Balor scoffs. “The king has made everything my business. And I intend to follow my orders to the letter.”
“Which are?” Del asks, raising an eyebrow at the general.
Balor looks at the ceiling to recall the words he memorized. “Keep the queen in line. And if she gives you any trouble—” He dips his chin and looks right at me. “Just kill her already.”
“Those aren’t your orders,” Del laughs.
I’m not so sure Del is correct as I stare into Balor’s taunting gaze.
“As of twenty minutes ago, they are.”
Del scoffs. “And when have weevertaken Nerian’s drunk words in the hours before a full moon seriously?”
Balor sneers at us. “There’s always a first time.”
“Like Queen Veya said, Balor. Don’t be a dick.” Del’s hand finds the small of my back, and he guides me through the chamber, buzzing energy firing through me while I try totamp my smirk. We snap toward my rooms, Em joining us from nowhere.
“Balor is the fucking worst,” I snarl under my breath outside our suite.
Del chuckles. “Try living with him.”
Em pauses at our door. “Where’s the court? Castle seems pretty empty.”
“Full moon. They’ve all escaped to their estates,” Del says.
Em snorts as we enter. The girls are waiting here like I asked, and I’m thankful to find them showered, clothed, and unbothered on the sofa, feet propped up in front of the fire. Charlotte’s closet has been put to excellent use.
We need to prepare them for the next twenty-four hours.
“Ladies, your first dreamwalk is in about twelve hours. You’ll lose control over your body and mind. Your memories will take over and become your reality. There is nothing you can do,” I say.
“We know,” Nix says, tying up her fiery hair. “The king often chose the cellar for his dreamwalking. He’d flip off the fire so he didn’t burn himself, and we’d practically freeze to death the entire night.”
I cringe at the thought of Nerian out of his mind and the girls within his grasp. “I see. I’m sure Del can offer serum if you prefer to be unconscious.”
Hartley smiles. “I’ll always take the chance I’m thrown into a good memory. No serum for me.”
Ellie’s sad eyes look up from the fireplace into mine. “I’d rather be unconscious.”
“I’ll get you some serum,” Del says gently.
“For you, Nix?” I ask.
She sighs. “I’ll take my chances with the walk. I’d love to see my mother again.”
I give her an approving nod. I always take my chances, too.
“Daylight is upon us shortly, and we haven’t slept in a while. Let’s rest before the full moon,” I tell everyone.
Emmanuel secures the shutters as Del rakes back the hair that’s flopped into his eyes; all of us are a little unkempt at this point. “I should return to the west wing,” he says. “It would be odd for me to remain here for this sleep.”
“Of course. We’ll be fine,” I assure him and gesture to Emmanuel.
Del nods. “Ladies, come with me. I will see you to separate, locked rooms where you can sleep and dreamwalk in private. And I’ll get you something to drink.”
Ellie wrinkles her nose.
“It’s not terrible, and your body needs it,” Del says.
