He wouldn't go far—I was sure that the moment I moved out from under the tower, he would be there. But with him out of my vision, I relaxed my shoulders a bit, not realizing how tense I was. My spine made contact with the stone behind me, and I slouched down against the wall to sit in the grass.
The shade from the tower offered my skin some shelter as I untied the satchel Sebastian had handed me and emptied its contents onto my lap. A variety of fruits spilled out of the bag, along with some oat bars and pastries.
My heart sank.
That door had led to a pantry.
Sebastian was actuallytryingto be nice, and I made an ass of myself. Although, hedidjust call himself a babysitter in regard to me, which pissed me off more than it should have.
I didn't quite understand why my disappearing made him so angry, especially considering he clearly didn't want to look after me, anyways. So far he was exactly who I’d expect him to be as the son of King Aldous Hawthorne.
Whatever.
I picked up a glossy, red apple, rolling it in my hands before taking a bite. I savored the taste of it, the ache in my stomach subsiding with each mouthful.
I only stopped eating when the pain from starvation was replaced with a new ache. For a reason I couldn't grasp, my altercation with Sebastian hurt more than I’d ever expected it to.
Chapter
Eight
The gown I had chosen for the gala was hanging back in my wardrobe when I returned from my argument with Sebastian. Just like I had expected, he was waiting to walk me back to my room when I finished eating. Neither of us spoke the whole way back. I had nothing to say to him.
The setting sun snuck into my room through the gap in my curtains. I had just finished showering and sat wrapped in a towel in my armchair, combing through my freshly washed hair. I braided the sides loosely and let the rest hang free. When finished, I dropped my towel to put the appropriate undergarments on, then pulled the dress off of its hanger. I bunched the fabric of the skirt so that I could step into it and pulled the gown over my legs.
The tailor did an incredible job, as the gown slid past my hips and up my torso with ease, fitting precisely as it should for my body type. The satin hugged me in all the right places, emphasizing the indent of my waist and the curve of my hips, while also leaving just the right amount of cleavage at my bust.
I struggled to lace my corset when I heard a female voice coming from the other side of my door. “Is anyone in there?”
I shuffled to the door, expecting it to be Jocelyn standing in the hall, but was instead met by an unfamiliar face.
“Sorry to bother you, but it seems like our whole floor is practically men, and I knew a woman must live here because I saw the seamstress bring in some gowns earlier. Anyways, would you mind buttoning the back of my dress for me? I can’t reach the last few,” the girl rattled on until she was out of breath. She appeared disheveled, her strawberry hair in disarray on top of her shoulders and her cheeks flushed as if she’d been running.
I was slightly taken aback at the way she rambled like we already knew each other, but she smiled at me and I found myself returning the gesture.
“Of course.” I stepped aside, granting her entry into my room.
She sighed in relief, leaving the door cracked open then shuffling to my armchair. Her dress dragged on the floor as she walked, making me question if she had no shoes on yet or if it was just too long for her. She was quite petite, so I assumed the latter.
She sat and twisted her body so that I had access to the line of buttons on her back, then my fingers got right to work, moving meticulously to fasten her gown closed. Her dress was simple—a dark shade of green with no appliqué or shimmer on it.
“Thank the gods for you, I’ve been trying to button these darned things for the good portion of an hour. Every time I get one done, another one pops open,” she complained.
“I’ve been fighting a similar battle with my corset.” I let out a small huff of laughter.
“My name is Pia Hawthorne, short for Piper,” she introduced herself as I brushed her hair to the side so that I couldreach the buttons at the top.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Maeve, not short for anything.” A bit delayed, my eyebrow raised when I recognized her last name. “Wait. Hawthorne?” I asked, stepping to the side of the chair when I finished the last button. “Are you related to the king?”Oh gods, did Sebastian have a sister?
Pia rose from the chair and made straight for my washroom. “Yup!” she called back to me. “The king is my uncle.”
That made that arrogant ass Sebastian, her cousin.Poor girl.
Pia’s hair was tidied up when she emerged from the washroom. She positioned herself behind me, lacing my dress without me having to ask. I gasped as she yanked on the ribbons of my corset, cinching the waist way tighter than I would have. I didn't say anything though, and once I got a glimpse of myself in the mirror in my washroom, I didn’t question her lacing abilities, either. I’d always loved dressing up, but this took it to a whole new level.
Pia came in to stand by my side. “We look hot,” she stated. I chuckled because she was right, and also because that’s something Delani would have said.
I chewed my lip to prevent tears from spilling at the thought of my family.
