Star Cursed

Tess loops her arm around my waist. “You’re still betrothed in your hearts.”

I can’t help smiling. “When did you become such a little romantic? Have you been reading Maura’s novels?”

Tess bends down to buckle the boots, flushing. “Don’t judge. Some of them are quite entertaining.”

Oh, she is growing up. Dreaming of a beau of her own, perhaps. When I was twelve, I thought I’d grow up to be Catherine McLeod; I assumed it the way I knew grass was green and the sky was blue. Was there a boy in Chatham Tess thought handsome?

“You won’t tell Finn, will you? About my visions?” Her gray eyes are serious again. “I don’t want anyone to know yet. No one but you.”

“Then I won’t.”

I won’t lose Tess by making the same mistakes I made with Maura. I’m going to do things differently with her—and that means listening to what she wants and respecting it, not bullying or bossing.

Even if it means that Maura seems farther away every day.

• • •

Richmond Square Gardens are next to the cathedral, directly across the street from the barren square where the bonfire was held. The public park is hardly the lovely green oasis it must be in spring or summer, but it’s still a colorful escape from the brick and stone of the city. The red maples are holding on to autumn, stretching their leafy fingers toward the weak sun. Beneath them, witch hazel flaunts its spidery yellow flowers while the rosebushes sleep. All around us, there’s the sound of dripping water, ice melting after yesterday’s storm. Today is positively balmy in comparison.

All the paths are muddy, trampled messes. At the far end of the park, a little boy jumps delightedly into a puddle with both feet. I spot Finn sitting on a marble bench by the duck pond. In the spring I daresay it would be crowded with children feeding the birds and splashing in the shallow water while their mothers scold, but today there are only a few mottled ducks floating placidly on the brown water.

He hasn’t seen us yet. I take the rare chance to watch him unobserved. He’s leaning over a book, reading as he waits. His thick brown hair stands up as if he’s already run his hands through it half a dozen times, and there’s stubble on his chin as though he forgot to shave the last morning or two. Just then, he looks up and sees us—sees me—and his gap-toothed grin is enormous. He stands, poking his spectacles up with his index finger and tucking the book into his pocket.

I want to run to him, hurl myself into his arms, but Sister Catherine picks her way carefully down the path.

“You know my sister, Tess. She wanted to come and meet you properly. Tess, this is Finn.” My stomach twists as it occurs to me that these are my two favorite people in the world, and I want them to adore one another.

“Good day, Brother Belastra,” Tess says shyly, her hands stuffed in her cloak pockets.

“Finn,” he corrects her. “Please. It’s good to see you again, Tess.”

“Thank you for meeting us.” I’m so used to us sneaking around, meeting in secret places—in his mother’s bookshop, our garden at home, the Sisters’ conservatory. I feel oddly shy and formal, with Tess here and the whole world watching.

“I was glad to.” He takes a step closer, lowering his voice. “I heard the Brothers raided the convent. I thought you would be safe there. I thought that was the entire point.”

“There isn’t anywhere safe anymore.” I stare past him at the carefree ducks, remembering the terror in Hope’s voice. “Have you heard anything about the girls they’ve arrested?”

“One of them died yesterday—the simpleminded one. They tortured her. I daresay the others won’t last long. They’re interrogating them night and day, refusing them food or water or sleep.” Tess inches closer to me, and Finn’s cherry mouth tilts into a frown. “I’m sorry—did you know the girl they took from the convent?”

“She was Tess’s friend.” I fight the urge to put my arm around her, knowing it will embarrass her. She’s gnawing on her bottom lip with her two pearly front teeth, a bad habit she gets from me and a sure sign of distress, so I change the subject. “Was it difficult to get away?”

Finn shrugs. “Ishida gave me leave to skip the council sessions to meet with my new boss. Denisof will assume I’ve been in the sessions all afternoon. They’ll never miss me.”

I grin. “Does that mean you got the position?”

“I had word this morning.” His brown eyes are earnest behind his spectacles, but he bows theatrically, lightening the mood. “What’s my assignment, milady?”

“Find out when the next Head Council meeting is, and where.” I run a hand along the back of the bench, tracing the curves with my fingertip. “I hate asking this of you.”

“I volunteered, remember? And I’m eager to do it, so stop apologizing, Cate.”

My heart thrills at just this: the sound of my name on his tongue.

“Besides, it’s hardly a swashbuckling adventure.” He looks faintly disappointed, and my lips twitch at his urge to play the hero. I’m glad it’s not more dangerous; after all, this isn’t one of his books. “Denisof’s a member; I imagine he’ll have me clear his schedule. What’s Inez planning?”

“I don’t know,” I confess. “She’s been teaching us how to glamour ourselves as Brothers. Perhaps she’s going to kidnap one of the Head Council members before the meeting and put one of us in his place to find out what their plans are. Has Brenna said anything new?”

Finn takes off his cloak and spreads it across the damp bench. I sit perhaps a tad closer than is strictly proper, my hip almost brushing his gray trousers. He’s dressed in his fine Brotherhood clothes today: gray vest, white shirtsleeves, black boots speckled with mud. Tess plops down on the other side of me.

“Er—yes, actually.” He clears his throat. “She’s predicted that one of the Brothers’ own will betray them by siding with the witches.”

“What?” I shriek, rocketing to my feet, almost tripping over the cobblestones lining the path.

“Shhh.” Finn grabs my wrist and tugs me back down. “She didn’t give any specifics. There’s nothing to identify me.”

I take a deep breath. I stood up for Brenna, but if her prophesying keeps putting the people I love in greater danger, what can I do? Are Inez and Maura right?

“This is entirely too dangerous now,” I begin. “I don’t want—”

“It’s not up to you. It’s my decision. I’ve heard some rumblings about the Sisterhood, too,” Finn continues. His freckled hand lies on his knee, inches away from mine. He has a smudge of black ink on his forefinger.

“What kind of rumblings?” Tess demands, craning around me to see him.

“The strictest members of the council wanted to close the convent school. They were outvoted. The vote to forbid women’s education wasn’t unanimous, you know—at least a third of the council was against it. As a concession to them, the convent school was permitted to stay open.”

“As though fifty educated girls make such a difference,” Tess snaps, bouncing her fists against her thighs.