Kasimir’s brow dips. “Is he lying to us, Ruby?”
“He’s not,” she mutters. “He’s telling the truth. About all of it.” She looks so certain. I’m assuming there’s magic at work here. Either that or Dahlia’s eldest sister is some kind of human lie detector. She did grow up with eleven younger sisters, I suppose.
Her violet gaze darkens. “You kidnapped my sister and then forced her to marry you. I cannot in good faith approve of this union. But if Dahlia is foolish enough to want to stay with you then I have to accept that.” She sighs. “I will help you break into Lord Elheart’s palace.”
“No,” both Kasimir and I speak in unison.
Kasimir shoots me an approving nod before turning to his princess. “I love you, Ruby, but you’re not going anywhere until you let me scout the place first.”
“You said I was ready for missions!”
“And you are, I just need to make sure that they’re safe missions.”
I roll my eyes. But then what he just said hits me. “Youscoutedmy castle?”
He shrugs. “I’ve been casing the place for the past few days, assessing the guard situation.” That’s it. They’re all fired. “You really ought to put guards beneath your tower. Anyone could climb up the side and come in through your window.”
“Like you did,” I deadpan.
“Likewedid,” Amaryllis corrects. “I’m not a fragile princess anymore.” She glares at Kasimir before turning back to me. “So I’m coming with you whether you like it or not. Sisters stick together.”
As if on cue, I hear the door to my chambers crash open and we all step back just in time for three more battle-ready women and my nervous-yet-determined-looking brother to barge into my bedchamber. Even Pumpkin’s here, wearing fucking armour.
I spit out a curse. “Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me?—”
“What’s taking you so long to get ready?” Blossom charges towards me. She, Eden, and Tamryn are wearing armoured leather corsets over their gowns, presumably with daggers hidden in the slits of their skirts. Daggers they absolutely will not be using.
“You are all staying here.” I fasten my cloak. “Dahlia would not want her sisters to be put in harm’s way.” I may as well have said nothing at all. Nobody can hear me over Eden and Blossom’s excited squeals.
“Ami!” they scream, rushing over to their sister.
“What are you both doing here?” Amaryllis hugs them both. The three of them burst into a mess of babbles and squeals.
While they’re distracted, I turn to Claren. “Keep them here.” I grasp his shoulder. “Do not let them follow me.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
I blink, surprised at his tone.
“If you think you’re going to that palace without our help, you’re more foolish than Elheart.” He folds his arms and stands taller than I remember my little brother ever being. “Dahlia is my family now, as much as she is yours. So we’re coming with you. You can’t stop us.”
Tamryn stands by his side, her eyes glittering with determination while she holds Pumpkin tightly. The three sisters soon join her, hand in hand, closely followed by Kasimir.
“There’s a salt barrier,” Claren explains to them, not giving me a chance to argue. “So Tauren and I will have to wait for our army to make a hole before demons can pass through.”
“We’re not demons, though. So I’ll take Kasimir, Ami, and Eden through the main entrance,” Blossom pipes up. “It’ll be the fastest way to get to Dahlia. We’ll search all the bedchambers first. Tamryn,” she turns to the half-demon, “you can choose to stay with Tauren and Claren or come with us.”
Tamryn nods, wrapping her hand around Claren’s arm.
Sensible girl.
But then my jaw tenses. I should not even be fucking entertaining this. “You can’t just walk in there,” I growl at them. “There are guards at the gate.”
“I dealt with them before just fine.” Blossom smirks.
Eden squeals, “Ami, you have to see her gift in action! She’s amazing!”
“I still can’t believe you can do that,” she replies. “I wish I had a gift as useful as controlling people.”
