Arabella's smile turned brittle. "I was joking! Hahaha!" The laugh was so fake it physically hurt to hear. "Of course you should spend time with my dear sister. I am so glad you two are getting along."
Liar. You absolute liar.
"Penelope," Arabella said sweetly, not looking away from me. "Give me the necklace."
Penelope stepped forward, producing a velvet case from seemingly nowhere, and Arabella opened it with a flourish.
Inside was the most beautiful necklace I had ever seen. Blue sapphires and emeralds set in intricate silver, catching the light and sparkling like captured stars.
This is bad. This is a trap. This is absolutely a trap.
"This is for you, dear sister," Arabella said, her smile angelic. "An apology for my behavior lately. I have been.….unkind. And I want to make amends."
Every instinct I had screamed danger. But refusing a gift from a princess in front of witnesses? That would be an insult. A scandal.
Checkmate, you snake.
