“We’ve…shared a lot,” Amira admitted, unable to keep the smile off her face.
“I’m glad,” Varsha replied. “Happiness looks good on you.”
Elyssa joined her again and put her arm around Amira’s shoulder. Was there a twinge of jealousy in her eyes? “What looks good on her?” Elyssa asked, probably not having heard the whole sentence.
“You,” Varsha replied, deadpan.
Elyssa’s mouth dropped open. Then she let out an amused laugh. “Can’t argue with you there.” She stared at Amira, making her stomach flutter. “So you must be the mysterious Varsha, then,” Elyssa added, looking Varsha over.
Varsha did a pretend curtsy. “In the flesh.”
“Let’s begin,” Tarnan said, his voice stern but friendly. “We haveonechance at this. Let’s make the most of it.”
The King of Carnylen was right. Failing was not an option, not when they had everything to lose.
* * *
Amira was surprised to find Karwyn in her room when she got back to the palace hours later. He was facing the window, his back turned to her, but she would have recognised his wavy golden hair and dark presence anywhere.
“I assume you’re not here to welcome me back,” Amira started, ready to stand her ground. She was the one with the plan now, with the cards ready to play.
Karwyn turned to face her. He looked as displeased as usual to see her. “I have come to request your presence at Caelo Night the day after tomorrow.”
“You could have sent a guard to tell me.” Amira crossed her arms. The less time she spent with Karwyn, the better.
“And deprive myself of the pleasure of seeing you?” His words were meant to insult, but Amira had no care for them. Nothing he could say to her could hurt her now.
“You didn’t seem to miss me when I was away. I didn’t even get a visit from mydearfiancé.”
Karwyn stepped closer. “The palace has been a lot calmer since you left. No scandals. It was most welcomed.”
Amira couldn’t help but laugh. “Really, no scandals? What about the Quarnian attack?” She gave him a knowing look. His arrogant mask fell for a second, much to her joy.
“What about it?” His tone was careful. Karwyn wouldn’t concede anything to her.
Amira forced herself to appear more confident than she was. The memory of Karwyn’s hand on her throat was still present, but she pushed past her fear. “Isn’t itsuspicioushow it happened? And no one from the Turosian court was fatally injured? We must truly have Falea on our side.”
Karwyn grabbed her wrist and held it tight. A coldness settled into her bones, but Amira didn’t let it control her. She pulled up the tainted glass, casting him away from her thoughts with little trouble. Karwyn’s forehead creased as he tried harder to read her. “Tarnan has fed you lies. It seems to me that his court was the luckiest of them all.”
“Don’ttouch me,” Amira said between gritted teeth. Yanking her arm back, she surprised Karwyn as he dropped her wrist. “Go tellyourlies to someone else.”
Wonder swirled in his devious eyes. “I do not care for your attitude, dear fiancée. We will be wed soon. It would be wise for you to remember your place before I am forced to demonstrate the consequences again.” He took a step forward, but Amira held her ground. “You should be grateful I am still planning to marry you.”
Power coursed through her veins, and she welcomed the feeling. Amira couldn’t reveal them to Karwyn, not yet, but it gave her the sort of confidence Karwyn had always tried to rob her of.
“For your sake, I hope this wedding never happens,” she hit back, letting her newfound confidence shine through her eyes, telling him how little power he held over her now.
Karwyn’s eyes narrowed as contempt hardened his gaze. But Amira swore there was a flicker of something else to it. Something likefear.
Chapter60
Lora
It was the last day before Caelo Night—before the ritual—and Lora couldn’t sit still. She kept moving around her room, her fancy cage. Another guard had brought her breakfast this morning and announced that the king requested her presence at the court dinner this evening. Lora knew it was all for appearances. She assumed Karwyn had realised her absence might raise questions since Tarnan must be at the palace now.
The thought of facing Karwyn made her skin itch, her hand instinctively flying to her throat. Funnily enough, the guard had also given her a salve for her bruises on the king’s orders. Of course, now that others might spot the bruises, Karwyn had provided her with medicine.
Lora had chucked the little jar aside as soon as the guard had left. If Karwyn didn’t want people to see, he should’ve thought twice about choking her.
