A scuffle ensued from the hallway, and as one, the crowd lurched to the side, out of the way.
“Leave her alone, Kage!”
Ari glanced toward the hallway at the sound of Finn’s voice, her breath catching.
Her father and Sir William stepped protectively in front of her, arms outstretched to shield her.
Kage stopped before them.
“I banned you from the castle,” Ari proclaimed.
“You invited everyone to participate in your contest,” he replied.
The sound of steel sliding against metal reverberated off the walls, followed by a flurry of angry voices. Instantly, armed guards rushed toward the corridor, swords drawn. People scrambled to get out of the way and hid in doorways or behind columns.
Her father strode confidently toward the hallway, his face twisted with anger.
“Ari!”
She was certain it was Finn’s voice again and moved toward it.
Kage caught her arm and said sternly, “This is not a situation for a lady.”
Ari yanked her arm from his grip with venom in her eyes, and Sir William placed his hand firmly on Kage’s chest as if ready to tackle him.
Ari rushed to the large double doors at the entrance to the Great Hall.
People filled the hallway, shoulder to shoulder, and pressed against the walls. Her father was in a group of guards in the center of the large corridor. She navigated through the crush of people and guards, occasionally getting nudged by an elbow or somebody’s body until she finally reached her father.
“The guards shouldnotbe escorting him out,” Lord Walter said.
Ari stood on her tiptoes and craned her neck to see over the shoulders of the guards, who stood like a wall before her until she found Finn. His arms were restrained by two castle guards.
“Your order was that he not enter the castle,” one of the guards explained, releasing him.
Finn tugged his other arm free. “The contest was open to all men.”
“How could you, Father?” Ari demanded, her hands clenched into fists as she forced her way past the guards.
Lord Walter’s mouth tightened, and he shook his head, scowling fiercely. “I gave no such order.”
The castle guards shifted uneasily, unsure of what to do.
“Sir Kage told us that was your command,” one of them muttered softly.
Silence flooded the hallway, and the air was charged with tension as everyone looked for Kage. Except for Ari, who moved to Finn’s side. Her gaze met his, and her breath hitched. Her chest tightened and an ache crept up her throat. She blinked back tears, but no words reached her lips.
“Find Sir Kage,” Lord Walter ordered. “Arrest him.”
The world around her fell away, and Finn was all that mattered. Silence drummed in her ears, and her vision tunneled to Finn.
As the guards scrambled away to locate Kage and her father took command, Finn finally said to Ari, “You liked the rose.”
Ari’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. She had forgotten, until now, that she still held the steel flower in her hand. Her gaze dropped to the intricate petals crafted from thin metal bands and then quickly flew back up to Finn, afraid he would vanish.
“I’m sorry, Ari,” he said quietly.
Her feet felt like lead, heavy against the floor as if she were built of stone. Fear crept up her spine; what if this were all just a dream, and she would awaken at any moment?
