“Breaking them. Training them. You are talking about torturing them until they do what you want. Do you even hear yourself?”
Lady Rosa’s mouth has fallen open. Lady Helene is staring at me like I’ve sprouted a second head.
“Lady Alleria.” Lady Maren’s voice has gone cold. “I understand you’ve been through an ordeal, but that’s no excuse for?—”
“Forwhat?For pointing out that you’re discussing the abuse of living creatures like it’s no different from choosing fabric for a new gown?”
“They’refae.” She says it the way you’d explain something to a child. “They’re not like us. Everyone knows that.”
“Everyone knows, so it must be true … is that how it works?”
The silence stretches between us while Lady Maren glares at me.
“Perhaps you should go back inside.”
“Perhaps I should.” I turn around and walk away before I can say anything else. But their whispers follow me down the path.
… more happened to her than she’s saying …
… not right since she came back …
… my husband says the fae can do things to the mind …
I keep walking, spine straight and eyes forward. The gardens blur around me, and by the time I reach the entrance to the east wing, I’m almost running.
Brennan finds me in the hallway outside my chambers. He takes one look at my face and straightens from where he wasleaning against the wall.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I just—I need to?—”
“Alleria.” He steps in front of me, blocking my path. “Tell me.”
So I do. The words spill out of me in a rush. About my clash with Maren, the things she said, the way they looked at me when I objected.
When I finish, Brennan sighs.
“You need to be more careful.”
“I know.”
“Do you?” He searches my face. “Because this is twice in less than a day. The court has a long memory, and people are going to start talking if you keep this up.”
“Let them talk!”
“You don’t mean that.”
“What do you want me to do, Brennan? Smile and nod, and pretend it doesn’t bother me?”
“I want you to survive.” His voice is gentler now, but no less firm. “Whatever happened to you after we lost you to the fae … it’s changed you.”
“The way they talk about the fae makes me want to scream.”
“Then you need to learn to scream quietly. I know it’s hard. But if you make yourself a target, there’s only so much your father can do to protect you.”
I nod, and walk past him, reaching for my door.
“Alleria.” His voice stops me. “Whatever you’re feeling … it isn’t wrong. Just be careful.”
