    “I hope so,” Anita said.
    Zara threw her arms around Mistress Mirrlees’s neck. “I want a gown of a blue so striking that all eyes will be on me tonight,” she pleaded. “I wish to out-shine Rathina, were that ever possible.”
    “I have the very thing,” Mistress Mirrlees said. “A blue sarcanet as bright as the summer sky.”
    “Show me,” Zara ordered, following the seamstress over to one of the tables.
    Anita smiled at Rathina. “I don’t really know what to choose,” she confessed. “I’m not used to these clothes yet.”
    Rathina gave her a long, slow look. She made a gesture with her hand and one of the servant women approached. “There is a bale of lilac silk,” she said, without even turning to look at the woman. “Bring it to Princess Tania. It will make a gown that will become her perfectly.”
    The woman scuttled off.
    “Thanks,” Anita said.
    Rathina gave a quick, brief smile. “Dorothy, Kat, Martha,” she called. “I would examine the crimson taffeta.” She swept off, followed by three women.
    “All this fuss and bother,” Sancha said, frowningaround the room. “I shall wear black, whatever Zara may say.” She smiled at Anita. “But I may allow some piping of white and a neck ruff trimmed with pearls.”
    “That sounds lovely,” Anita said distractedly. She was still watching Rathina. “Sancha, is there something the matter with Rathina?” she asked. “I get the impression she doesn’t like me very much.”
    “You are quite wrong,” Sancha said. “You and Rathina were always the closest of friends.”
    “Really? Then why is she being so…I don’t know…so distant?”
    “Rathina was with you in your