I stared at it before flicking my gaze to his. “It’s a note from Ambrose,” Samian said warily. “He wants to meet with us in about thirty minutes.”
I paled, the pastry suddenly tasting like ash in my mouth. “Is it because?—”
Samian raised his hand, stopping me from speaking. “Be careful of what you say out loud in the palace. The walls have ears we cannot see.” I sucked in a breath, unable to stop myself,and looked about the room while Samian continued. “I’m sure it’s because Ambrose found out about Ezra, but I don’t believe he suspects us. I have a feeling this meeting is to check in on your bargain, to see if you are still unwilling to follow his commands.”
My stomach twisted at his words, at the reminder of what happened when I didn’t follow Ambrose’s orders. “Do you think he wants to see if I’ll willingly do as he says?”
“Yes, and you need to, no matter what. Just for now. We need him to think you are on his side so we can get more information about his future plans. Do you think you can do that?”
I hesitated, my face cringing at Samian’s request. “I don’t want to kill anyone else,” I murmured quietly.
“I know,” was all Samian said before letting the silence of the room ring around us.
I took another bite of the pastry and forced myself to swallow it down. I knew I should eat more, but my stomach churned, and I couldn’t take another bite, so I stood and returned to the bathroom. Grabbing my towel, I dried my hair enough to brush it and pull it back into a braid. Once I was ready, I followed Samian through the palace hallways until we reached Ambrose’s office.
Both of us were quiet, our bodies tight when Samian knocked on the door. I wavered when I heard the deep rumble of Ambrose’s voice telling us to enter. As if knowing how I felt, Samian looked back at me, his face already set into his mask of indifference. “Remember, do as he tells you, and you’ll be okay.” I nodded, and Samian opened the door.
Samian went in first while I trailed in behind him. Taking a quick glance around the office, Ambrose sat at his desk, giving me an arrogant smile. His black tunic showed off the hard muscles of his chest. Arianna stood to his right, wearing a lightpink silk dress that showed off every curve of her body; her lips were curled in a smile as sweet as the viper could manage.
Samian stopped in the middle of the room, inclining his head slightly to Ambrose. Following his lead, I did the same, though I kept my eyes on his desk. I couldn’t forget that he had lied and tricked me into this bargain. I couldn’t forget how he relished in my pain, enjoying every moment I screamed. If I looked at him now, catching that delight reflected in his gaze, I wasn’t sure I would be able to stand it.
“Nice to see you both,” Ambrose purred. “Especiallyyou, my darling Sybil. You look…much better than the last time I saw you.”
Swallowing the urge to sneer, I kept my expression blank, though I could feel the blood draining from my face. “It’s nice to see you,” I murmured, hoping he couldn’t hear how hard my heart was pounding.
“I’m not sure if you’ve heard; however, it seems that Ezra has escaped from the dungeons. Do either of you know anything about that?”
I swallowed, my hands curling into fists, dread sending icy shards through my veins. My hands prickled, but the feeling of needles felt oddly soothing.
“Act surprised.” Samian’s voice whispered through my mind.
I cringed inwardly, forcing my head to whip up, hoping that it was shock that reflected in my eyes. “How?” I breathed, my brows furrowing together.
Ambrose’s lips dipped in a frown, his eyes going vacant for a moment before returning to normal. “It doesn’t matter,” he hissed. I flinched at the edge in his voice. Ambrose took a deep breath as if to rein in his temper. “We have arrested the guards who were on duty, and they are being interrogated as we speak. Hopefully, we will learn more about his escape soon.” Ambrose rolled his neck and slid his gaze to me. “I called you both herethis morning to discuss our future arrangements. As of today, Sybil will be my grand paladin. You will act as my third-in-command, ensuring that those in my court follow my decree. You will also join me in my meetings with the fellow lords of this realm. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” I murmured, steeling myself. This is what Kieran and Samian wanted: someone on the inside, feeding them information and the plans Ambrose and his council had created. But I knew there was more to it. The way his voice darkened, pausing when he mentioned his decree. I was there to do his dirty work, to kill anyone who got in his way.
Samian shifted, his arm brushing against mine. “Breathe. It will be okay.”
I pushed out a breath, wrenching my eyes away from Ambrose to stare back at the desk.
The temperature of the room dropped, and my body tensed. Sensing the shift in the air, Samian took a step forward. “Do we know who will replace Ezra as the war general?” Aloof and detached, the words rolled off Samian’s tongue easily.
“No, not yet. I have a meeting planned with the other lords this afternoon. We will decide then. But I have called you both here for another reason. It seems that Queen Cassia sent word that she will extend her stay away from the palace yet again. In turn, given all that is happening with the rebels and Ezra, I’m planning to step into the role of acting king for safety reasons. Of course, I need the council’s approval before I can tell the rest of our people, but I wanted to inform you two first, to make sure you still stood by my side.”
I could feel the tension leaking off Samian from the lie, but Samian only knelt, putting his hand against his chest. I swallowed, looking back at Ambrose. His eyebrow rose as if daring me to say no. But I lowered myself, dropping onto my knee and placing my hand over my heart.
Ambrose chuckled, telling us to rise. We stood, and Ambrose’s face twisted with haughtiness. “Samian,” he purred, his voice becoming charged. “You may go. I need to speak to Sybil alone.”
I forced myself not to look at Samian, forced myself not to beg him to stay. Wariness crawled up my spine as Samian bowed low before turning and walking out the door.
Chapter 6
Sybil
The door shut, its echo reverberating through my very bones. I forced myself to look up, to look into Ambrose’s deep blue eyes and see the smug satisfaction reflecting back at me.
“Do you know why I asked you to stay?” Ambrose asked, his head cocking to the side.
