“Just give me a moment to change, and then we can talk,” she tells the four of us.
She skirts behind a folded bamboo screen and emerges in a long blue robe with closures down the front. Tucking her long hair behind her ears, she sinks down onto the upholstered bench in front of the bed.
“Well?” Zadyn asks, sliding onto the settee across from her.
“I saw her.”
I charge forward. “Tell us everything. Was she alright? How did she look?—”
“Let her speak.” Zadyn holds up a hand, eyeing the girl with enough patience for the both of us.
With a steadying breath, Ilayna begins, “She was there, in the hall—chained up beside the king.”
Her voice drops off, a haunted look crossing her face.
Zadyn leans in. “Ilayna…did something happen?”
My heart starts thundering, anticipating the news I’m certain isn’t good.
“One of our girls, Amira…” She swallows, struggling to articulate.
Come on, spit itout.
“Kylian and Serena were going back and forth, and she started mouthing off a bit, and Amira—she hit her.”
“ShehitSerena?” My voice jumps an octave. Ilayna looks up at me, clasping the front of her robe.
“She struck her across the face and Kylian—” She clutches her throat, shaking her head as she recalls the memory.
“What. Happened,” I growl.
I swear to gods, if?—
“Kylian ripped her heart out. He ripped Amira’s heart from her chest and just dropped it on the floor.”
“Fuck,” Dover mutters. Zadyn and I exchange a concerned look.
“She was defending Kylian, but Kylian was defending your girl.”
What the fuck? Why?
Zadyn masters his surprise enough to continue, “Then what happened? Did you get to speak with her?”
“I asked if she was alright.” Ilayna hugs herself tightly, clearly shaken by the events of the night. “There wasn’t time for anything else. It would have drawn too much attention.”
“No, you did great. Thank you. Thank you, Ilayna.” Zadyn reaches out and takes her hand, kissing it gratefully.
“Of course,” she murmurs. “I have no love for the Trioris. If I can help your friend get away from them, I will.”
“I’m sorry about your friend,” Mar says softly, imparting her with a tender look. Ilayna gives her a sad smile.
“I wouldn’t say she was a friend. But she was like me, like all the girls in this place.” She nibbles her bottom lip. “The four of you shouldn’t linger. The madame will start asking questions if she spots you here a few nights in a row.” Rising from her seat, she heads toward the door. “We can meet next week.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to get inside the castle again?” Zadyn asks, getting to his feet.
“Kylian has a handful of favorites. I’m one of them,” she says, regret lacing her soft voice. “I’ll see your girl again.”
Ilayna holds the door for us. I’m last out of the room, and as I cross her I can’t refrain from asking, “Did she seem—did she seem alright to you? Has he—did it look like he’d hurt her at all?”
