Rio had also promised Rhay that he would find more fortae for Amira. Rhay had been surprised when Rio had asked to attend one of his parties in exchange, but he was happy to oblige.
After Amira’s usual dealer at the palace had mysteriously disappeared, she had run out of pills. Rhay knew how painful withdrawal was even though he’d never taken fortae. Something about this particular pill seemed…off.He didn’t know fortae’s origin, but he’d heard whispers about it while out in Chrysa. Fae had called itcursed.Seeing Amira, he was glad he’d stayed clear of it. Sex and booze were working just fine for him.
“I wouldn’t need your help if I hadn’t met you. You’re the reason everything is so…messed up right now.” Amira’s eyes turned glassy, the amethyst of her iris tinged red.
“We both know your…youare responsible for this mess. And I’m not the one that got you hooked on fortae,” Rhay bit out. He hated seeing her like this, but he needed tonotcare.
“No, but you’re the one who’s going to keep me on it,” Amira replied sternly, scratching at her skin. She drew blood, but she didn’t even seem to notice. “It’s more convenient, no, to have me spaced out all day? Noothernessvisible?”
Rhay held his tongue, too distracted by Amira’s erratic state to reply right away.
Throwing her hands out, Amira patted him down. “Where are they?Whereare the pills?” She sounded like a lunatic, her desperation clear. How quickly she had become this shell of herself, living for her next fix. The rumours were right, fortaewasa cursed drug.
Rhay grabbed her wrists, his bronze skin contrasting with her pale olive skin. A sigh escaped his lips. “Amira,stop it.I don’t have the drugs on me. But someone is bringing more.Patience.”
“I don’t believe you,” Amira said as she pulled back with surprising force.
She stalked to his canopy bed, pulling back the satin sheets as her eyes scanned the space. “It’s not here,” Rhay yelled, his mouth dry.
Not listening, Amira searched under his bed, pulling away discarded clothes. Setting her sight on his wardrobe, Amira stormed towards it. Not his clothes.
Rhay jumped in her path, his headache increasing. “Amira, that’s enough!” Amira stopped her senseless search, but her impatience hadn’t worn off. “The fortae dealer will be at my party.”
“I thought you didn’t want me at your parties anymore.”
“As if I have a fucking choice,” Rhay said, craving a drink to banish his hangover. “It doesn’t mean we’ll be attendingtogether.You need to be careful. Fae are starting to suspect.”
“Suspect what?” Amira asked. “That I’mdifferent,or that I’m taking fortae?”
“They think there’s something wrong with you.”
Amira scoffed. “Everyone already decided I was a mess a long time ago. What’s the difference?”
“They could start asking questions. Questions you don’t want me to be forced to answer.”
A knock on the door stopped Amira’s reply. Rhay swallowed with difficulty. This wasn’t good. If anyone found the king’s fiancée in his room, it would help the rumours spread.
“Hide in my closet,” he whisper-yelled, cursing himself for not kicking Amira out earlier.
A small, devious smile graced Amira’s lips as she made no move, playing with the idea of ruining them both. Furiously, Rhay grabbed her by the arm, opened the closet door, and shoved her inside between a sparkly jumpsuit and a silk shirt.
“Don’t make a sound,” he warned her before closing the door.
Another knock echoed through his room. “Coming!” Rhay called out, scanning the room before opening the door and finding the worst person to spot him with Amira: her fiancé. Sunlight streamed in from the high windows in the hallway, lightening Karwyn’s blond hair and bringing out his paleness.
Eyeing him up and down, Karwyn seemed to notice Rhay’s sparkling blouse and overall disheveled look. “Is this what you are wearing to the council meeting?” Karwyn asked instead of any sort of greeting.
Smoothing his pastel blue hair, Rhay replied, “I’m not going to the council meeting.”
“Saydren has been asking if we should start looking for another advisor. Your father strongly disagreed. It pains me having to consider someone else for the position you were meant to have, the position you used to say youwanted.” Karwyn stared at his fingernails as if disinterested, but Rhay caught the usual disappointment. “All of this does not matter to you, does it? Your only interest is partying my money away.”
Rhay’s blood pounded in his head, his friend’s insult leaving a sour taste in his mouth. He knew he had been taking advantage of Karwyn’s deepfriendshipto avoid his official duty for years. Distractions took precedence over playing advisor. They had to.
“I should be on my way,” Karwyn said. “I need to prepare for the contest dinner.”
The contest was Karwyn’s top priority—his destiny. The rulers of Quarnian, Carnylen and Turosian were all in the running. As the current interim High King of Liraen, Karwyn had the best chance at winning. Rhay knew that for Karwyn, following in his late father’s footsteps and becoming High King of Liraen was all that mattered. But Rhay’s mind was somewhere else entirely.
Lowering his voice to avoid Amira overhearing, Rhay whispered, “I think you should send Amira back to Allamyst.” He’d been contemplating for days now if he should risk asking Karwyn to send Amira back home. It was all he could think about. Rhay couldn’t encourage her drug habit forever, and she would only be safe away from Karwyn.Out of sight, out of mind…
