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“Oh my!” Astrid gasped dramatically, eyes bouncing from the pendant to Naia’s face. “Isn’t this Mother’s pendant given to her by grandmother?”
A painful surge of blood beat into Naia’s skull.
“What did you say?” Vex asked from the other side of the table. “You found Mother’s necklace?”
“Why yes, I did.” Astrid turned her head in the opposite direction of Naia. “Mother, it is Naia who has your precious pendant.”
The chatter in the hall quieted as people turned to look.
Naia could feel Solaris intently staring at her cheek. Beside her, Finnian’s mouth opened and closed, head spinning from Astrid to Naia.
Mira rose from her chair, and the hall seemed to hold its breath, the stillness somber like a funeral.
The menacing aura of Mira froze the breath in Naia’s lungs. She pinned her gaze down on her half-eaten plate of herb-crusted salmon and vegetables.
Mira hovered over Naia’s shoulder from behind, leaning forward and positioning inches from Naia’s exposed neck.
Naia shuddered, her instincts blaring fight or flight. Her mouth opened in preparation to alleviate the situation when Mira flicked her finger underneath the edge of the table, overturning it. Plates of food flew across the air and strewed across the tables in the great hall. Those sitting shot up to their feet and stumbled back out of the way as a chorus of gasps filled the air.
Mira hauled Naia up by the wrist and forced her down. “Are you so bold to think you can steal right underneath my nose, you insolent child?”
Naia’s knees slammed into the floor, her arm dislocating from the angle Mira held it. She let out a whimper, looking up to take in the gown Mira wore—bright blue silk embroidered with golden lace and a neckline that went up to her throat, making it impossible for Naia to notice the absence of the necklace.
Waves of panic flooded through her system. “I-I did not—” Her teeth chattered too much to get a word out.
Mira released her wrist, causing Naia to stumble forward and catch herself by slapping her palms on the floor.
The sharp end of Mira’s heel came down and punctured straight through the back of Naia’s hand.
Naia wailed.
A searing pain shot up her arm, radiating all the way to her jaw and cramping her stomach. The sickening scent of copper invaded her senses, and she felt her face pale. A crimson pool formed between her fingers, and her breath went short.
“Mira!” Father shouted.
Mira snapped her head towards him. “Vale,” she said, crisp and cutting.
He came to an immediate halt halfway to Naia.
Like the many times before, Naia sensed he wrestled with the weight of the consequences that came with defying Mira.
Naia rotated her head to find Finnian wide eyed in shock, to Vex and Astrid, staring down at her with smug accomplishment.
Naia wanted to scream. Finnian was only a child, gullible to their games.
She kept picturing the moment Finnian gave her the necklace with composed giddiness. It must’ve taken him ages to think of the perfect gift. Naia imagined his thrill when Astrid and Vex approached him with the idea.
It made sense—why the guards were on high alert, and her feeling that something was off. Naia berated herself for not listening to her gut. After everything, she should’ve questioned where Finnian got the necklace instead of assuming Father helped him hunt down a replica.
“How shall I punish you this time?” Mira twisted her heel, grinding Naia’s tendons and bones coiled around it.
Finnian wedged himself between Naia and Mira. “Mother!” He splayed his arms wide, backside pressed against Naia’s arms. “It was me! The gift was from me! It was not Sister’s fault. Punish me. Not her!”
Mira cocked her head at Finnian. Naia recognized the sick glint of anticipation in Mira’s gaze.
Naia’s heartbeat plummeted. “Finnian is lying! I stole the necklace!”
“No. I stole it,” Finnian said, louder. “Me. Not her.”
