Read Shadows on Snow: A Flipped Fairy Tale (Flipped Fairy Tales) for Free Online

did, and it was all I could do not to sob at the ghostly memory. All at once, I remembered kneeling by her bedside, clutching at her hand even as she reassured me she’d be fine. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t make myself believe it then, as even a child could feel the icy grip of life’s end upon her.
    I shut the memories down, determined not to let them distract me from what I needed to do to keep history from repeating itself. With tears in my eyes, I approached the bed. No matter what, I had to put aside my own feelings to look at the situation objectively.
    Deep in slumber, she inhaled shaky, shallow breaths, barely moving her chest. She was not the proud, beautiful woman from the castle portraits, head held high and smiling. What remained was little more than a skeleton rattling its ribcage in a last effort to cling to life. It amazed me that she still breathed at all. Queen Muriel must have had amazing strength to have lasted that long.
    I shut my eyes and mentally scanned the room. From what I could tell, there were no cursed pieces of jewelry or haunted relics either on her person or nearby. Magic and I were well acquainted, and I would’ve known it instantly were it in play. I returned to a physical search. Beside her bed, on the nightstand, a cold, half-empty cup of tea sat beside a vase of large, white, five-petaled Daymaiden lilies. I reached for the cup, thinking I might be able to detect any poisons by scent or color, but I paused mid-motion.
    The glass vase holding the flowers was all but bereft of water. Barely an ounce or two remained in the bottom, with lines of mineral deposits left where the liquid evaporated. And yet, the lilies thrived as though they’d only been cut an hour before. Shifting my hand to hover over the blooms, the faintest hint of magic sent a familiar tickle across my skin.
    My time would be up soon. I needed to make my decision.
    After taking one of the blooms from the vase, I lifted the skirts of my gown and slipped the stem through my garter. With one last check of the room, my gaze lighting briefly on every horizontal surface and wall hanging, I left as quickly as I could without disturbing any of the occupants.
    I took the wall passage from the east wing library again, but exited before I got to the higher traffic areas the servants used. The place I ended up in was a cloakroom on the main floor, and I had to battle my way through hundreds of heavy garments before finding the door.
    As I slipped into the corridor, the same sensation of alarm passed over me. Fortunately for me, the powder room was nearby, and none would question my presence.
    I paused for a moment, thinking. I had what I came for, and there was no reason for me to return to the ball. Nothing beyond the unsatisfied rumble of my stomach, at any rate, which was very insistent. Dare I risk it? So long as I left within the hour, I saw no reason not to indulge myself the one time, even if I had to wear a dress to do so.
    And I did so miss the sound of music. For years, I’d not heard musicians aside from my sisters.
    It had been a very long six months. Surely there was no harm in a little leisure.
    I passed half an hour skirting the edges of the ballroom, plucking all manner of delicious things from platters, and eavesdropping on the latest gossip amongst high society. When my hunger was finally sated, I knew it was time to leave, but found I was actually enjoying being amongst people. Strange, as I hadn’t missed such events at all the past ten years. I swayed with the beat of the music, entranced by the constant motion of the guests and the ever-changing sparkles of light from the jewels adorning every person. A hypnotizing rhythm crept into me, keeping me anchored to the lavish celebration.
    Even so, I knew the longer I stayed, the higher the risk of being approached by someone who might question my presence. Stepping out onto the veranda leading to the garden, I took a deep breath of night air, relishing the