CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
1892
THE DOOR OPENED. The room beyond lay in darkness, broken only by a swath of moonlight. There was no reason to be frightened, yet some nameless, faceless terror iced Cons veins. Still, he stepped inside. The fear in him was worse.
The walls of the room were curved, disorienting, and everywhere he looked were clocksstanding, hanging, scattered over tables and stands, lined up in cabinets. Brass hands winked, catching the dim light. Con moved farther in, his heart pounding, and stopped at a narrow table. The tiered rows were padded with dark velvet, and they were lined with not clocks, but compasses, their needles pointing in unison toward the windows. Turning now, he saw that compasses stood in the cabinets and hung on the walls amid the clocks.
He was too late. He knew it with a certainty that closed his throat: he would fail. Con ran toward the window, but he didnt move. The needles on the compasses began to whirl. Running, gasping, he reached out, knowing hed never reach it in time. Someone screamed.
Cons eyes flew open, and he jerked upright in the bed. His lungs labored in his chest, his heart thundering, and he clenched his muscles, fists curled so tightly his fingernails bit into his palms. Sweat dried cold on his skin.
It was a dream.
He glanced around him. He was in his own bed, in his own room. It was only a dream.
Through the open doorway to the adjoining sitting room, he could see Wellie perched in his cage, regarding Con with bright black eyes. That scream must have been the parrots screech.
The bird moved from foot to foot and rasped out, Wellie. Good bird.
Yes. Good bird. Cons voice came out almost as hoarse as Wellingtons. He sank back onto his pillow, closing his eyes. It had been nothing but a bad dream and easily explainedtoday was Alexs wedding day. He was worried about oversleeping and failing in his duties. The problem was hed been having the exact same nightmare for weeks.
CHAPTER ONE
WHEN CON AWOKE AGAIN, sunlight was shooting through a crack in the drapes straight into his eyes. For the second time, he bolted upright. Heaven help him. After all that, hed overslept. He jumped out of bed and began to shave.
Wellington called Cons name and flew into the room, taking up his favorite position atop a bedpost. You wretched birdscreeching like a banshee in the middle of the night, yet not a word when its time to get up.
Wellie let out a noise that sounded disturbingly like human laughter. Con grinned and patted his shoulder for Wellie to perch on it. Con stroked a finger down the parrots back.
Its just you and me now, boy, he said softly. Alex is going on to better things.
There was an odd pang in his chest; Con had felt it more than once lately. He couldnt be happier for his twinSabrina was perfect for Alex and loved him madly. Alex was over the moon about marrying her. There was nothing in the world Con wanted more than his brothers happiness. And yethe could not help but feel as if a piece of him was leaving.
With a sigh at his own selfishness, Con set Wellie aside and headed downstairs. He found Alex in the dining room, gazing out the windowshaved, dressed and ready to go eight hours before the ceremony. Casting an eye over his twin, Con said, Eager or terrified?
A little of both. Alex let out his breath in a whoosh. Thank God youre finally up.
Why didnt you wake me? Con asked, going to the sideboard to fill his plate.
Because it was four oclock in the morning. Wellie woke me up screeching, and I couldnt go back to sleep. I didnt think youd care to be awakened.
Where is everyone?
The women have gone to Kyrias to help with the last-minute preparations. Though what any of them could do to set up a party, I cannot imagine.
Mmm. Maybe Thisbe has a formula for it.
Alex grinned. Or Megan and Olivia have investigated the subject.
Im sure Mother will enjoy trying to persuade the servants to go on strike. Con returned to the table.
Alex took a seat across from Con. Not like Wellie to sound off in the middle of the night like that. One has to wonder what set him off.
Does one?
Condid you have that dream again?