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My eyes flashed up to meet Drusilla’s, and she hesitated for only a moment.
“A bruise, is it, my lamb?” She asked, picking up a small porcelain pot and soft round-headed brush. “I’ll have that covered up in no time.”
I said nothing, merely smiled and watched her swirl a soft white powder over the love bite. It thankfully was barely visible once she was done, and she went on with my hair, winding it up into a soft style on my head, decorating it with tiny rows of white pearls.
“You’re being careful, aren’t you, my dear?” She asked me as her nimble fingers worked.
“Careful?” I willed my voice to remain nonchalant.
“Yes, careful.” She met my eyes in the mirror. “I’ve found the window unlatched many a morning. It’s none of my business, and I don’t want to stand in the way of anything, but you must be careful.”
I nodded. “I am very careful, don’t worry.”
Drusilla sighed and continued to work on my hair. Once she was finished, she handed me a dangling diamond earring, and placed a delicate silver chain around my neck.
“There now, you look wonderful,” she said.
“Thank you Drusilla,” I replied, rising from the stool. “I’m not entirely sure why I’m in my finery today, but I suppose the King has a plan for me.”
She eyed me nervously, then dropped into a brief curtsey before scurrying back to her room. Everything was setting my nerves on edge, and I told myself her behavior had nothing to do with the trial. But I was sure now, I was certain that Drusilla knew about Rook and I, and as much as the thought filled me with trepidation, I was also relieved that I could rely on her silence.
There was a knock on the door, and then Regan admitted himself to the chamber. He looked me up and down. “Oh, Your Highness,” he said, clasping his hands together, “you are a true beauty.”
“Thank you, Regan,” I replied, “not my usual attire for entering the Pit, but I suppose a special test of endurance calls for a special dress.”
“Indeed. Shall we?” He gestured to the door, and I followed him once again along the stone passageways, out into the courtyard, and across the grounds towards the Pit. As usual, we were surrounded by guards, though they seemed to perceive me as less of a threat in my flowing gown, and did not keep quite such a tight distance.
The sky was overcast, and a breeze blew through the bright green leaves overhead, threatening a storm later. Anxiety prickled at my scalp as I was escorted to the grand main entrance of the Pit, led up into the stands, along with the teeming, cheering crowds. Theron’s royal box that I had only ever observed from below was furnished with plush red velvet chairs, its position right at the edge of the stands giving the best view of what went on below.
The Pit looked much as it had the day I’d saved my father, and my stomach twisted into a knot. I couldn’t think about it. Not now. Not today. I gazed across the sandy expanse, the only difference being that there were no platforms, no spring-loaded spiked steel doors at the far end. There was only a singular platform in the center of the Pit, with a round hole in the middle of it.
The crowd cheered as Theron appeared, looking regal all in black, his golden wings spread behind him. He leered at me as he approached, his eyes almost hungry as they roved over my body. He waved to his subjects as he made his way to his seat beside me.
Rook was following him, and I balked for a moment. His hair had been cut, close to his scalp. He gave me a warm smile, and merely nodded when he saw my surprise. He had his ax in his hand, and placed it upright between his legs when he sat, leaning on it like a cane.
“Your highness,” Theron purred as he took his place beside me. He took my hand and raised it to his lips, and my skin crawled. “You look truly delectable today. A vision indeed.” He leaned closer. “You’re right, these dresses really do show me all the curves and edges I dream of in the dark of the night.”
Rook’s grip on his ax shifted audibly, the butt of the haft grinding into the ground. I didn’t look at him, but I could feel his anger. I gave Theron a weak smile. “Thank you, Sire. These dresses are truly stunning.”
“You are what makes them stunning,” he said, raising a finger to my cheek, “and the thought of what lies beneath them is all the more tantalizing.”
I felt the wrench of Rook’s fury so tangibly it almost took my breath away. I turned away from Theron abruptly and looked down into the Pit. “And what shall we be observing today, Your Majesty?”
“Have you ever heard of the Arachne, dear one?” Theron asked, leaning back in his chair.
“No, Sire.”
“They’re a fascinating creature, enormous, a cross between a crab and a spider,” he said, the excitement in his voice setting my teeth on edge. “They have spines, on their legs, filled with poison, and a mouth capable of crushing a person, instantly, with no problems.”
“Sounds terrifying,” I replied. I clutched my hands together to stop them shaking. “And we shall be observing this creature?”
“Indeed, observing it hunting some prey.”
My head snapped towards him. “Prey? What will be its prey?”
Theron laughed heartily. “Oh, do not worry so, dear one, all is well.”
“Sire, please, what will be its prey?” I clutched my hands together, my fingernails biting painfully into the palm of my hand.
