Page 171 of The Chains You Defy

Slowly, I turned around to grab the dress, allowing her to notice the landscape on my back. My scars would only hold power over me if I granted them any significance. Never again, I swore to myself at that moment.

“Humans are so fragile.”

“At least we don’t look down on others all the time.”

“Ah, pet, it’s only reality. I could snap your neck in a matter of seconds, and there’s nothing you could do.”

Quickly, I slipped into the gown before I could scream at Danartha or worse. Her demeaning words, threats, and awful names hurt more than I admitted. Showing her how she got under my skin would be a grave mistake. But I stored everything in a little mental folder labeled ‘Information for Dion’. I wasn’t above tattling, not when it came to that arrogant fae bitch.

I tugged all the fabric where it belonged and closed the ties. Luckily, the dress was laced in the front, and I could easily secure the crisscross strings myself. I’d rather die than seek Danartha’s help. “I get it. You’re better,stronger, and prettier than I am. Was that all? Because you’re unhelpful, and I have a ball to get ready for. So there’s the door.”

Before I could blink, Danartha was towering right in front of me and showed me her teeth. That gesture was barely impressive when Dion did it, but hers? Stifling a laugh, I raised my eyebrow.

“I was given the duty to aid you. So no, I won’t leave. Sit down.” With more strength than I could resist, she pushed me onto a chair, and a hairbrush appeared in her hand. Of course, she didn’t apply any care when she tore the brush through my locks.

“I’m very well able to tend to my hair myself.”

“The High King gave me a task, and I follow His Royal Majesty’s command. Stay seated.”

By the gods, no. As the next stroke of the brush almost ripped a golden strand out, I attempted to escape but was stopped mid-movement by the fucking chair, which bustled and writhed until the piece of furniture had me restrained to itself. Magic—this had to be Danartha’s powers. Hadn’t someone mentioned she was a light Wielder? How was morphing my seating arrangement into a prison connected to that element? “Stop that.”

“No. You’ll listen to me, human filth.”

The brush went through my locks with so much force I couldn’t suppress a pained wince, and my eyes widened in horror as I spotted a long blonde strand landing on the ground.

Was she trying to comb me bald?

I tensed, anticipating every new drag of the tool through my tresses as I had done right before each stroke of my father’s cane. “Then speak.”

“Oh, I will. But first, let me emphasize in how much trouble yourfriendsand their friends will be if you forward any of this to His Royal Highness.”

Divine Immaru, why was every fae threatening me with lost lives being my responsibility? Also, what was Danartha thinking? Dion knew me too well, and he was like a wild animal that had smelled blood when he assumed I was hiding something from him. He would be relentless until I’d spilled exactly what had transpired. He’d never accept my silence.

“So, the following is what’s going to happen. Tonight after the ball, you and I will meet. You’ll swear a magical oath to stay far away from His Royal Highness, sign a letter—one that I’ll give to him in your name—before I’ll send you through a portal back into your little pathetic world. His Royal Majesty is supporting this procedure, and not that the future is any of your business, but he promised me Scriosta’s hand in marriage upon his return.”

This time, I burst into laughter despite the wave of pain shooting through my scalp as another strand was ripped off my head by the wooden brush. It was obvious she used magic, so the tool gripped my locks and didn’t release them. After I’d calmed down, I shook my head. “You can force neither him nor me.”

“See, little human vermin, that’s where you’re wrong. You’ll either do as I say, or the letter that I’ll hand over to my intended will tell him about how Galanta was all too much for you and about your decision to end your suffering by jumping from the highest tower of Alaiann Palace.”

“You contemplate feeding him a lie about me committing suicide?”

“Everyone tried to stop you, but you slipped through the cracks. How tragic.”

“Even if you succeeded with either of your ploys, you’re forgetting something very vital. Dion isn’t stupid, and your world would morph into one of pain and misery so fast, you wouldn’t even have time to scream.” My backtalk resulted in another sacrificed lock of hair on the ground, and I could swear that my scalp was bleeding.

“Oh, the High King will ensure that Scriosta stays in line. Eachtrannach, face your reality. You’ve already lost. Iwillbecome queen one day. Not some scrawny, damaged cretin like you.”

“As if I cared about a title.”

“Please. Next, you spin some absurd tale about how you have genuine feelings for a horrid monster like him.”

Enough was enough. Twisting my upper body, pure fury aided me in freeing one of my arms, and without hesitation, I slapped her as hard as I could. “Belittle me as much as you want. Hurt me as well as you can. Threaten me, I don’t give a shit. But never, ever insult Dion again. Or you’ll regret the day you were born. You assume that I’m harmless? Wrong. Not that long ago, I tainted my soul with a predator who didn’t deserve to live, and believe me, with the right motivation, I would fucking thrust a dagger into someone’s throat again.”

The hairbrush splintered in Danartha’s hand, and with satisfaction, I observed her cheek reddening.

This would teach her the lesson not to disrespect Dion.

Her face contorted into an ugly scowl, and she snapped her teeth at me, barely missing my nose.