Page 51 of The Chains You Defy

I doubted I’d ever do so, but still, I bobbed my head.

The queen’s smile could have melted the entire rest of the chocolate, but I was able to deduce from her expression that she read me like an open book.

Dion picked up the conversation once more as I fell silent, and I took the chance to drink my tea and steal another one of the tasty treats.

The dark memories that had been dragged to the surface threatened to haunt me. And I couldn’t help but wonder how many more hits my soul would be able to endure before my spirit finally tore apart.

We were both quiet when we returned to our suite after our audience with Queen Anneria. What she’d confided to us was worrying me more than I’d allowed to show. Why was King Pritatus acting irrationally from time to time? It made no sense, except—what if someone was trying to get him under their control and had failed so far?

“It’s peculiar, isn’t it? With the king.”

So Nayana’s thoughts went in the same direction. Studying her for a brief moment, I dipped my head. “Yes. So, this is your opportunity to give me creditfor being so thoughtful and planting your old sidekicks inside this castle.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her nose scrunched in a really cute way. “Do you expect me to praise you for using myfriendsas pawns?”

“Especially the boy was born to be one. Your Rewani, I admit, she’s clever and witty. I’m under no illusion she wouldn’t have agreed if she hadn’t seen merit. But him? I bet he’s still grinding his teeth that I made him do so.”

“He has a name, Dion, and he isn’t a boy anymore.”

Annoyance dripped from her words, but I shrugged. Theboycould perish for all that I cared, and the more often she defended him, the more urgently I yearned to dispose of the problem her old youth friend posed. “I can’t take him seriously. Is what Rewani told me true? Did he once give you Jama flowers instead of Nayana ones by oversight?”

“That could have happened to everyone.”

“Not to me. I rarely make presents unless I’m forced to, but if I do, I use at least a minimum of precaution against blunders like that. Handing you the wrong flowers wasn’t only careless but outright dangerous.”

She didn’t have to know that from now on, I intended to check every gift she received from anyone before she could get her hands on them.

Sometimes, I had problems believing how delicate she was and how breakable humans were in general. My stomach roiled when I dwelled on the thought that the one I had to protect could die so easily.

“What’s up, princeling? You look like you have one of your shrewd biased fae ideas again. One of those you won’t share because you’re aware of how much I’d hate what you’ve come up with.”

Damn this woman. Since when could she read me like an open book? Time to change the subject to shut her up. “You should consider the Queen’s offer, at least as long as we’re here.”

She frowned, and her cerulean eyes clouded over. “There’s no need to whine to a stranger about the hardships I experienced throughout my whole life or the last months.”

“Then confide in me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“We had that discussion before, if you remember?”

“Yes, andIwas honest with you whileyouprotected all your secrets and kept them close to your heart. What a wonderful way to help. And no, threatening to kill my parents doesn’t count as productive support.”

I begged to differ, and from the lightning strikes flashing in her eyes, she knew that such a comment burned on the tip of my tongue. Her expression dared me to try and face the consequences. “I swear I won’t threaten to murder your parentstodayif you speak to me about the hurt inside of you.”

“Stop. It’s much too fresh.”

“I’m not only asking about your time with Perran Feroy.” Maybe delaying the discussion of her recent experiences was for the best. There was a good chance I’d blow up if she told me everything, and also, the longer she was unaware of the extent of the bloody trail I’d left in the wake of my way to find her, the better. Her views were so off; she’d only end up blaming herself. “But that’s not the only traumatic event you endured lately. For example, the merchant’s son and what he did to you.” That asshole should be glad that Noelk had already claimed him.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not. I do notice how you flinch every time a male comes near you, no matter if it’s a stranger, the boy, or Antas.”

“Only if I’m startled.”

“If you don’t face this problem, it’ll fester. Do you want this one episode to define you forever? Will you allow this insult to mankind to win, even after death? Or do you wish to claim back your autonomy over your own body?”

Her mind worked, her gaze turned inward, and she seemed to mull over every word. Good, she stopped clinging to her resistance and her unacceptable behavior of pushing me away when I just wanted to help her. My chest swelled with pride that I’d gotten through to her, and I ignored how very short-lived my victory could be.