Page 37 of The Chains You Defy

“What exactly? That he isn’t human? Or that His Royal Highness is the freaking heir to a throne in another world? Or that he, the precious weapon of his High King, destroyed an entire city, including killing all the inhabitants, without losing a moment of sleep over his deeds? What’s your guess?” Juice was running over my hand. In my anger, I’d forgotten to eat; instead, I’d crushed a piece of fruit between my fingers during my rant.

“He did what?”

“Later. Go on first, please.”

“Only if you eat some more.”

Groaning, I wiped my sticky palm and picked up some of the bread, tearing a chunk out. The doughy food was fluffy, and even though fury was racing through my veins like wildfire, my mouth watered as I spread some of the aromatic cheese on the uneven slice.

Rewi nodded in satisfaction. “Dion and the others went allfaeon the king and queen and insisted on enacting some dusty old diplomatic protocol. After somediscussion, King Pritatus gave him some soldiers and a missive to retrieve you from Feroy. Your prince also managed to get the queen to pardon you and offer refuge to you all. That’s why you’re here.”

“He’s not my prince.”

“I doubt he got that message, Naya.”

Another sigh freed itself. Honestly, I was stunned, and the bread in my hand was forgotten. Something didn’t add up. Refraining from violence and murder was so unlike Dion, and I wondered why in the gods’ names he’d chosen a peaceful solution for once—even one laced with blackmail and terrorizing my friends and some royals. If he assumed I’d just let his behavior pass without an explanation, His Royal Bastardness was wrong. “And how does all that tie into you and Bryon working here?”

“Because your prince is a scheming asshole.”

“Again. Notmyprince.” How had I missed Bryon entering the suite? My head spun to him as he spoke, and after putting my bread down, I stood up, walked over, and pulled him into a hug. We hadn’t parted on the best note in Rastialla on Samhain, something that still bothered me more than I wanted to admit, but for now, I was just relieved to see him.

To no one’s surprise, my inky belt tightened uncomfortably around my waist until my ribs screamed at me. Still, I simply ignored the antics of the stubborn thing. “But what did he do?”

Bryon’s arms tensed around me in response, and I allowed him to hold me a bit longer than I would usually have been comfortable with. The magical construct, though, was reaching the end of its patience.

Bristling, the strand expanded and unfurled, pushing Bryon away from me while its other end hovered in frontof his face, ready to launch and whack him should he not comply. My old friend huffed as he glowered, half in annoyance, half in pure disbelief at the onyx tendril urging him away.

To my relief, he obeyed and stepped two paces back, and my riled-up pet calmed down after a last mock attack. It enveloped me again, covering a lot more of my form than before in a massive territorial display. Great.

Bryon didn’t divert his gaze from the magic curling and lazily undulating around me. “Uhm, let me think. What did he do? Apart from losing you and almost getting you killed?”

My chin dipped and my throat bobbed. There was no love lost between the prince and my childhood crush, but this wasn’t the right time or place to unravel their hostility just yet. When I’d formerly tried to, Dion had reacted more than peculiarly after I’d confronted him with my suspicion of him being jealous, and a kiss was the last thing I needed from the fae male. “Yes, apart from that.”

“He forced me and Rewi to ask for work in the castle so our royals would have a stronger incentive to shelter his lot.” A scowl appeared on his normally friendly face, and it was more than obvious how pissed he was.

“It’s not that bad, Bryon,” Rewi chimed in. “I’m quite satisfied with the situation.”

I focused my gaze on her. She was wearing a very dainty gold chain around her neck and grinned as I lifted my eyebrow at her.

“I’m working as Queen Anneria’s confidante during the last trimester of her pregnancy. Officially, she’s helping me to find a husband, but that’s just an excuse. She’s happy with leaving me be.”

Bryon’s face shifted back into his gentle expression as he sighed. “Sorry. It’s just, I’m so angry every time I remember the entire mess. And how you got hurt. Almost died, according to the medic I talked to.”

“What are you working as?” His apology? No, I wasn’t touching that at the moment, or probably ever. None of it. There was too much explosive material in the little speech he’d given. Still, interrogating Bryon should prove a good enough distraction from his anger toward Dion.

Exhausted, I motioned to the table, and all of us sat down again.

After Rewi had scowled at me once more, I continued my breakfast while offering food to both of my friends, which they declined. My question was still hanging in the air, and Rewi finally took mercy on my poor, curious self.

“The royals made Bryon a courtier, so he’s not working, strictly speaking. He only attends quite a few meetings with the king and queen to discuss which stretch of land he should get and what title.”

“I told them more than once that I don’t want any of this nonsense, Rewi.”

“Why not?” I asked. “Don’t get me wrong, but isn’t rising the ranks something good?”

“I’m not highborn, nor do I feel noble. I can’t envision being named a lord just because I did what everyone would have done in my situation.”

“But in the end,youprotected the queen and got injured.” My voice was gentle, and I looked fondly at my friend. To imagine him as someone who took good care of every single person living under him was very easy. He would be fair and just, andthe vision my mind had conjured made me curl my lips. “Rewi, you have to ensure that he doesn’t do something stupid like let this chance slip away.”