Page 166 of The Chains You Defy

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, it is. I was just worried because you rang instead of knocking. But what about you? Your face spells bad news.”

“Potential trouble, yes.”

“About the ball today?”

“I fear so.”

“What’s the problem?” Wincing, I glanced at my hand and realized I’d scratched the cuticle of my right index finger bloody. “Damn.”

Antas moved closer and handed me a clean handkerchief, which I wrapped around my digit.

“Mydearestbrother has decreed that you will receive help with your preparations for the revelry.”

“A maid aided me last time as well. She’d been grumpy and impolite, although she complimented my hair, so I can deal with that.”

“Only, it is not a servant. He ordered Danartha to assist you.”

All the color drained from my face. “Dion’s unpleasant ex.”

“Yes.”

“The one even Thain wouldn’t touch.”

“Yes. She was not always so horrible, but something had turned her rotten.”

“Well, I believe that in this case, Dion would understand if you or one of the others chaperoned me, changing clothes be damned.”

“Maybe in the end, he would see reason, but it is not possible anyway. Unsurprisingly, all four of us have been assigned different responsibilities before and during the ball.”

“Fuck.” Lately, I cursed a lot more. Must be unavoidable when being surrounded by fae soldiers all the time.

Chewing on my lower lip, I tried to come up with a solution to the problem at hand, although honestly, since this was a ploy of the king, I wouldn’t find a loophole to slip out. “There’s no way to evade being alone with her, is there?”

“No. And despite my opinion that Danartha won’t attack you, she will surely aim to hurt you with words. She is not only racist, like most of the courtiers, but also infatuated with the idea of becoming queen one day, and well, from her view, you are standing in her way.”

“Dion wouldn’t—”

“Never. Still, she has not given up hope. She will hunt for your insecurities and use them all without mercy.”

Taking a deep breath, I unwrapped Antas’ handkerchief. The bleeding had stilled, but my finger hadn’t stopped throbbing, and I was silent for a moment.

“Tomorrow morning, we will move you away from court.”

“Oh?”

“It is getting too dangerous for you. Today is a prime example. You will stay in a safe place for a while. I will not tell you where, in case my brother plans to interrogate you tonight. But rest assured, each one of us is busy organizing your escape to safety.”

“Are you joining me too?”

“Only after a short delay. First, we will distract Galrach from realizing too early that you are gone. But we will follow. Soon.”

Antas’ body language was an open book, and from his rigid stance, I concluded that remaining in Alaiann meant tremendous risks for my friends. “Please don’t endanger yourself for my sake.”

“Not only for you, Nayana. Someone has to intercept and brief Dion when he returns before he has a chance to escalate.”

Understandable.