Starrlings 1: House of Fire

chapter 23

A R I

"It's really unheard of, to see three wild bears charging through the woods like that," Katja said as the three of them walked up the front steps of the House of Winter.

"I've never seen bears behave like that," Tom agreed.

Ari had followed the princess and Tom back to the house, leaving her sister with the water wards, because Katja had insisted that Ari needed to get dry and warm immediately.

They'd taken a moment to leave the wolves to roam in the field beyond the kinnhouses, and then entered the grand hall of the House of Winter, where a fire was snapping and crackling happily in the hearth. There was a long wooden dining table bathed in the sunlight from the huge windows. Katja dragged a chair from the table closer to the fire, and told Ari to sit.

"Take off your boots," she commanded, and the princess knelt down before Ari's soaking skirt, and helped to take off one of Ari's boots. Ari pulled her foot away from the princess's grip, feeling embarrassed.

"Relax, Kat. It's practically still late summer," Tom said.

Katja stood up. "Well, fine," she said, waving a hand in a fluster.

Ari kicked off her second boot and stretched her toes out towards the fire.

Katja let out a sigh. "Sorry for worrying you, Ari. Late summer a few years ago, my father and two men returned on their wolves, very early in the morning. They'd been riding all night. The poor wolves were exhausted, but the men were in worse shape. One of them lost three of his toes. It was still summer! My father had been on a peacekeeping mission to the villages up on the ice, and a snowstorm had come through on their return. It was horrible."

"But that's the dorthmost points of Norrlund," Tom said, with a grin. "You're not going to get frostbite from the lake in early autumn in Lombardia."

Ari's toes felt comfortingly warm by the fire, and she was confident she wouldn't lose them any time soon. She couldn't imagine the horror of losing a body part.

"It remains to be said," Tom said. "I still can't believe we saw three wild bears charge at us out of nowhere. Almost like we'd been set upon. Wild bears like that can be trained by a spring starrling, even though they aren't kinnbears. You don't think anyone's trying to attack you, Kat?"

Katja waved her hand. "We just disturbed them with the snowstorm."

"Oh, we did, did we?" Tom said, and he grinned at Ari.

Ari grinned, pleased to find herself in on the joke.

"Let's get you upstairs, Ari, and we'll have a cup of tea," Katja said, flatly ignoring Tom's dig.

Katja, Tom and Ari climbed the grand staircase to the top floor. Ari left a trail of water droplets where she walked. Upstairs, she set water to boil and then pushed open the large door to the princess's main chamber, to find that Sanna van Dael was already inside.

"Oh, Sanna," Katja said. "What are you doing? I thought you were with your father."

Sanna stared at Katja, clearly surprised to be caught in Katja's chamber. "Oh, he had another diplomat to meet. I... was just looking for my gold chain necklace." Sanna delicately dropped the fine dress that she was holding, back into the trunk at the foot of the princess's bed. As she did, she glanced up and met Ari's gaze. Ari stared back.

"Your gold chain? I'm sure I gave that back to you," Katja said. "If not, it'll be in my jewellery box, not my trunk."

"Of course," Sanna said, moving across the room to the side table.

Ari poured boiling water into a teapot to brew while the others sat down in the armchairs under the window. She kept an eye on Sanna as she poured the tea.

"You've only poured three cups, Ari," Katja said. "You'll need a fourth for yourself."

Ari looked at Katja, who was smiling brightly, and then did as she was told. She sat in the fourth armchair and sipped at her tea.

"How was your walk?" Sanna asked Katja. "Are you feeling better?"

Ari thought Sanna sounded slightly stiff. She had one leg crossed tightly over the other, and her long fingers clasping her tea cup tightly.

"We had a misadventure with a few wild bears," Katja said.

Sanna raised her eyebrows.

"It was lucky Ari was there," Katja said with a laugh.

Sanna glanced at Ari, and Ari felt the girl's penetrating gaze bore into her. She looked down at her bare feet.

"I think having Ari around will come in quite useful to us," Katja said.

Ari flicked her gaze up towards the princess, who was smiling. "What do you mean?" Ari asked, suddenly nervous.

"Well," Katja said. "Seeing these Tsukasai twins this morning, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious about the idea of two children of that evil emperor wandering around our school. It worries me to think that they might be alone with Raph. I have no idea what they could be planning, but I don't imagine they're here innocently. Of course, I don't have the time to follow them around the school all day, making sure they go to class. But you, Ari. You're small, and you disappear into crowds easily. No one really notices you, I think, because there are so many wards around who look just like you."

Ari blinked.

"So I thought it might be interesting if you were to keep an eye on those Tsukasai twins, and let me know what it is they're doing here."

"Is that wise, Kat?" Tom asked.

"To have my ward follow the Tsukasai twins? I think it's the only wise thing I can do, right now."

"I think it's ingenious," Sanna said. She laid down her teacup on a side table and then stretched out her legs. "You're right, Kat. The Tsukasai twins won't notice someone like Ari on their tails. She can keep an eye on them, and report to you with information. Anything suspicious. Anything untoward." Sanna sent a smile in Ari's direction, and Ari felt a flutter of nerves at that smile.

Katja smiled delicately at Sanna. "Exactly. What do you think, Ari?"

"You don't have to say yes, Ari," Tom said quickly.

Ari glanced at Tom and then back at Katja, confused. She didn't have to say yes. But she had to do everything she could to keep Katja happy, or Katja could very easily have her expelled.

"I can watch them."

Katja nodded. "Very well. Thank you, Ari."

Ari realised just how large the task was that she'd signed up for. To follow two people around the school, while also attending her own lessons, and attending to every other need of Katja, plus ensuring her sister completed every homework piece and assignment... and Ari had to find time to study her own subjects. She had no idea how one person would manage all of it.

• Author's Note •

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elle xx