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Not worried, terrified. This is not like when my master was threatening to get me expelled from the guard, get thrown away from the castle. I think even then I knew he didn’t mean it. This is different, and much more serious. Scary.
Which of my lies got me in so much trouble?
6
The spiral stairs to the common area are a blur as I descend them with a heaviness in my chest, with absolutely no idea what’s happening, flanked by Otavio and Andrezza, followed by more royal guards than I’ve ever seen in this tower.
When we reach the door of Otavio’s study, he yells, “Give me an hour. I need to get her ready.”
I flinch, then realize he was yelling at the royal guards, not me.
“She’s supposed to come right away,” a guard says. Not just a guard, I think he’s the captain of the king’s forces.
I’m so screwed.
Otavio glares at the man. “Tell your king that I’m protecting his daughter by changing Astra’s hair color.”
Now I’m very, very confused.
When the door of the study closes and I find myself alone with Otavio and Andrezza, I’m so terrified that I want to collapse and cry, and yet I hold myself together.
“The fae prince,” Otavio says. “You didn’t tell him you were Princess Driziely?”
I freeze, a cold chill grating my skin. He knew I was a substitute and even my name, and I have no idea how. I’m wondering what he did with the information. This is the time to bury my feelings, keep calm, and lie on.
“It was fast. He realized we were from Krastel and left.” This is very much in line with what I’ve been telling everyone.
“You said Prince Ziven introduced himself, and yet did you introduce yourself?”
“No. He didn’t ask.” I can’t imagine where this conversation is going, and I don’t hide my puzzlement.
Otavio paces back and forth.
Andrezza looks at me with concern, then turns to Otavio. “I think the bigger crisis is averted.”
He places both hands on his forehead. “I guess.”
“What’s happening?” I finally dare ask, because I’m going to choke on my worry if I have to keep guessing for one more second.
Andrezza glances at Otavio and then, perhaps sensing he’s too nervous, decides to answer. “Prince Marlak is in the castle.”
My heart punches the cavity of my chest. Marlak? Here? How?
“Was he caught?” That’s the only possible explanation, except that it’s impossible. Human guards would never be able to subdue him.
She shakes her head. “None of that. He came for a marriage alliance.”
Marriage? He wants to marry Driziely? I see now how him thinking I’m the princess could be problematic. But if he doesn’t know… My head almost explodes imagining Sayanne with him. No. Wait. It makes no sense. And he’s a disgraced prince with no power.
“The king wouldn’t accept it, would he?” I ask. “I mean, what does he have to offer?”
Andrezza’s look is laced with pity. “We don’t know what the king agreed to. Or why.” She swallows. “Apparently the prince had no idea who you were, and yet wanted to marry you.”
I pinch my arm until I’m about to yell, and yet it doesn’t wake me from this strange dream. “Marry? Me? Why?”
Otavio sighs and looks away. “Gods know why.”
I find it odd that he mentions gods and not the Almighty Mother, but it’s true he’s nervous, and that’s definitely not the biggest issue here.
