I laughed. Of course she wouldn’t know. “Blue denim trousers.”
“You’re able to wear trousers?” Brynn stared at me like I'd just described flying. Envy and something like longing flickered in her expression. “It’s against the rules in this kingdom.”
“You have a dress code here?”
She lowered her head. “Yes, especially for servants. I’m not allowed to wear anything but what I have on.”
I gasped. They were practically rags. "This is all you have to wear?" The words escaped before I could stop them.
"I have two others just like this. I must keep them clean too."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean—" Shame heated my cheeks. "If I find a way out of here, I'll take you with me."
She gave me a small smile. "One person escaping is hard, but two people escaping is impossible."
"Your seven brothers did it. Nothing is impossible."
There was a knock at the door. I froze as a creeping doom cut off my breath.
Brynn hurried through the bathroom to the bedroom door.
I peeked through the bathroom door to where a burly guard waited. Thank god—not Ari. I couldn't have handled his gloating right now, seeing me dressed exactly as he'd planned. But my relief was short-lived. A guard meant the queen. I'd have to face her again, stand before her scrutiny wearing this dress like some trophy. I forced my shoulders back, trying to find courage I didn't feel.
“The queen is ready to talk with the prisoner.”
Prisoner? I knew all too well what happened to prisoners—torture and pain.
She stood back and allowed the guard to view me as I entered the bedroom. I studied him carefully. What if this was Ari? What if he was testing me? Watching to see if I'd try to run? The guard's features were rough, weathered, nothing like Ari's sharp elegance. But that meant nothing. I studied his eyes, looking for that calculating gleam, that cruel amusement. They were dull, disinterested.
Brynn lowered her gaze. “She’s ready to see the queen.”
“Good. The queen wants you to report to the kitchen immediately. The grease traps and rotting food scraps from the drains need to be cleaned.”
Brynn bowed her head. “Yes, at once.”
My only ally in this terrible place was being taken away, leaving me with a guard who could possibly be taking me to my doom. I wanted to beg Brynn to stay with me, but that wouldonly put her at risk of punishment. I’d already hurt people in my world because of my situation—I didn’t want to do the same thing in this world.
“This way,” he said, gesturing toward the hallway.
I could fight. My shadows were unbound now. I could wrap this guard in darkness, try to run. But where would I go? The palace was a maze, the portal was sealed, and causing chaos would only make things worse. No. I needed to face the queen, learn what she wanted, play along until I found a real way out. I followed the guard.
We walked down the hallway, my footsteps echoing, matching the blood thumping between my temples. But then we walked past the grand hall and went down another guarded hallway that ran parallel to it.
Wait—we'd just passed the throne room. My stomach clenched. Where were we going? This hallway felt different, stripped of decoration. No pictures, no tapestries. Just bare walls and guards posted at intervals. It felt wrong. Like a corridor leading to cells, not chambers. Were they taking me to a dungeon instead?
