Whether this life had driven her to it, or they had chosen it for her, as Soren had chosen it for me.
One day was enough to be lost to that feeling. I let my eyes slip closed, feeling an ache for her.
“The prince was hoping to meet with you after breakfast,” Eva said.
“I assume that is not a request.”
“It is not.” She stared down at the pastry before she glanced back at me.
“Tell him I’m ready then.” I sipped the water as my stomach roared with hunger. I wouldn’t be able to tame it.
“I will send word for him and take your concern to the kitchen.”
“Wonderful.” I eyed my satchel in the corner of the room, turning away from it until she left.
When she was gone, I ran my fingers over the leather flap that wasn’t tied shut. I had closed it properly the last time I looked inside.
I counted every vial.
One was gone.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
FYN
Ashlyn pounded on the wall three times.
I slid the last wooden button on my olive tunic through the loop before I went out into the hall and traced my steps to the last place we had met.
I was desperate to see that she wasn’t a shell of herself as she had been the day before.
There was nothing I could do to assure her of anything anymore. Knowing that gutted me.
The usual guards weren’t in the hall. I sped quickly to our meeting point.
She threw her braid over her shoulder, looking back at me as I approached.
“Please, tell me you are well,” I said.
“Fyn, I think Soren tried to…” She shook her head.
“Tried to, what?”
“They said the pastry that was in my room was Novena’s favorite… Novena. You know how unnaturally calm she is. I felt that way yesterday, but I felt it with a panic. Like I couldn’t be myself, I couldn’t say the things even when they nagged at me.”
“You think he was trying to alter you?” I forced myself to say it.
“I refused to eat it—and you see, I’m fine now. My lady’s maid was lying to me about it. She was insistent that I eat it.”
If this kingdom were in my jurisdiction, he would not still be standing.
“And that’s not all…”
“What happened?” The blood thickened inside of me.
“I believe something was taken from me. Something I came to Nythrel with.” Her cheeks turned a rosy pink.
“What was it?” I asked.
