caught my eye as I stared at her, looking at them all and wishing only vengeance.
“Where are we going?”I asked her, hoping she’d hear me or listen at least.
Judging by her reaction she could still hear me. I needed to know what was happening. If we were heading back to the
castle, I could possibly escape.
“Please, Panya. Are we heading back to the castle?”
“Yes,”she answered me, keeping her eyes ahead.
“Why?”
“I cannot say, the Shadow King has something your uncle needs, that is all I know.”
I lowered myself back down to sit back on the floor. I didn’t know what my uncle would want or even need from Nicholas.
This entire war—this fight—I didn’t fully believe was to do with me leaving. This all seemed to be deeply rooted into
something else. With Nora being here as well, it only raised more questions.
Stopping once darkness completely fell, I was only allowed out of the carriage with the wrist cuffs back on. I was told to
sit between two guards. A bowl of stew was placed in my hands by Panya, who was silently pleading with me to eat it. As
much as I didn’t want to, worried something had been slipped into it, I quickly finished the bowl with a chunk of bread.
Norok and Dorian seemed to be whispering to each other from across the roaring fire. The crackling flames made it
difficult to hear anything at all. I thought of Talia and how she must have been feeling when we left, how she was held back
shouting and screaming.
Whatever happened, I would make sure she’d be safe when this was all over.
“I will watch, her highness. You two go and walk the perimeter.”
Nora ordered my two guards and took the seat next to me, handing me over another bowl of stew. Ignoring her, she huffed a
laugh and continued to eat. We sat in silence as I stared into the fire, words burning at the edge of my tongue, I needed answers.
“How long have you been sleeping with my uncle, then?” I blurted out, harshly turning to her.
“Long before you were born princess,” she replied, no hint of anything in her words. She slurped her food, some of the
contents trickled down her lips.
“So, what does that make you? His mistress? Or perhaps his whore?”
A snarl escaped her lips as she set her bowl down on the ground, wiping her mouth on the back of her sleeve. She turned
towards me and leaned in more closely.
“I would be careful of my words if I were you. When Dorian is finished with this, there will be no use for you, and you
will be able to join your dead father and husband.”
I laughed, attempting to cover up my fear. Her brown eyes darted at me and then towards Dorian. He was now watching our
