I glare into his piercing eyes. “Watch out, Thatcher. You wouldn’t want another hit to your face. I fear it’s making you uglier each time.”
He growls in my face.
“That’s enough!” my father snaps. “Briar has had a lot thrown at her tonight. Let her return to her room—undisturbed. Guards will be outside your door should you think of running again.”
Pushing past my father and Barlowe, I curse under my breath.
Before my hand reaches the door, my father cautions, “And Briar, please be in the throne room at a decent time tomorrow morning. We have many things to discuss before the trials begin. You will help this kingdom accomplish many things.”
Chapter 8
As I round the last corner before my room, three guards wait outside. “Welcome back, Princess. Congratulations on the announcement,” one bows. “Your friend is waiting for you in your bedroom. She didn’t give us a chance to turn her away. I hope you don’t mind.”
They halt before my door and part for me to enter.
I slam the door behind me, knowing who awaits. Maines sits by the lit fireplace, her feet propped up and her face like stone. “I thought I was going to have to kick those guards’ asses to let me in your room.”
I plop in the chair beside her, exhaustion weighing heavily on my shoulders.
“That was a shock I didn’t see coming. You aren’t going to go through with this, are you?”
I hesitate to tell her what just happened in my father’s study. “Your brother is competing—did you know?”
The sudden change on her face is answer enough. “Gods, no! I had no idea about any of this. I’d never let you marry my brother. He's a monster.”
It seems like all the men around us in this castle are monsters.
“We need a plan to get you out of this, Briar,” Maines chimes in again.
“Come on, Maines. There is no way out of this, I’m afraid.”
She stares at me for a second. Her piercing blue eyes show no fear, no hesitation, unlike mine. “Let’s run away then! I can make us money being a healer and you can start a farm or something. We’ll change our names and move far away.”
It’s impossible not to grin at her even though my stomach twists from the news. She’s a fool. “I’m not starting a farm and I’m not running. My father will make me comply—there’s no way around this without him killing me or worse.”
We sit in silence for a while before she tries again. “I’m sorry, Briar. I know this is horrible. Your mother would have never let this happen. She would have fought for you. Now, you must fight for yourself but not alone—I’m with you!”
The words ring in my ear:you must fight for yourself. I stand, the chair flipping backward.
“Whoa!” Maines yelps.
“You are an absolute genius, my friend.”
“Well, I know I am most days, but are you going to tell me why?”
I smirk. “No, but you will know soon enough.”
The day I decided never to use my magic again, Maines was there for me, understanding and never judging. The only thing she asked was that she teach me how to fight to protect myself. We found the area on the roof together and she made sure I knew how to fight from that day on—just as Thatcher had taught her. When Barlowe left, most of her days were spent in the eastern part of town at the House of Hedro. The House was founded by my mother and named after her maiden name, Hedro. Though Maines’s focus was on healing others, I think she was also working to heal herself as well.
Anyone lucky enough to train at the House of Havengart in Eddris typically went on to make a name for themselves. My mother started her journey there before returning to Daramveer to open the House of Hedro. I felt a pang of jealousy when Maines announced she would be leaving for a year to train at the House of Havengart. To walk through the halls where my mother trained and to feel closer to her is something I’ll never experience. Maines was a skilled healer and was quickly becoming one of the top healers in Daramveer.
“Are you going to make me beg?” Maines raises her brows.
I smirk, “Maines Madden begging? If that happens, I’ve seen it all.”
“Fine. I’ll trust you on this one, but once you’ve completed this ‘plan,’” she quotes the air, “you’d better come to find me.” Maines demands.
“I’ll see you later," I say as I push off from where I’ve been pacing. “I need to go see my brother. I think he’s been planning something all along, and now I have a plan too." As I leave Maines by the fire, I rush toward the door when the memory of the armed guards outside halts me in my tracks.
