Page 172 of The Chains You Defy

Of course, I couldn’t keep my big mouth shut. “No, thank you. I prefer Dion’s bites.”

Everything tumbled out of her face as the meaning behind my mockery sank in. Before she could retaliate, though, the door opened, and a familiar form sauntered inside, narrowed his eyes, and prowled to us. Picking up one of the discarded locks from the ground, the newcomer stared at the female fae with unveiled violence. “Lady Danartha, if you don’t abandon His Royal Highness’ quarters within the next ten seconds, you’ll regret testing my patience.”

“Says who?”

“You really want to pretend that you don’t know Thain? Carthain?” Scoffing, I couldn’t believe her audacity.

Also, I was more than relieved that the redhead had barged in.

I yelped when the wood keeping me hostage morphed into ash so quickly that I’d neither seen nor felt the flames. Perhaps I should have been ashamed that I jumped to my feet and hid behind my friend, but I wasn’t.

“The High King himself tasked me with helping the Eachtrannach to prepare for the ball.”

Thain’s eyes trailed from the strand of my hair between his fingers to the ones lying on the floor, and equal parts horror and wrath were written in his pale pink irises.

“Then don’t mention to him that I sent you away, and maybe I won’t report to my prince what you did to his beloved treasure.”

Danartha scoffed, but—was there a glimmer of fear in her eyes?

“I have to fix my makeup anyway. And you, Eachtrannach, remember what we parleyed about. The choice is yours.” And then she strutted away.

“Thanks, Thain. I’ll make sure Dion won’t rip off your head for barging into his quarters unannounced.”

“Darling, he himself gave me the order to keep you safe.”

“Yes, and he’ssoreasonable. But you’re not in danger. The same can’t be said about his ex-girlfriend. I’m angry enough to ensure he’ll learn everything she did.”

“They never—”

“I don’t care. His awful taste is something I’ll have to discuss with him and not with you.”

Thain lowered himself to the floor and picked up the remaining tresses of hair I’d lost. He scowled at the locks, then his gaze softened when he regarded me. “She’ll regret mutilating you. Darling, are you in pain? At least the good chunk of hair missing is rather invisible.”

“Don’t worry. There’s worse I endured.”

“That doesn’t make her deeds any better.” Thain glowered, still clutching my poor, dead locks. “What choice did Danartha hint at?”

“Oh, that’s a fun one. Either I’ll meet her after the ball, swear an oath to stay away from Dion, and then go home so she can celebrate her engagement to themonster. Her words, not mine. Or I can pick being involved in a murd—I mean,a tragic accidentframed as suicide with me as the corpse. In this case too, Galrach promised her Dion’s hand in marriage.”

Thain wasthemost relaxed fae I’d ever met. Flirtatious, a bit shallow, funny. He had a tendency to chat too much too fast and to disregard personal space as a mere suggestion that held no value for himself. So, when hiswhole body language turned murderous in a way that rivaled Dion’s expression—ironically, the one the prince usually reserved for the redhead—my eyes widened.

“As if I’d allow such crap to happen. None of us would, not only because of Dion, but also because you’re one of us. And we protect each other.”

And like Antas did not that long ago, Thain pulled me into a crushing hug. My heart, moments ago angry and afraid, melted with pure bliss because I’d found friends like the males. And on the edge of my mind, I was relieved Dion was far, far away and wouldn’t smell the redhead on my skin.

As Thain released me from his warm embrace, his face returned to its normal smiling state. “And now, sweet thing, sit down over here so I can fix your hair.”

Thain had just finished doing my hair and makeup—and as it turned out, he had a talent for both—when the chimes rang again, and one of the nameless chamberlains appeared. “I’m supposed to escort you to the ball.”

My gaze moved to my friend, and he dipped his chin slightly as he whispered. “I’ll follow you as soon as I can sneak away. By the way, they suit you well.”

My fingers went to my throbbing earlobe. When Thain had seen the earrings I’d gotten from Dion as a courtship present, he’d been excited beyond measure, and as he’d discovered I had no lobe piercings, he’d insisted on remedying myunacceptable condition. With a heated needle. So I’d replaced the bad pain in my scalp withgoodpain and allowed him to mutilate me further. The procedure hadn’t been fun at all, but at least I was finally able to wear the present I loved.

My stomach revolted as I followed the palace servant. There was a certain foreboding energy in the air.

Before the last ball, I’d paid close attention to the path we’d taken through the maze of corridors, and today, I frowned when my guide led me on another route. My suspicions rose to never-known heights. “Excuse me, shouldn’t we have turned left here?”

“No. Tonight, you’ll enter via the main doors, not the servant’s entrance. But don’t be mistaken; just because you’re treated as one of us, no one would ever consider you as such.”