The silence wasn’t unpleasant but it felt like the end of the night. Lora shifted, gripping the fabric of her dress to get up, but Eyden’s words stopped her. “I used to.”
She settled back down, somehow even closer this time. Her right leg brushed against his but she didn’t dare move. “What for?” Lora asked, her voice a whisper.
He wouldn’t look her way. “Always the same thing. That my mum had kept her promise. That she would be fine.” Eyden turned towards her. “What would you wish for?”
That she could keep all her empty promises. Somehow fill them all up with hope and starlight. But there was no such option. “The same thing,” she answered, her tone wavering, but her stare held firm.
Light danced over his face. Her eyes searched his but all she found were more questions. He was so close. His breath mixed with hers. The scent of sweet wine filled her nose. She felt as if they brought the fire with them to this tiny room, flames engulfing them in madness. She must be mad to feel this want—this need to move closer. Part of her wanted to encourage the voice in her mind that told her to shut off her fears.
Eyden tilted his head down, his mouth lining up with hers. A subtle shift and their lips would brush. An infinite second stretched between them. She was utterly aware of the slit in her dress that revealed part of her leg. Her bare skin brushed against his leg. She could see it in his eyes that he knew it too.
Eyden moved closer just as doubt washed over her like ice-cold water. She pulled back and let her eyes fixate on the steady stars. A shooting star flashed across the sky. Her lips parted in wonder. “Another good luck charm.”
“Quite the opposite.” He met her gaze briefly, now no longer reflecting fire, but rather burned out embers, before returning to the image of the star-filled night. “A falling star is the beginning of ruin.”
Chapter27
Amira
A cold hand brushed against her cheek. Amira opened her eyes, expecting to see the cruel eyes of her brother. Thank Caelo, she was faced with Nalani’s warm eyes. The maid grabbed a glass of a sweet-smelling drink and pushed it to Amira’s lips.
“Drink, this will make you feel better.”
The syrupy liquid gave her just enough energy to start asking questions. “Do you know what happened last night?”
Nalani shifted, visibly uncomfortable with the answer.
“Is it that bad?" Amira insisted even though she dreaded the answer.
“There have been some rumours,” Nalani said while avoiding Amira’s eyes. “But I’ve told everyone that you were still in shock about what happened in the city plaza. Your brother was very worried about you.”
Furious would be a more accurate description,Amira thought. Picturing his sullen eyes, she shivered. She had to prove to him that she was still fit to become Karwyn’s queen.
Nalani reached into her pocket and handed her a note with familiar handwriting. “Mister Messler delivered this note while you were still asleep. He told me you should open it as soon as you wake up.”
Her head still buzzing from last night’s events, Amira opened the note.
“Dear Amira, if you are feeling up to it, you should join the council meeting today at eleven bells. This will be more educational than a history book. I’ll see you there,
Your extraordinary friend,
Rhay.”
This was her chance to prove her commitment to this marriage and to her brother’s alliance with Karwyn. If Amira could impress her fiancé at the meeting, he might talk highly of her to her brother and they would forget all about her panic attack.
Amira’s confidence left her as soon as she walked out the door of her room. Anxiously walking to the meeting room, she couldn’t help but pull her side braid. The sharp pain didn’t stop her until she reached the heavy doors of the council room.
No one turned their head when she entered the room. All the figures present, known and unknown, were focused on a gigantic map laid out on a round table made out of the trunk of an oak tree. Amira stood awkwardly in the entryway before finally catching Karwyn’s eye. He looked as displeased as usual to see her. Only Rhay’s face brightened when he saw her. With a gesture, he invited her to join them at the table. The only seat still available was right next to Karwyn. Not the seat she would have chosen, but her life had never really been about choices.
She took a seat next to the interim high king.
“What are you doing here?” Karwyn whispered angrily.
“You know I want to help,” she said, exuding optimism.
Karwyn snickered. “You know nothing of politics. Should you not be picking a dress for tonight’s feast?”
Amira’s bruised ego made her raise her voice. “I had an idea how to avoid the other kingdoms hearing about yesterday’s incident.” She met Karwyn’s questioning gaze. “The riot,” she added.
