“Things are fine,” I murmur, my attention lingering on the people in the room.
I watch Nona direct the servers.
“Something happened to you,” Rory says, and I snap out of my meandering and focus back on her.
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re very tense.”
Our eyes stay locked.
That’s what I like about her.Despite all the distractions I have tossed her way, I can’t fool her.
I can’t tell whether her ability to read my soul comes from some innate talent or if she simply cares for me deep enough to trace my heart with the fingers of her soul.
I always felt like she draped me in adoration, and because of that, I considered her a victim of her naiveté.
How else can someone care for me that much?
“It did happen, didn’t it?” she says. “Is it something bad?”
My eyes peel away from hers as I look over her shoulder and check the new faces––additional servers that Nona hired for the event.
“They’ll be talking this evening about marrying me off to some stranger. They want me out of this house and shackled to some monster.”
My words float quietly and easily like a flurry of snow caught in a dance of death.
“Can they do that?” she asks, unable to stifle her surprise.
My eyes soften with a smile as I try to ease the blow.
“It’s common practice in my world.”
“But why? Wasn’t enough that they’d sent you away?”
“Nothing is enough for them.”
“What are you going to do?”
Her honest concern makes me smile again.
She has no idea how close I am to teetering on the edge of madness.
“I plan to enjoy myself tonight. Perform for them as I always have. Pretend I’m the dummy they think I am, and come up witha plan later. There’s nothing I can do right now. I need to know who they pick for me first.”
Her face looks pale.
“I’m sorry. Does that mean––”
I flick my hand up.
“It means nothing. I’ll fight them till the end. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Sorrow, warmth, and affection glint in her eyes. I can’t help myself and hug her again.
“Thank you for being here for me. It means the world to me. I’ll get through this. I promise.”
I straighten and look at Nona again, who doesn’t gesture at me this time, yet I can tell from her look that it’s time.
