The Sleeping Life (Eferum Book 2) Read Free Page A

Rennyn the newssheet she'd been carrying.
    "Not long. For this dress." Rennyn's smile was totally unconvincing. She glanced down at the newssheet and added: "Why does everyone draw me so short?"
    While Rennyn wasn't as unnecessarily tall as her husband, she definitely wasn't small, so the most likely reason was the people making the newssheet didn't care. The picture was nothing new: a drawing of a black-haired, dark-eyed woman dangling from puppet-strings held by a shadowy figure with claws, his arms and legs all long and spidery. Rennyn and her Kellian husband Captain Faille. While the picture properly got across the idea that Captain Faille was a scary man, anyone who thought Rennyn the least bit like a puppet really didn't have a clue.
    Kendall didn't know why her teacher even bothered to read the sheets, though she did privately feel Rennyn had been out of her head, or at least not thinking things through, when she'd insisted on marrying Captain Faille before she'd even been able to get out of her sick bed. People had already distrusted the Kellian for being descended from magical constructs called golems, and not properly human. When the Black Queen—who had centuries ago created the first Kellian—had taken control of their descendants during her attempted return, every suspicion seemed confirmed, for all that the Kellian had had no choice in the matter. A ridiculously powerful mage like Rennyn Claire up and marrying one—in an evening ceremony in the infirmary with the bride propped into a sitting position, her face still black with bruises—well, of course people would say she'd been taken advantage of and start making a fuss. Rennyn was too used to acting like the Boss of the World to imagine anyone would think she could be bullied into getting married.
    Kendall noticed the blue sleeves had acquired a distinct tilt. "You need to sit down now."
    Rennyn straightened. Kendall just caught her change of expression, but as usual her teacher immediately tried to hide how upset not being able to do anything much made her. "Can you finish it with me sitting down?" she asked the dressmakers.
    "Of course, Your Grace. I've pinned the level."
    Rennyn needed help stepping down off the stool, and blinked and swayed a bit more while Kendall kept her upright. Knowing the looks she'd get if she let Her High and Mightiness fall over, Kendall made sure to keep hold of her elbow until she'd settled in one of the chairs by the window.
    "It won't be much longer, Your Grace," said one of the dressmakers: the older, less-snooty one who looked like a pigeon stuffed into ruby silk. No-one was supposed to call Rennyn 'Your Grace' yet—not officially—but a lot of people did anyway. The huge amount Rennyn was spending on too many clothes—not just for herself but for her brother and husband, and for Kendall and her fellow student Sukata as well—made the dressmaker extra keen to please. Rennyn probably didn't even notice, since she had her eyes closed and was taking long, deep breaths. She was supposed to be having an audience with the Queen that morning, and should have known better than to tire herself out before she even reached the Old Palace.
    After a while she opened her eyes and began annoying herself with the newssheet again, carefully reading all of a long playbill for something called "The Black Queen". How a bunch of players could hope to 'Reveal All about the Return of Queen Solace' Kendall didn't know, and wondered if there was any way she could sneak off to see them try.
    "There you are, Your Grace," said the plump dressmaker, clambering to her feet with just enough effort to show that scuffling about on her knees had been an especial favour. "I will make the adjustments to the other dresses, and have them to you soonest. Are you certain in regards to the decoration of the Court Gown?"
    Kendall knew Rennyn's main interest in the gown she was going to wear to be made Duchess was that it wasn't heavy. Green and white for the