Sympathy weighed on my heart for Lady Siria. King Calix was her family, her blood. I didn’t know what made Lord Aibek choose as he did, but Lady Siria was loyal to her family. That was something I could certainly respect, if nothing else.
I turned to see the reactions in the ballroom. The people seemed to be thrilled to have traitors being imprisoned during the ball. Dinner and a show, I snorted to myself. My eyes found Prince Kian in the crowd, a solemn look on his face. I thought of what he’d shown me, of the humans strung up below our feet, and it dawned on me that since Fae were harder to break than humans, the Lord and Lady were facing unfathomable pain in the very near future. I swallowed down bile, as Prince Kian looked up, meeting my eyes.
Rage, dread, anguish—they sparked across the ballroom, encompassed in a single glance that held the weight of two desperate people, fighting an unstoppable force.
Chapter 19
Afterthe ball last night, I was growing increasingly worried about my plan to get Emmie out. I figured I had one real option, as much as I hated to consider it. But Emmie was one of my only friends, so here I was, entering the slave common rooms deep within the palace.
I looked around, avoiding the gaze of the girl who bothered me last time.There. I walked across the room towards her, and Eris looked up as I approached, glaring when she spotted me.
“Oh. It’s you.” Eris scoffed, her unimpressed tone making me roll my eyes. She went back to reading her book in an effort to ignore me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll skip the small talk.” I assured her. “I’m worried about Emmie.” Her head snapped back up. Eris looked around before getting up and tilting her head to the side,motioning me to follow her. Thank the Old Gods, I certainly didn’t wish to have this conversation publicly.
Eris led me to a small, sparse room. Walls and floors the same black marble as the rest of the palace, only this room didn’t have rugs and tapestries to brighten it up. She only had a thin single bed, a small table by the side of it, and an equally tiny dresser by the wall, a stack of books piled on top of it. I hadn’t realized Eris enjoyed reading so much, but the books were the only personal touch to the room. Everything else was utilitarian and bland.
“Well? Are you going to sightsee or are you going to tell me about Emmie?” Eris snapped, not amused by my perusal of her space. Sighing deeply, I walked up to the dresser, absentmindedly reading the book titles.
“Emmie has gotten more and more attached to the king. More…zealous in defending him and his interests. Even when he’s clearly in the wrong.” I admitted, feeling way too exposed for my liking, but Eris was my best shot at getting Emmie on board.
I tilted my head, considering, “Well, I suppose as king, he’snevertechnically in the wrong. But morally? Absolutely.” Eris snorted and I turned to face her.
“You’re right about that. And…about Emmie.” Eris sighed, sitting down heavily on her bed. “She’s been pulling away, more and more every day that passes.” She turned her eyes away, trying to hide the glassy sheen. “I was happy for her at first. Finding a place in the court where she’s safe is no easy task. But she’s been so caught up in him, it’s like she’s obsessed. Anytime I try to remind her this is just to ensure her safety, that she needs to remember what she truly believes in, she kicks me out.”
My mouth parted in surprise. The two had grown up together, were closer than many siblings, yet Emmie was kicking her out?
Eris laughed wryly and the sound was profoundly sad. “Yeah, I know exactly what you’re thinking—and you’re right. She’slosing herself, Asteria, and I don’t know what to do, how to help her.”
Old Gods, the despair seeping from her, Ifeltfor her. She was losing her best, and likely only, friend, slowly but surely, the longer she was here. The king was corrupt, I knew that, but now I feared that corruption spread like a plague. Infecting anyone near him.
“If I told you something, something that would help Emmie, would you promise to keep it to yourself?” I dared to ask, hoping my instincts were right here. So much was at stake here, and this could be a foolish risk…or it could be exactly what I needed.
Eris looked almost affronted at my words, rearing back, but I raised my hand, asking her to hold on. “It’s dangerous and could likely either get you killed or blow the whole thing if you breathe a word.” I explained with a hard tone. She needed to know how serious this was, even if I couldn’t tell her everything.
I couldn’t really explain the things I had seen, watched, been made to do—the time I’d spent here would likely haunt me forever.
“I promise, Asteria. I won’t say a single word to even hint at whatever you tell me.” Eris said, and her voice was low and raspy, but completely sincere. I knew she grew up in a similar court, that she knew these games better than I ever would, but still, I had to trust the devastation she radiated while speaking about Emmie.
“I’m getting her out.” I declared with more confidence in my tone than I truly felt. “I can try to get you out too, but either way, I’m leaving.” The words landed heavily between us, given life for the first time. A part of me wanted to swallow them back, like I had just ruined everything—but no, it was this place.Itwas ruiningme. And those words? They felt like the first true breath of air I’d ever taken.
Eris’s eyes were wide with shock, her mouth parted but no words came out.
“I know.” I sighed, smiling wryly. “It seems impossible, but something is in the works. I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?” I beseeched her, praying to the Old Gods she would. We needed to get Emmie out before she lost any more of herself. I needed to get Priscilla out before she gained another scar. AndIneed to get out before I lose my sanity.
Eris’s eyes drilled into me, like she could reach down into my soul and pull it apart to see if I was worthy of something as rare as her trust obviously was. I didn’t blame her, I trusted few myself, but we were all trusting strange people these days. I trusted Prince Kian did have a reason to get me out and would do his very best to ensure the other humans and I were freed. But beyond that? I couldn’t trust anything. This court ensured any trust I did have was broken down, when it was a fragile little thing to begin with.
After what seemed like an eternity but was likely only a minute or two, Eris slowly nodded her head. She stood up, crossing the room to where I leaned against her dresser. I stood up straight at her approach, and she put out her hand.
“From this point on, we are allies, Asteria. But you get me and Emmie out of here—you will have my trust and loyalty from that day forward.” Eris said passionately.
I blinked in shock, not anticipating her reaction. Maybe she was as miserable as I was in Dusk, if helping to free her and Emmie clearly meant so much to her. Her offer was no trivial pledge. I reached my hand out, grasping hers as we shook on it, our agreement now sealed with brief nods from each of us.
Which meant I now had to find a wayward Prince and explain there was going to be an additional person to get free. I couldn’t believe I didn’t think of Eris before, especially when Emmiewouldn’t leave without her. Eris was just so unassuming that it was easy to forget her. She would make a great spy, actually.
Leaving Eris tothe rest of her day, I headed up the stairs, hoping to find Prince Kian. I wandered the halls for a bit, listening to servants and hoping one would eventually reveal his location. It was nearing lunchtime, so I made my way down to the kitchen, where I claimed to be getting something for Cyrus so I could listen in.
“This one is going to King Astraeus and his new little plaything. Take that up.” One of the slaves commanded. I flinched, hating that Emmie was being referred to as aplaything. Even the human slaves weren’t immune to the catty belittling of other humans.
