Page 5 of A Dagger in the Ivy (Blade Bound #1)

C Hapter

As I enter Nadya’s room, the air is immediately filled with an aura of warmth and vibrancy that seems to emanate from her very presence. Nadya sits perched at her vanity, gently rubbing a cream into the smooth, dark skin of her face, the thick, springy coils of her raven-colored hair dancing across her shoulders with every movement. Her delicate features are adorned with a subtle touch of beauty tinctures she acquired from Mersos, accentuating her natural beauty with a hint of rosy blush on her high cheekbones and a blended oil that enhances her fluttering lashes.

She looks up from her mirror with a bright smile, her eyes alight with relief as she catches sight of me. “Celeste, you’re back.” Her voice has a melodic cadence that puts me at ease. When she catches my somber expression, her smile fades. She stands and glides over to me. “I’m so sorry about Bennett.”

“Thank you. I still haven’t come to terms with his passing.”

Nadya pulls me in for a hug. We grew up together, so in my heart, she’s like a sister to me. “I miss him, too. Though he never did pay much mind to me unless he was telling me what not to do.”

“He was just looking after you. And his reputation as king.” I hold her by her shoulders. “In truth, he loved you like a sister. As do I.”

Her eyes, deep, rich brown and oval-shaped, well with tears. “If there’s anything I can do, just say the word.”

“You’re sweet.”

“There’s something else troubling you.” Nadya’s always been good at seeing right through people. “What is it?”

I wring my hands.

Evidently sensing my apprehension, Nadya moves over to her settee and picks up her pile of books, setting them on a side table before gesturing for me to take a seat.

I plop down and pull her to sit beside me. “You know what it means, now that Bennett is gone?”

“It means… that you are queen? Oh, gods, was I supposed to curtsey and address you as ‘Your Majesty’?” She clambers to her feet and grabs her skirts, dropping into a curtsey.

I grab her wrists. “No. Please don’t stop being my friend. Our relationship will not change, no matter my title. First and foremost, aside from being your friend, I’m Commander of the Royal Regiment. And my official title will not yet be queen until my coronation.”

She releases her dress and tilts her head. “What is it, then? What’s wrong?”

“My uncle has just informed me of my first duty as ruler of Delasurvia.” I cover my cheeks as if to stop the burning within them. “There are two marriage offers on the table. It seems that I must choose between them to seal the fate of the realm.”

Nadya’s eyebrows arch as she returns to my side, her gaze filled with concern. “Marriage? You?”

I swat at her playfully. “I know. It’s preposterous. But I cannot think like old, independent Celeste anymore. I have to think like the heiress to the throne, as much as it pains me to say.”

“Well, two offers is a nice start. You are a catch, you know.”

I bristle. “I’m sure the offers have nothing to do with me personally, but what I can do for their kingdoms.”

“Who are the prospects? ”

“Lord Marcos Trevose of Podrosa and Prince Torbin Copperhammer of Hedera.”

Her forehead wrinkles. “Marcos Trevose? Isn’t he a child?”

“Apparently, he is one year my junior.”

Her nose wrinkles. “Still, unless he’s outgrown the warts on his chin—”

“Those are birthmarks, I heard.”

“I believe his father forced people to say that.” She lets out a small laugh. “Prince Torbin, on the other hand… I’ve heard he’s grown into a handsome man.”

I smirk. “ How have you heard?”

“People talk. Especially the ladies of the court.” Nadya’s brows dance as she smiles. As daughter to the king’s head council, Nadya has been as close to the lords and ladies of the court as I have been. Closer, even. By all means, Nadya should have a room in the castle, but she insisted on staying at the Garrison. She claimed it was to be near me, but I’ve noticed her wandering eyes and the way she cozies up to the soldiers who live here.

And I’ve seen her disappear into her room with one or another of them in the late hours of the night.

Not that I’m one to judge—I've had my share of relationships, though often short-lived, long enough to know what Nadya is chasing. But I mostly keep my fleeting moments and whispered promises in the dark hidden from prying eyes, especially since my uncle lives in the same building.

“And they say he’s handsome?” My decision would solely be based on what is best for the realm, but if I had to marry someone, it wouldn’t hurt if he was pleasant to look at.

“I believe the descriptors I’ve heard are ‘dashing’ and ‘desirable.’”

A warm blush travels over my cheeks. “I guess that’s better than warts.”

Nadya lets out a hearty laugh. “Plus, you know him. It’s not like you’re marrying a stranger.”

“I don’t know him. It’s been twelve years. People can change a lot in a decade. People can change a lot in a year.”

“That’s true.” She purses her lips. “So then maybe he’s outgrown torturing frogs.”

My face scrunches up in disgust, remembering Torbin chasing frogs, prodding them with sticks to get them to run from him in fear. “I forgot all about that.”

“Listen, think nothing of it. All boys are strange.”

“I hope you’re right. What if his frog torture has turned into something worse? What if I’m agreeing to marry a horrible monster? This is not how I imagined my future.” It isn’t that I’m opposed to marriage, but I just always imagined I would be a soldier for years to come and not have to deal with settling down until I was much older.

Her eyes widen, her lips curving into a smile. There’s a sparkle in her eye that always appears when she gets an idea. “Well, let’s see what’s in store for you.” She extends her hand as if she expects something from me.

“What do you mean?”

“Margie taught me some palmistry. I think I’ve got a knack for it. Let me see the palm of your dominant hand.” She lifts her chin, obviously convinced she’s already an expert.

I let out a small laugh and oblige. She pulls me closer on the bed and turns my hand over to study my palm. Her touch is delicate, and I squirm at the way it tickles as she moves her finger around.

“There are four major lines.” She concentrates on my palm, her face growing more serious as she speaks. “The heart line, the head line, the life line, and the fate line.”

“You think you can tell my future by looking at my skin? I have to tell you, my hands have been through some pretty rough battles. There may be lines there now that weren’t there before.”

“I have to admit that I only learned the four major lines. Everyone has other, smaller lines as well, but I haven’t learned what any of those mean yet.”

“So we’ll just look at the big four.”

She pulls her legs up on the bed and tucks her feet under herself. “Yes. First, let’s start with the head line.” She taps her fingertip between my index finger and thumb and then runs it horizontally across my palm. “This represents what is going on in your head. It unveils your mind and the way it works, revealing your intellect.”

“Wow, you really paid attention when Margie taught you this.”

“I’m a good student when the subject is interesting.” She winks before she continues. “Your head line is long, which means you’re a good thinker, but it also means you tend to overanalyze.”

“But you already knew that.”

“It’s also curved, which means you are tolerant and realistic.”

“Hmm. Not sure if I agree with that.”

“You tolerate Isaac, and he’s the biggest ass I’ve ever met.”

I laugh, glad that Nadya can rescue me from the depths of my sorrow and worry.

She traces the line below the head line. “This is your life line.”

I inhale deeply, bracing myself for what she’s about to say. I don’t even know if I believe in palmistry, but I might feel some relief if what she says is positive.

She glances up at me. “This shows your quality of life, not how long you will live.”

“Oh, all right.”

Her brow creases.

“What? What do you see?”

“It’s strange. See here how it runs deep? That usually means good health and power. But here in the middle it fades a bit and there’s this circle interrupting it.”

My heart beats faster as fear of what she might say creeps in. “What does that mean?”

“I think Margie called this circle an ‘island.’ It could mean an illness.” Nadya stops short, pressing her lips together. “But that could just be a battle wound.”

I tell myself that palmistry is just a fool’s game and not to put much stock in it. “A battle wound, yes. I cut my hand open a few months ago fighting off carnoraxis.”

Her smile seems forced. “That must be it. Let’s move on to your fate line.”

I push the worry out of my head, releasing a slow breath.

She bends my hand, nudging my thumb closer to my pinky and then releasing it. Touching my wrist and following the line that goes up toward my middle finger, she chews her lip. “Well, this makes sense. These broken lines show many sudden experiences. Changes and obstacles. Trials, secrets you come to reveal.”

I think upon my tumultuous life: my mother dying, and then my father. The battles I’ve fought in because some evil tsar decided to unleash carnoraxis into the world. Not to mention my struggle with manifesting my fae powers. “I’d have to say that was spot on.”

She shoots me a quick frown before focusing on my palm again. “And this is your love line.”

With everything going on in my life, love is the least of my worries, but I still can’t resist to ask, “How does it look?”

“This line reflects your journey of love and stable, sentimental relationships.” She smiles. “Just as I suspected: you have big, passionate love ahead of you. Swoon-worthy, in fact.”

I pull my hand away and playfully swat at her. “You’re such a liar.”

She lifts her chin. “I’m not lying. It’s what I see.”

“Well, as long as it isn’t wart-chinned Lord Marcos you see.” I give her a slanted smile.

“Who knows? Maybe he’s full of passion and fated to be your mate.”

My amusement only lasts a minute before I sober. I raise my head, gazing above me as if seeking out the gods to help me. “I can’t agree to either union.”

Nadya swings her legs off the bed, tucking her hands beneath her thighs. “What if they force you?”

“They probably will.” I let out a frustrated grunt. “I’m afraid I have no say in the matter. I mean, I do, but then I’m dooming my country. It’s utterly infuriating.”

She regards me for a moment. “What will you do, then?”

I sigh, throwing my head back. “I will choose Prince Torbin if I must. And I will insist that you accompany me. What’s a princess without her lady-in-waiting?”

“Me? In a castle? In the fucking Land of Ivy?” Nadya is giddy with laughter.

I grab her wrists and use my eyes to plead with her. “I won’t go without you.”