Page 174 of The Chains You Defy

I bit my lower lip to silence the scoff and the comments that burned on the tip of my tongue. I still wasn’t allowed to use my voice, and I didn’t want to give this male more ammunition, not even the one that I had no court manners.

Addressing Danartha with a title that wasn’t hers yet was a clear statement and the proof he really intended to force Dion into marrying the vile female. But I wouldn’t allow their scheme to work. Only over my dead body could Galrach order my prince to wed someone he despised.

Staying silent like an outwardly obedient female, I met the High King’s eyes with steely determination.

“Do as you are told, or I will personally help her with the second option. You may have friends in Alaiann, but those can be preoccupied somewhere else within the blink of an eye. Do not forget how quickly my grandson left you here at my mercy.” He spun me around and leaned closer. His breath was like a humid breeze on my face, carrying notes of decay, as he whispered into my ear. “You are powerless. What chance does a weak human stand against someone who once bested something akin to divinity?”

The tingling sensation started again and became worse. A whimper escaped my lips, and the sound earned me a cruel royal smile. Pain dominated my senses, and even though I’d heard his words, I didn’t make any attempt to understand the hidden meaning behind his cryptic message.

“Just nod if you comprehend what I want you to do, Eachtrannach.”

My jaw locked as my hand hurt worse than after everything Feroy had done to me in his torture chamber. I was convinced that any second, my skin would fall off my flesh, and so I gave Galrach what he’d demanded and nodded. My outward obedience didn’t mean that I planned to follow Danartha’s orders, but blatant rebellion wouldn’t help, and neither would provoking the king to damage me further before I could escape from the palace.

Tomorrow morning at eight. As long as I was gone before anyone could aimto assistme with jumping from a high tower, all would turn out fine.

“Good, Eachtrannach. Now, why don’t you enjoy the night? There are a lot of males who desire a dance with you toget a feelfor their potential new princess. Do not disappoint my courtiers.” Triumph was written all over Galrach’s features, making me literally sick. “Oh, and human…don’t forget to smile.”

Several hours later, I fled to Dion’s quarters. The remainder of the ball had been as horrible as the beginning. Dodging every wandering hand had proven to be impossible, but under all the scrutiny, I couldn’t do more than attempt to do so anyway.

My friends had been absent during the entire revelry, and I was certain this had been by design. Even now, they were missing, and I could only hope that nothing terrible had occurred and that they were safe.

My head spun, and the urge to empty my stomach was overwhelming.

So much so that the moment I slipped into the prince’s personal chambers and locked the door, I threw up into a vase next to the entrance.

Once I’d recovered enough to move, I dragged a plush chair to the exit and pushed the massive piece of furniture under the handle. I was under no illusion about how ineffective all my measures were against determined fae, yet the extra security made me feel slightly better.

My breath was heaving as if I’d run for hours, and I started to shiver and tremble all over. If anything went wrong, I’d be dead. Or maybe I was already dying, poisoned by whatever magic Galrach had used on me tonight.

Desperately, I pulled off my gown, tearing the beautiful fabric in the process, but I didn’t care. Just in my underthings, I stumbled into the sleeping chambers and tossed various clothes and possessions into a bag without method or thought. Only paying attention when I packed my courtship presents, I hid all of them inside the crumpled garments. I would survive wearing the same dress for months, but I couldn’t part with even one of my gifts.

The thought alone made me sob, and tears spilled over. My frayed nerves snapped, and I landed on the bed, crying and wailing until I’d exhausted myself enough to fall asleep.

When I woke up the next day, my head pounded and my eyes were heavy as if I hadn’t slept at all. But there was movement outside my tent, and so I rubbed my face and rose from the furs that functioned as a bed.

Sleepy as I was, I glowered at the clothes—and I was using this term in the broadest sense—the Doitean had given me so I wouldn’t melt in the merciless heat of the Breocharn.

Sighing, I donned the leather loincloth. The garment was tinted in a brown so dark the color could pass as black in the right light, and the belt wound low around my hips, with two longerpanels of animal hide in the front and back. Nothing I would have considered problematic in the past, but at yesterday’s banquet, a nagging feeling had urged me to cover up amongst all these strangers.

Developing a sense of propriety hadn’t been something I’d ever expected, and yet, here I was. Showing off something that belonged only to my female seemed wrong. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I groaned. Nayana was complicating my life, but still, I didn’t mind at all. Putting her first had become a natural reaction.

Finally, I shook myself out of my brooding stupor and exited the guest tent, only to run into Lasair. The chieftain approached me, carrying a small leather pouch in her hand.

“High Prince Dionadair.”

My eyebrow rose at the sudden formality we’d left behind yesterday.

“Apologies. Dion.”

Smiling, I nodded. “Yes, Lasair?”

“The deed is done. Our best crafter worked the entire night to create the replica of the firestone, and she succeeded. There are differences, but they’re so faint, only someone as fine-tuned to the energy as I am can perceive them.”

Lasair dropped the pouch into my hands, and I couldn’t resist the temptation to inspect the copy.

Last night, after countless courses of native food—though I opted out of drinking the alcohol—the Doitean had shown me the real firestone as a token of faith, an act that had surprised me to no end. If the gem had been my ancient relic tied to the survival of my people, I would have kept me far away and guarded the treasure more heavily than usual.

One glance at the dupe was enough to recognize how well the bauble resembled the original. “It’s perfect and should fool Galrach for a while.”