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This ti rooany that’s been cleared of everything Dozens of Alex’s ancestors glare down at us from the wall, and I remind myself that I could always cut theuys never did anything super e of a guy in a poufy white wig At least no one ended up decapitated

I look at Queen Clara’s face where she sits at the head of the table

Yet

"I don’t think I have to tell everyone what a disaster this is," she starts, and Seb, still holding an ice pack to his jaw, mutters a series of pretty filthy words

Alex is still flexing his fingers, his knuckles a little swollen, but his other hand is clutching El’s firmly as she sits at his side, and thattoday, they’re still good

Which is kind of a miracle, really

Miles sits across froives ers dru, his brorinkled He’s the one with the h, so I can’t blaain Glynnis is still going on about "optics" and "getting ahead of the story," and I already knohere that kind of talk leads At this rate, I’ll probably have to marry Miles on the top of the Scott Monuet about this story

Miles only shakes his head in reply, one corner of hisup

I’m sorry, he mouths back, and I e could sit next to each other like Ellie and Alex are

"Daisy, are you listening?"

I snap uiltily confess that no, I wasn’t, and ahatever public sha ritual she devises for me when Ellie suddenly stands up, her hand still in Alex’s

"I’d like to speak toat the head of the table, waves a hand "Of course," she says, "as soon as we’re done--"

"We’re done now," El says, and she sounds every bit like a queen, her chin high, her shoulders back

The queen actually sits back in her chair a little, clearly stunned by this show of backbone

So anals for et up Once I do, and walk over to her, she says, "Change into so comfortable andfor a walk"

• • •

And that’s how I findmy sister up a volcano

Okay, it’s not an active volcano, and these days Arthur’s Seat is really just a big hill behind Holyrood Palace, a place where people go to eat their lunch on nice days I was surprised e just walked out the door, no car, no bodyguards, El in track pants and a T-shirt, her hair in a ponytail, face hidden by giant sunglasses