The sitting area is twice the size of my old rooms, and there’s several doors leading to other spaces. I look around, eager to find the face I missed the most. My brow furrows and my pulse races. She should be here. She’d have been the first to welcome me.
“Where’s Anya?” I ask.
Antonia’s jaw tenses. “They took her.”
“Who? Who took her?”
“Some of the guards,” Charlotte says. “Shortly after we arrived. She’s been gone three days already.”
I stop toward the door and throw it open. Stanley, the guard who’d been shadowing Brevan is standing next to Nate. They both straighten when they see me.
“Is something wrong?” Nate asks.
I ignore him and turn to Stanley. “Where is she?”
“Who?” he asks.
“Anya. Where did he take her? The emperor has you following Brevan around. Following me around. He must have said something to you.”
His brow furrows.
He doesn’t know.
“Find Caiden. He promised me. If I married him. If I did what he asked, he would keepallmy ladies safe. He promised I’d seeallof them when we arrived. That includes Anya. Find him. Now.” I slam the door, then turn to my waiting ladies.
“Is everyone else alright? Were any of you hurt?” I ask.
“You married him to protect us?” Antonia asks.
“Didn’t you want to be empress?” Charlotte asks. “I thought that was why you came here.”
“Of course she didn’t. Not anymore, at least,” Genevieve says as she approaches. “She’s in love with the Enforcer.”
“She is?” Charlotte asks.
“You don’t see the way he looks at her?” Genevieve asks.
I should deny it. I should continue to play the part. But something in me cracks. “How did you know?”
“We have eyes, you know. We’re trained in gossip and reading people,” Antonia says. “Everyone underestimates us. Even you did, at first at least.”
“I’m sorry.” I can’t deny it did take me time to realize they were more than just their status and clothing and manners. “You’re right. I judged you all before I got to know you.”
“I suppose we did, also,” Antonia says.
“And to be fair, you might not have been wrong about us when we first met,” Charlotte says.
“No, I shouldn’t have done that,” I say.
“We get it. Our worlds were very different. Honestly, we should have seen it sooner, but we were so wrapped up in the expectations of the court,” Antonia says.
“And we want to help,” Charlotte adds.
“Yes. We like Anya. And we can help you find her,” Genevieve says.
“That would be—I—I don’t know what to say.” My throat tightens.
Antonia steps closer, then takes my hand. Her touch is warm, her fingers soft. “We want to help however we can, Taylan.”
