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“A little off, but that is not what I want to talk about. Please have a seat.”
We settled into a pair of chairs. Clemencia made herself scarce in her room. I appreciated that Clem always recognized when I needed privacy.
“Is it your stomach?” Saga asked, sympathy crossing her delicate features. “That’s what I heard.”
“Who told you?”
“Vale, of course.”
“Oh . . .”
She shifted in her seat and tucked her ankles beneath her. “He was upset when he returned to the ball. So much so that Father told him to leave.”
“Are you serious?” I was certain that having two sons to marry off was a big deal to the king. It gave him a way in to maintain power over every lord and lady in residence.
“He did. Many ladies were upset.” Saga shrugged as if she didn’t care at all. “They had Rhistel to flirt with, though.”
I laughed dryly. “Because they’re so comparable.”
The princess’s eyebrows rose. “They’re not, but most of the ladies would take either. And now I have to ask, again, what happened between you and Vale?”
At his name, my heart fluttered, betraying how much the prince affected me, even if I tried to ignore it. Even if I didn’t understand it. A pretty face was not enough for me, but my body didn’t care about my standards.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
Saga rolled her eyes. “Neve, I admitted that he looked upset when he came back. Actually, furious might be a better word to describe my brother last night. Something happened to you, and Vale could not get over it. That means that you’re important to him, Neve.” She swallowed. “Does Warden Roar know?”
We had arrived at the crux of the matter.
I cleared my throat. “My Lord Roar doesn’t know. Nor am I sure if he is my lord any longer. He left last night.”
“Left?” She blinked. “You mean left the castle to stay in the city?”
“He left Avaldenn. As far as anyone knows, he’s gone for good, Saga, and your father has dissolved our union, leaving me unprotected. King Magnus wished to keep me in the Courting Festival—or as part of his harem—neither of which I want.”
With each word, the princess’s face grew paler, stonier.
I stared at her desperately. “And I want to leave. Please, Saga, we’re new friends, but is there a way you can make that happen?”
“I—I don’t know what to say.” Saga stood and, like the king had in his chambers, paced the room. “My father is not always kind. But he really said he’d place you in his harem?”
“He did.”
“He’d leave you no choice.” Her fists tightened and for a moment she stared at the window, as if composing herself, before turning back to me. “That is my lot in life, and I cannot abide for you to join me. Not when you were betrothed by your own will, and now you can’t even say where Warden Roar is.”
I refrained from noting that the king was currently playing at making hundreds of matches. Surely, some had to be unwilling.
“Since he left willingly, I don’t know where Warden Roar and I are now,” I said. “But I can’t abide by the options given to me either. Especially not when I need to find my fiancé and speak with him.”
“You deserve an explanation.” Saga exhaled. “So, my answer is yes. I will help you escape here, but we will need one more person to make this happen.”
“Who?”
“Vale.”
My stomach tightened. Roar swore the Warrior Bear Prince was a horrible fae. And while I could not reconcile the story Roar told with what I knew of the prince, would the Warrior Bear really help? I was Roar’s fiancée, or more accurately, ex-fiancée, and going against his lord father’s word. He already held one secret for me, but would this be too much?
I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “Saga, you love your brother, but are you sure that’s a good idea? What about your father? Doesn’t your brother report to him?”
