“Everything’s a blur.” She leaned back, bracing my forearms. “But yeah. I’m here. I have been since I smacked that bitch this morning. You need to fill me in on what’s been happening, because I’m not sure where I am or where I’ve been for what feels like forever. The last thing I remember was being pinned to a chair in a cave and Zayde coming at me holding strips of thorny vines.” A shudder tore through her. “I was claimed, right? I vaguely remember it.” Her fingers dragged across her neck, creating a pink mark shaped like a hangman’s noose. “I canfeelthose vines twisting beneath my skin.” Her gaze blown with panic met mine. “How do I get rid of them?”
“We’re working on a solution for that. I hate my collar too.” I took her hand and led her to one of the many sofas. We sat, and I filled her in on the basics, though in words that anyone could overhear. I didn’t talk about Vexxion or the king draining Nullens. I just mentioned that the collar allowed access and that someone had taken too much power from her, leaving her the way she’d been for the past week.
“You’re not telling me everything.” She held my face, making me meet her eyes, something I didn’t want to do. She was the same person from prior to the Claiming while I’d changed. There was no turning back from that.
“I can’t. Not yet, but I will,” I said. “When we can be sure we’re alone.”
“Delaine? Tempest?” Brenna called out. “I’m ready to rise, yet my ladies-in-waiting are not here to attend to me.” The wrytone in her voice made it easy to get up off the sofa and stride to her bedroom door with Reyla following.
“We’re here,” I announced. “I’ll draw your bath while Reyla helps you select a gown for dinner.”
“Thank you.” Brenna reclined on pillows in her bed with the covers tucked up to her chin. See? She’d already forgotten that she’d sent Reyla away forever. “Where’s Delaine?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “But Reyla is here, and she’s improved from her illness.”
Brenna’s sharp gaze poked Reyla where she stood in the open doorway. “You look different. Tidier. More alert.”
“I feel much better,” Reyla said, striding all the way into the room. “What color gown shall it be for dinner, my lady?” The look she sent me told me we’d talk later.
I couldn’t tell her everything without endangering her, but I’d share all I could. She was my friend. She deserved to hear as much as I dared tell her.
“Yellow, I believe.” Brenna fluffed her hair. “I look best in that color, don’t you think?”
“Adorable.” I walked into the bathing area and turned on the faucet over the tub, adding herbs and the scented oil Brenna loved.
We helped her bathe and dress, then did her hair and make-up. She was preparing to leave for dinner when someone knocked on the door.
“Who could that be?” she asked, frowning that way.
We walked into the living area.
“I saw guests arriving for the wedding from my window notlong ago,” I said. “Maybe some have come to pay their respects to their future queen?”
Brenna’s smile trembled, and she stiffened her spine. “That must be it.” She strolled over to sit in one of the high-back, stern chairs flanking the fireplace. “Allow them entry.”
Reyla went to the door and cracked it open, but stepped back fast when it was thrust inward hard enough it hit the far wall with a bang.
Kerune strode into the room, stopping in the middle of the sitting area, peering around.
“Ah, welcome.” Brenna rose and walked toward him, extending her hand for him to take. “Delaine shared your identity with me earlier. It’s nice to meet you, Kerune.”
Ignoring her hand, he glared at me. “What did you do?”
“Me?” I fluttered my hand at my throat while reaching into my pocket for the small blade I’d tucked there earlier. Sheaths worked well during battle and when I wore leathers. Damned skirts made them hard to reach.
With the knife tucked along my forearm, only the tip showing, I eased closer to Brenna, more to protect her than myself.
“Why are you here?” Brenna asked, her head tilting, her welcoming smile fading. “And where is your fiancée? Delaine was supposed to attend to me this afternoon. Without these lovely ladies, I’d still be lying in bed wearing my day dress instead of ready to meet with my intended husband,the king, for dinner shortly.”
“Delaine’s dead.” The words jerked up his throat and were punctuated by our gasps. Only mine was faked.
“What do you mean?” Real tears appeared in Brenna’s eyes,but Delaine had rarely shown her true side, and Brenna adored us most of the time. She was lonely and we were her only company outside of the king and those organizing the wedding—plus the odd visits from Zayde.
“Her body was found at the base of the cliffs,” he said shortly, his attention remaining on me.
My mind guards remained high and impenetrable as I stared back at him stoically. “That’s terrible. Perhaps she fell?”
“With a blade buried to the hilt in her chest?” He advanced on me, flames licking through his eyes, his hands lifting.
