She grabbed my chin between her fingers, cold and bony, like a claw.
I snapped my head back, hard.
Her eyes gleamed. “You are a pretty thing,” she said, unbothered. “You’ll make strong children, I imagine.”
I stared at her.
“I’m sorry—what?”
Behind me, I heard it—a sharp intake of breath. Then a hiss.
I turned just in time to see Leo and Phoenix both storm out of the hall, jaws tight, shoulders rigid.
I didn’t know what hurt more—that they left… or that neither of them had said anything at all.
Maddie caught my eye for half a heartbeat—then ran after Leo, her cloak fluttering behind her like a banner of retreat.
Slade didn’t move. But I felt the tension radiating off him like heat.
He wouldn’t leave me. Not for anything.
A servant entered the hall and bowed. “Your rooms are ready.”
I stared at Caelen.
Waiting.
Hoping.
But he looked away.
I watched him a moment longer.
Still… nothing.
Fine.
I turned without a word. The hall felt colder now—its sea breeze soured and stale.
Slade fell into step beside me.
We didn’t speak. We didn’t need to.
Behind me, I heard the soft shuffle of layered silk—Mireille settling back on her throne like a queen who’d just won a game I didn’t even know we were playing.
She had dropped a blade between us and smiled as it fell.
I didn’t look back.
The doors shut behind us with a heavy boom.
It sounded like the end of something.
Outside, the sea air hit me—cool, briny, sharp. I sucked it in like breath after drowning.
A maid curtseyed. “This way, Your Highness.”
I stormed forward, jaw tight. I didn’t speak.
