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They should have never helped us. They never should have attended my wedding. I swallowed.

“I’m so sorry that Vale and I put you in this situation,” I murmured. “It’s all my fault.”

“No, Neve, it’s not,” Saga interjected. “Perhaps it was hasty for us to stay, to stand against my father and wound his pride in that way, but he is making these choices.” Her face grew stony. “It’s a punishment, but it cannot happen. I won’t let it, Sayyida. I won’t.”

The princess took Sayyida by the chin and turned her friend’s head to her own. Their eyes locked. Sayyida licked her lips and Saga’s gaze softened noticeably.

Not for the first time, I lingered in the middle of a veryintimate moment. There was something between them. Did the king see that? The queen? Saga’s brothers?

Vale had known that Sayyida preferred females, but did he know about Saga? That I was certain she preferred the same—and Sayyida in particular?

“Sian and I had a plan,” Sayyida said. “We were going to wed and then I could sail and do as I wished.” She stared at Saga, the faerie betrothed to Sayyida’s own brother. “And he could do as he wished too.”

“We’ll make it right,” Saga insisted. “Father has allowed me to push back my marriage to Vidar for many turns. He said nothing about you wedding Jarl Salizier soon. We can buy time, then dissolve it.”

My heart clenched at the triangle—or perhaps a square?—that my friends were in. Though Vidar seemed very kind and the type of male many females would love to marry, he wasn’t what Saga wanted. Didheknow the truth? Perhaps they, too, had made a pact?

For her sake, I hoped so.

Actually, no. I hoped the king would stop being such a giant pile of gryphon dung! That he’d see sense and call this stupid Courting Festival off. Stop harassing his people.

Then the smiles of the jarls came back to me. Well, some of his people were happy about the results. But not those I cared for.

“He threatened Marit.” Sayyida wiped tears from her face. Then, shockingly, she stood for the first time since I’d arrived half an hour ago. “What makes you think he won’t do the same to me?”

The princess looked away. She could give no guarantee.

But that didn’t mean hope could not live on. “Saga is the king’s jewel, Sayyida. He’ll listen to her.”

Sayyida laughed, and for once it wasn’t bawdy or full of joy, but cold and skeptical. “We’ll see. I need to find my mother.”

“I’ll come with,” Saga said and made to stand.

But Sayyida held up a hand. “No. I need time with Mother. Alone.”

“Oh, all right then.” Saga sat again, face carefully blank.

“Thanks for everything,” Sayyida added, more of an afterthought than anything. “I’ll see you two later.”

She left. I heard her exchange a few words outside, probably with Vale. Since we’d arrived at Saga’s room, after a brief stop at the Virtoris wing where we were redirected, he’d been out there—waiting for me.

He hadn’t said a word about my run-in with his brother. And while I’d been curious, I hadn’t asked either. Since leaving the solarium, my priority had been to find Sayyida. To help her.

Now she was gone and the question of what had happened with Rhistel was back. Maybe Saga would know?

I found Saga staring at her hands, clearly holding back tears. I swallowed my question.

The news of Sayyida’s betrothal had hit Saga hard too. I couldn’t bring her more pain, not after all that I’d already put her through. Even if her father wouldn’t harmhis own blood directly, I’d put her brother at risk, brought ill fortune to those females who had shown me grace at court—Saga’s best friends. One of them, the person I believed she loved.

“Do you need anything?” I whispered. “Want me to stay?”

Saga looked up at me, unshed tears in her blue eyes, the fingers of her right hand clenching the skirt of her dress, as if the fine fabric was the only thing keeping her in one piece. “I think I’d like to be alone too. I’ll see you later, Neve. Tomorrow.”

“Very well. Butpleasecall if you need anything.” A part of me felt silly for making such an offer to the princess, a faerie with an entire kingdom at her fingertips. But I’d do anything for Saga. After all, this was my fault. I swallowed. “I’m serious, Saga. Call and I’ll come. “

“I know,” she replied, already moving to lie down on the bed.

I saw myself to the door, guilt twisting my insides with each step.