“I apologise, and I will look into the cause of the delay in the sending of my schedule to the relevant councillors. Please be assured that you will receive notice before my arrival,” Selene reassured.
“Notice now would be appreciated,” Lady Aquilae said, and I thought her tone was rude.
“And I would appreciate if you would remember your place and who you speak to,” Selene replied. Her voice was calm, but I could only imagine the anger in her eyes as I felt a slight burn in my chest.
“And yet I am afraid I do not know who I speak with. Do I speak to the Marchioness of Ardens, or a Princess of Borealis? Which title do you operate under? Marchioness is a title of equals, one who helms the councillors of the north of the kingdom—a role which you seem unequipped for. Perhaps you are better placed with your original title, where less is demanded of you,” Lady Aquilae said.
Selene’s chair fell with a clatter to the ground beside me. I was momentarily confused, and I got to my feet in panic to find Selene. Sasha wrapped her arm around my shoulders.
“Do not attempt to interfere,” she warned.
Selene had knocked Lady Aquilae from her seat. I didn’t see the strike, but I heard the deafening whack.
Lady Aquilae was, for a moment it seemed, shocked—before she was on her feet.
Some madness must have overcome her as she threw herself at Selene.
Selene sidestepped and grabbed the woman by the back of her arms, slamming her down against the table with so much force all the glasses and plates jumped and the table groaned and cracked.
“A new councillor will be found for Aquilae—not from your line,” Selene said.
“You can’t do that! I was elected by the people!” Lady Aquilae screamed, her face pressed against the table.
“You’re great-great-grandfather, Thomlinson, was elected, and your family have held onto the title through power gained from your ownership and control of land. I will take back that land,” Selene hissed above her. “As for you—the maze,” she announced.
There was an audible gasp from those at the table.
Lady Aquilae stopped struggling, only to being her struggle anew with vigour.
“Rylan!” Selene called, and the head of her personal guard appeared as if he had been waiting just out of sight—and maybe he was.
It was odd that I hadn’t seen him since our arrival. It had only been a few days, and I had been distracted by my new surroundings, but it was no excuse to notice the absence of my favourite guard.
“Yes, Ma’am?” he asked, taking a formal pose beside Selene, his head bowed and his hands clasped behind his back.
“Have the former Lady of Aquilae taken to the entrance of the maze.”
I watched Rylan’s face lose colour and his eyebrows raise but he did not comment.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, and turned to motion for others of the Borealis guard to enter, one of whom was the new guard who had protected me at the academy.
“Seize the former Lady of Aquilae,” he instructed, and the new guard stepped forward first, taking hold of one of the woman’s arms.
Selene released her, stepping back.
The guard pulled Lady Aquilae up from the table, and another guard stepped forward to take her other arm—but just before he did so, Lady Aquilae threw her head back, hitting the new guard in the nose.
He released his hold of her arm, and stumbled back, his hand flew to his nose, red trickling between his fingers.
Lady Aquilae turned swiftly and kicked out at the other guard, who jumped back, narrowly avoiding a vicious kick to the stomach.
In the small space Lady Aquilae had made, she tried to run from the dining room.
Surprisingly, she was foiled in her attempts to flee not by Rylan, who moved to capture her, but by the well-placed foot of Fotis.
Lady Aquilae tripped and fell to her hands and knees.
Rylan was quick to grab her, and the two other guards followed immediately, taking hold of her again.
