Her father was immediately worried. ‘Yes, jaani, of course, do rest,’ he said. ‘You’ve had quite the ordeal these last weeks. Celeste, we will go over the plans for the tourney with the princes and ensure they know all that will transpire.’
It had been less than two months since she ran away, whichmeant there was less than a month until her birthday. She had four weeks to choose a spouse.Fantastic.
Summer had been the queen’s favorite season, and Sonya used to love that her birthday marked the beginning of summer, but now the prospect filled her with dread.
She went back to her room, watched by guards every step of the way. The maids had changed shifts, but still Sonya did not see Elspeth.
Sonya asked one of the other maids, who bit her lip. She looked around nervously before taking a step toward Sonya, lowering her voice.
‘She was fired,’ the maid whispered. ‘Just yesterday, after they found you.’
Anger bit through Sonya. She returned to her father’s rooms, where the princes had joined him and Celeste. The advisor was going over the tourney with the princes now, but Sonya interrupted without hesitation.
‘I would like to see Elspeth brought back,’ she said, face pinched. ‘Immediately.’
The king blinked, surprised for a moment before he barked out a laugh. ‘After she assisted you with your foolish plan? I do not think so. We only kept her at the castle so long so that she would not alert others to your running away.’
‘Baba!’ Sonya snapped. ‘She had nothing to do with it! I tricked her! Bring her back. Now.’
Her father jolted. He glanced at her brothers, who looked equally shocked. It was the first time Sonya had raised her voice in such a manner.
‘Alright,’ Shahmir said, voice placating. He scratched his beard. ‘But no more colluding, understood?’
Some of the anger left Sonya, and she nodded. ‘Understood.’
Her brothers all looked at her as though she were a stranger, and perhaps she was. She surely felt like an entirely different person than who she had been when she had seen her brothers last.
‘Celeste,’ Shahmir said, turning to her. She immediately straightened her back, alert. ‘See to it.’
Celeste bowed her head immediately. ‘Of course.’ She did not question the crown prince, and irritation flashed through Sonya. Why couldn’therword be enough? Why couldn’tshebe listened to?
Feeling unsteady, Sonya went back to her room, where she sat on a lounge chair and waited. The room was spacious and, even with all of her furniture and things, looked hardly full. Two maids stood to the side, waiting for orders. Sonya tapped her shoe on the marble floors, the sound filling the silence as she waited.
Then, after a few hours, she heard a slight knock on the door. Her mood lifted at the familiar rapping. Elspeth was back.
‘Come in!’ Sonya said, standing as the door opened. Elspeth entered, wearing her uniform, her red hair pulled back in a simple braid. ‘You’re here.’ Relief flowed through her, until she noticed Elspeth didn’t meet her gaze.
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ Elspeth said. She was so quiet.
Sonya turned to the other maids. ‘Please leave us for a moment.’
The women exchanged a glance, not moving. They must have been told not to leave Sonya alone with Elspeth. With a frustrated sound, she grabbed Elspeth’s hand and pulled her into the closet.
‘Your Highness!’ one of the maids called in surprise, but Sonya closed the door, locking it before the maids could do anything about it.
Elspeth’s green eyes were surprised as Sonya let out an exasperated breath.
‘I’m sorry I got you in trouble,’ Sonya asked, still holding Elspeth’s hand. ‘Will you forgive me?’
Elspeth blinked, thinking before responding, and it unnerved Sonya to see the usually chatty girl so silent.
‘Elspeth, please,’ Sonya said.
Elspeth took her hand from Sonya’s, tucking a stray strand of red hair behind her own ear.
Guilt knifed through Sonya as Elspeth looked away.
‘I know I am just your maid, so it was silly of me to think it, but I—I thought we were friends,’ Elspeth said, her cheeks red with embarrassment.
