Ethyan escaped Adastrus’ interest, as far as I could tell. He had a room in the common wing as my guest, but Anderz warned it would be grounds for hangingif he was found unescorted in my quarters. As avirtuous princess, strange men who weren’t staff or nobles were forbidden without an escort.
Something about keeping my virtue intact.
A servant approached from behind, replacing my dish with a pastry drowned in glistening fruit preserves and dusted with fine, white sugar. The sweet aroma mingled with the rich scent of roasted meats. Lyana moaned as her plate was swapped, her eyes lighting up before she attacked the dessert like a wild boar.
I smiled to myself, nudging my serving toward her. The thought of eating felt impossible with my nerves twisted in knots.
Clack, clack, clack.
I frowned, glancing up the table. My brother leaned back in his chair, openly staring at us, his black fingers tapping the oak. His features set in a flat line, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed in contemplation.
I cleared my throat, waited a few moments, then excused myself to the minor noble on my left, whose name I still didn’t know, and stood. A servant hurried to pull my chair back.
Lyana glanced up at me, sorrow clouding her eyes, purple preserves smudging the corner of her lips. “Now?”
“Aye.”
Curious heads turned our way whenever we used Common Muik. Few in Wynterborne understood it, and even fewer spoke it. As far as I knew, Sainte, Anderz, Grimm, and Urien possessed both comprehension and fluency of Muik. Among the soldiers Lyana traveled with, only a few grasped its nuances, but she did her best to teach them every curse she could.
With a whine, she stood. A servant rushed to pull her chair back while she stared at her dessert.
“Don’t–” I interjected, though not fast enough.
She seized the plate with the half-eaten pastry and twirled away, the scent of warm berries trailing behind her. With a confident swagger, she sauntered out of the dining hall, humming to herself.
I glanced back at Adastrus.
Clack, clack, clack.
After a deep breath, I rolled onto my side, bumping into Lyana’s prone form. As I attempted to turn again, I teetered close to the edge. She was such a bed hog. With a gentle kick, I nudged her to make space.
A faint murmur escaped her lips, and she kicked me back.
I huffed, then shoved myself upright. I threw my leg over her, crawling to her side–
Crack!
I froze, then whipped toward the window, wondering if the icy chill might shatter it. Thick curtains shut out any moonlight, and I squinted in the dark.
“El?” Lyana moaned underneath me.
“Shh!” I hissed, eyes wide, searching the darkness for any movements in the shadows.
Glass exploded with a sharp crash. I didn’t wait for a shout or war cry. I tumbled off the bed, pulling Lyana with me. The thud of us hitting the floor muffled her startled yelp, the impact jarring my shoulder. With my back plastered to the bedframe, I strained to hear over the blood rushing in my ears. The rapid pounding of footsteps echoed across my room, drowning out everything else.
I nudged Lyana, adrenaline heightening every sense. “Go! Get out of here!”
I seized a decorative book from my side table and hurled it toward the window. Whoever lurked would soon face a barrage of objects. Lyana darted as I grabbed everything within reach and launched it in a frenzy—candles, books, a vase. An audible ‘oof’ sounded as an object struck true. Out of hard things to grab, I yanked the blanket off the bed. As I held it out, ready to gather it to throw, something slammed into my stomach.
The impact forced a guttural sound from my lungs. I collapsed with a visceral scream, writhing like an eel out of water, as the weight of my attacker pinned me, the blanket between us.
A slew of High Wynter curses pierced the air, and I lurched to the side just as a heavy blow landed beside me with a resounding thud. By the searing sting in my hip, I could only assume it was a knife.
With renewed vigor, I unleashed a flurry of kicks, bucks, and frenzied thrusts. I managed to tangle their hands within the blanket’s folds, attempting to grasp their wrists beneath the fabric.
The sudden crash of the door slamming open accompanied the resounding thuds of heavy footfalls. Startled, my attacker retreated, their oppressive weight lifting off me. Fueled by determination, I lunged, seizing whatever I could—be it a boot, a pillow, anything—to ensure they wouldn’t get away.
“Hold!”
