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“Deal,” I said to Nevaria after my moment of thought. “I will do my best. Just note that my father is as stubborn as you are.”

Nevaria responded with a wicked smile. “We have an agreement then. As long as you get out of my kingdom by tonight, and you promise to put in a word to your father after your foolish little mission, I will not tell my mother you were ever here.” She put out her hand, and I was about to shake it, when Elias interrupted.

“You won’t tellanyoneshe was here,” he said darkly.

“Excuse me?” Nevaria shot him a nasty look. I looked up at him as well, with bemusement.

“Not just your mother. You won’t tell anyone,” he repeated.

Nevaria paused, and her lips slowly curled upwards. “You don’t trust me, so you have to mention loopholes?”

Elias only growled, making my spine shiver. I watched as Nevaria gulped, but did not change her expression.

“Fine,” she hissed. She turned back to me. “I won’t tellanyoneyou and your attractive manservant were here.” Elias remained impassiveat the backhanded compliment, but I felt my temper flare. “You have my word,” she finished.

“Yes, deal,” I said harshly, grabbing her outstretched hand quickly. I just wanted to get out of there, before I did anything I would regret.

“Alright, sister,” Max stepped in. “You’ve had your torturous fun. Now get out of here.” He nodded towards the cellar door, which was no longer being blocked by Elias.

Nevaria snickered as she stood and flipped her long black braids over her shoulder. She looked down at me with a serious expression. “In case your small mind didn’t comprehend, I want you out of here by nightfall, or the deal is off,” she warned, no hint of a bluff in her tone.

“Understood,” I answered. I watched as she confidently walked up the steps and out the hidden cellar door, not forgetting to briefly stop in front of Elias and give him a wink. His eyes looked past her and right at me. I quickly glanced away, and met eyes with Max instead. “We should go, before she changes her mind,” I noted.

Max let out a defeated sigh at the sound of the hatch closing. “I’m so sorry, Aurelia. I had no idea she knew about this place. I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

I walked over and placed my hand on his arm. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. It was a good idea, despite her.” I smiled reassuringly. “I don’t know how you can deal with her. It boggles my mind that you two are even related. You really are opposites.”

Max laughed. “The only thing we have in common is the womb we shared,” he joked. “And our taste in men.” This made me chuckle. “She may be a raging bitch, but she always has her people’s best interest in mind. She would make a great queen.”

“I don’t doubt that,” I admitted. “She’s fierce, confident, and loyal.”

“So are you,” Max answered. “You’ll make a great queen too.”

I gave a half smile. I always wanted to be queen, if only to no longerlive under my father’s rule. But ruling a kingdom also terrified me. I was sheltered and closed off from the world. Would my people even want me as their queen?

Max pulled me in for a long hug, cutting off my thoughts. Elias did not move from where he stood. “I wish you could stay,” Max said softly to me. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”

“I’m sure I’ll see you at your sister’s coronation next year,” I winked, and Max responded with a wide grin. I hugged my friend one last time and we both shed a tear as we said goodbye.

I turned and led Elias up the small steps and out of the cellar. “Take care of her,” Max said loudly as we exited. Elias did not respond, but closed the heavy door gently. I crossed my arms, feeling a deep wave of emotions starting to surface. I was angry that I didn’t get to see one of my oldest friends for more than an hour. I was angry at Elias’s unwarranted rudeness towards him. And I was sad. Sad and angry at Elias’s words.This is a business deal, he had said. That’s truly all I was to him after all. Nothing more.

I bit my lip.

“What is it?” Elias asked. I hadn’t noticed him staring at me.

“Nothing. Let’s go.” I turned and began walking back into the city. Elias did not respond as I blocked the boiling emotions from breaching the surface.

Then Elias broke the silence. “We need to see Trybe before we leave.”

The words quickly made my blood begin to heat. I knew we promised to meet with Trybe, but his earlier, hurtful words made me angry enough to bite back.

“Why? So you can have more alone time with her?” I almost saidso you can fuck her?but was somehow able to stop myself.

“No. So you can get your bow.”

My steps slowed and a moment of embarrassment hit me. I nowrealized I left my bow and its accessories at Trybe’s shop. “Right,” I muttered. Trybe didn’t deserve my anger. She was nothing but pleasant towards me. But Elias. His hot and cold words were enough to drive me mad.

My feelings for him were strong, and every time I thought he returned them, he would say something that only proved he felt nothing towards me. I was a “business deal”. He was “being paid to protect me.”