Although I’ve begun to see snippets of anger from him, of disrespect and harsh tones, I’ve never seen him act this way. “What do you think you’re doing?” I yell, hurrying toward them.
He turns to me and drops her arm, which is a smart move, but then he jabs his finger in my face. “And you? How could you be sostupid?” he hisses at me.
I stop mid-stride. “Excuse me?”
Behind me, Asmo chuckles quietly.
Luca steps closer to me, a flush of red tinging his cheeks. “How dare you? You do whatever you want, waltzing around here like you own the damned place, like you can do no wrong, like you don’t have a care in the world, like we don’t have innocent people’s lives at stake.”
Every word feels like a slap.
The cabin door bangs open. Ivan runs toward us, reaching for Luca, but he shrugs him off. “Elle’s life is on the line,” Luca hisses at me.
So, I guess I know who locked me in my room.
I get in his space, my face now inches from his. “You think I don’t know that?” I whisper. “Do you honestly think I don’t think about her every day and wish I could take it all back? Do you think I’ve forgotten my role in the bodies that hang in the gallows?I’mresponsible for all of this, and I’m trying to fix it.”
I pause, gritting my teeth as I stare at him, daring him to speak back to me. The breeze stirs, and with it, the pungent smell of liquor from the male before me. My lip curls in disgust.
“I am your queen. I may not be on the throne, but I will return to it one day. You do not touch another member of my court again, you do not touch another female again, you do not point your finger at me, and you do not insult my intelligence or my virtues again. If you have a problem with me, you can speak to me respectfully. Do you understand me?” I whisper.
His face is still red, his features pulled tight. The silence between us stretches as he considers his response. And I hope he considers every option, because I will not forget this moment.
“Do. You. Understand. Me?” I repeat, my voice low.
“Yes.” His voice sounds pained, like it took every ounce of his willpower and strength to say the word. He forms a bow and when he straightens, there’s a cold smile on his face. “Your Highness,” he adds, but the title borders on a sneer.
“Fantastic,” I mutter before shoving past him.
Inside, Holly’s clothes are strewn about the couch, and I toss them into the corner.
Cally emerges from the hallway. “What's going on? Where were you? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” I say, shoving the couch against the far wall, and setting the two armchairs in a semi-circle. “Hand me that chair,” I say, pointing to one of the dining chairs in the kitchen. Cally obliges, dragging it and placing it next to the others.
Holly and Ivan walk back inside, both of them watching me carefully. I offer them a tight smile, but they stand there in silence like scolded children. Luca enters next, his posture still rigid. He won’t meet my gaze. Asmo follows behind him.
“Sit,” I command the group. “You, too, Cally,” I add softly. “Please.”
Everyone finds their seat amidst the circle, and I perch on the wooden dining chair.
“I understand that our sudden disappearance may have caused some…upset,” I say, even though that’s not the right word. Anger and a childish response is probably the better way to describe it, but alas. “I apologize for not informing you of my plan. Moving forward, if I think something is in the best interest of the court or someone’s life, I will inform you instead of hiding it.”
Luca leans forward in his seat, his shoulders hunched as he stares at the chipped hardwoods.
“I did not plan on Asmo or Holly joining me. My intention was to go alone.” Luca’s head snaps up, mouth parting with what I’m certain is a string of insults. I hold my hand up. “I’m still speaking.”
His jaw works, but he drops his burning glare back to the floor.
“I understand it was reckless,” I say. “For that, I am sorry.”
Ivan clears his throat, “Your Highness, if I may…We’re all frustrated by the situation we’ve found ourselves in. It is our duty to protect you, and we’re happy to do so, but it does make it harder if you?—”
“Leave without saying a word, I know,” I say.
Ivan gives me a half-smile, and I think that means I’m forgiven. Or at least, he’s not angry with me in the way Luca is. I can take Luca’s criticism, but Ivan’s makes my chest tighten. His support has been unwavering, and the regret on my shoulders feels a little heavier every time he sighs.
“Well, where did you go?” Cally asks from beside me, the last person I expected to have any input in this conversation. But the question returns me to some sense of normalcy. Of course Cally wouldn’t be mad at me for going. She’d just want to know what happened and where I went. I want to leap from my chair and squeeze her for asking it.
