“I can’t believe I introduced myself as a professional chef to multiple people,” Rhay said, glancing at his food creation.
Amira couldn’t help her answering laugh. “I can believe it. You have such an inflated ego.”
“But I have every reason to. Everyone loves me,” he said with a cheeky smile.
They kept laughing while everyone else in the kitchen worked like nothing was happening. Amira couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed this much. She’d missed this, having a friend to joke around with.
Suddenly, Rhay’s laugh died in his throat. He straightened his back and stood almost in a soldier’s salute. Concerned by this sudden change of mood, Amira turned around. Her laugh was cut short and a sense of dread overcame her. Facing them were Nouis and Wryen. And both of them were looking very angry.
“We’ve been looking for you everywhere. But thankfully you indicated your presence well with that obnoxious laugh of yours, Rhay,” Nouis said in a harsh tone.
“I’m sorry, Father, we were just taking a break to get some lunch. The princess was hungry.”
“We’re aware of that. Her brother was expecting her in the dining room. That’s why we came looking for you,” Nouis replied.
Amira had kept her head low to avoid Wryen’s gaze, but she could feel his piercing eyes burning her skin. “Come with me, sister. We have to talk.” His voice was as cold as a winter river and she felt like every word squeezed tighter around her neck.
Without saying anything, she followed him. Behind her, she could hear Nouis admonishing Rhay. “I trusted you, Rhay, and once again you have failed me. What were you thinking?”
She must have slowed down because her brother violently grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the kitchen.
* * *
Wryen stayed silent the whole way to her room, but Amira could feel the anger boiling inside him. When he closed the bedroom door behind them, she wished she could have just evaporated into thin mist. He stayed with his back to her for one excruciating minute. The heat coming from his body was suffocating.
When Wryen turned around, a large smile took over his face. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked in a voice as cutting as broken glass.
Amira opened her mouth but he immediately shushed her with a flaming finger. She forced herself to keep her fear at bay by pretending that everything was fine. It worked but it only seemed to anger her half-brother more.
He moved forward quickly, forcing her to back up until she was stuck against the window. He lightly caressed her face with his scalding finger. The pain only lasted for a few seconds before he removed his finger. Amira felt sick to her stomach but she knew the only way to survive her brother’s wrath was to let him do whatever he wanted.
“You know I could just push you out of this window. The pain you’d be in would be unbearable, but you’d survive,” he whispered in her ear.
She closed her eyes, imagining the long fall. The wind caressing her skin, her lungs gasping for air, and then the impact. Quick, brutal, painful.
“Why do I find you spending time with Karwyn’s lackey instead of the interim high king himself? By Caelo, is it too hard for your stupid brain to understand who you’re here for?”
“I’m trying, but Karwyn has no interest in spending time with me,” she dared reply.
“That’s not my problem. Make him like you. Beauty will always be your only advantage. So use it!” He looked at her with such disgust in his eyes that Amira wanted to burst into tears. “Do you understand?” Amira nodded. “Good. You wouldn’t want me to get angry, would you? Remember what happened to your little friend the last time you upset me.”
It was like a dagger hit her right in the heart. She couldn’t breathe. A thin veil fell in front of her eyes as if ashes coated her vision. His words cut so deep into her mind that Amira almost didn’t even notice that her brother was stroking her hair.
“Don’t cry, dear sister. It only makes you hideous. Now, I’m going to leave and you’re going to be a good girl. If you ruin my alliance with Karwyn, I will know no sleep until I’ve broken you into the tiniest pieces.” He squeezed her throat lightly with his fiery hand. Amira went limp, focusing the last of her strength on staying conscious. Satisfied with her obedience, Wryen removed his hand.
Swaying on her feet, Amira tried to clear her head. Something Nalani mentioned came to her mind. “You’re not staying for Falea Night?”
He scoffed. “I have no care for luck, sister. I just seize what I want without waiting for chance to smile at me.”
The tension in her body eased up a little. At least he was finally leaving.
A wicked smile spread his lips. “Don’t be sad. I’ll be back the day after for the official contest dinner.”
Her freedom would be short lived yet again.
“I will take my leave now,” Wryen said. But he didn’t leave. Instead, he stared right into her eyes, expecting something. He cleared his throat but Amira was too distressed to think straight. He grabbed her by the head and forced her into a bow, hurting the nape of her neck. Satisfied, he walked out.
Once again, she thought about what would’ve happened if she had escaped somehow. But where could she have gone? She had spent her whole life in Amryne’s palace. And she knew that if her half-brother even suspected she might run, he would have unleashed hell on her and her mother. He had already demonstrated a million times how chilling his wrath could be.
