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“I think the same could be said of your prince,” Callan replied with a raised brow.

A wicked grin spread across her face. “Careful, Mortal Prince, your jealousy is showing.”

“I’m not—” but he stopped. He had not realized she had led them to the bridges…and was now crossing one. “We are meeting on the western side of the palace?”

“It would appear so,” Eliza said, turning to him and crossing her arms. “Unless you have some objection to that side? Although with the trouble you have been going through to get to the other side, I can’t imagine you do.”

“Why now?” Finn cut in from his side. “Why are we suddenly allowed on that side now?”

Eliza sighed. “One, because you are being escorted. You are not trying to cross to this side by yourselves. Two, you were sequestered to the other side because his focus was on her. He did not want to have to worry about anything else until she woke. Now come on. I’m hungry.”

She turned and began across the bridge again. Callan sighed and followed. If she was leading them to another trap, there was nothing he could do about it. He had never felt so helpless. Then again, he’d never really faced a time when he’dneededhelp, either.

They made it to the other side of the bridge without issue. Eliza led them down two more hallways before stopping in front of a room. She threw the double doors open and stalked in. Rayner held up a stack of papers that she snatched from him as she plopped into a seat and propped her feet up on the long table, despite the fact that it was laden with food.

“These are from Stellan?” she asked, grabbing an apple from the bowl and taking a bite.

“Yes,” Rayner replied in his cool voice. “I’d rather not stare at the bottom of your boots while we eat.” As he said it, he pushed her feet off the table, and they fell to the floor with a thump. Without missing a beat, she chucked her apple at him. He disappeared into ashes and reappeared on the other side of the table.

“Oh good, we’re already throwing food,” Cyrus said, prowling into the dining room. “Crown Prince,” he added with a slight nod.He took a seat next to Rayner and began filling his plate. “Please, by all means, help yourself.”

“We are not waiting for Prince Sorin?” Callan asked, taking a seat at the other end of the table.

“Gods, no,” Cyrus scoffed. “We’d never eat if we waited for him.”

“Oh thank Saylah we’re not waiting for him,” said a feminine voice behind Callan. “I swear he takes longer to get ready than I do.”

He turned to see Scarlett floating into the room, her shadows trailing in her wake. She was in all black wearing fitted pants with a black, long sleeve top. Daggers were at her waist, and her swagger was back. If it weren’t for the hollowness of her eyes, he would have thought she was completely back to normal.

“I am so glad you are here, Darling,” Cyrus said, handing a piece of bread up to her that he had smeared marmalade onto. She breezed by, snagging it and taking a bite.

“So the two of you can torment Sorin together?” Eliza asked. Her boots were back on the table, and she had a new apple in her hand. The previous one lay forgotten on the floor.

“I will gladly accept anyone into our family who can hand Sorin his ass in cards like she did last night,” Cyrus replied, putting a sandwich together. “What are you going to do with all that gold anyway?”

“I already spent it on chocolates and shoes,” Scarlett answered, finishing off her bread.

“All of it?” Cyrus asked, his mouth falling open.

“And books, of course,” Scarlett answered, motioning for another piece of bread.

“But you won…a lot of gold coins,” Cyrus sputtered.

“I’m surprised you even remember after the amount of alcohol you drank,” Scarlett teased. “I’ll have some chocolate sent to your rooms.”

“This is the most unorthodox Court I have ever seen,” Callan said, his mouth gaping. Sloan and Finn seemed as bewildered as he was. Council meetings with his father’s court were formal and quiet and tense.Everyone went silent and eyes slid to them, as though they’d forgotten they were there. Scarlett had perched on the table.On the table. She was swinging her legs, eating her bread and jam.

“Good day, Callan. Finn. Sloan, my dear, has your face officially become stuck in that scowl? I knew it would eventually happen,” she said with a fiendish grin.

Eliza smirked, and Cyrus barked a laugh. “You seem to be doing well, Scarlett,” Callan said slowly, studying her.

“Well, madness can certainly be deceiving, can’t it?” she replied, her grin turning feral.

“Where is his Highness anyway?” Cyrus asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

“He pointed me down the hall and said he had to get something. He’ll be along shortly,” she supplied with a shrug of her shoulders.

“And what exactly is this meeting about?” Finn asked cautiously.