The bones under my skin froze as if I’d just swallowed icicles.
Oh my Queen, why is she here? Now of all moments? When did she leave Freida?
The southern kingdom was practically a month’s journey away. They must have received a letter signaling her arrival. Why had no one told me? Did the Council enjoy watching me sweat?
As much as every fiber in me wanted to turn and run, I let go of Bromley and mounted the platform. The Council and the Mages stopped talking as I stood in front of the woman in the maroon dress.
“Mother,” I said softly. “It is good to see you.”
Queen Dahlia Myriana took one look at my smoke-stained dress, my dirty face and arms, and the dried blood, and her perfect red lips twisted into a grimace. She raised her arm and backhanded me across the face.
My head whipped to the side, but by some miracle I didn’t stumble. I stayed upright, tasting blood in my mouth. My ears started ringing.
I glanced at the Saevallans, the Council, and the mages, out of sheer embarrassment. None of them looked especially surprised, except Zach. His mouth was open in shock, and I just had time to notice Weldan’s hand on his arm before I dropped my head in shame.
“I wish I could say the same, child.” My mother’s cold voice dripped with disdain. “Imagine my displeasure when, within the hour of my arrival, I was told that my own flesh and blood shamed me not once, but twice.”
I was used to the words, but her tone was worse than usual. I had embarrassed her with my recklessness, and she was making sure I paid for it…in front of everyone.
“First, losing another partner, and then you risk Myriana’s magic by tossing your life to the winds of fate? I would ask what you were thinking, but obviously you weren’t. Entering a battle without an Illye shield…without a partner to protect you. Tell me, child, do you wish to taint the name of Myriana? Or mine?”
“No, my Queen.” I dipped my head even lower.
There was shuffling next to me, but I didn’t dare look up to see where it came from.
I could feel my mother’s cold eyes on me as her voice echoed across the hall. “I return with news of the Wicked Queen’s whereabouts to find my Legion suffering from my own daughter’s selfishness and carelessness. How many does Kellian make? Five? Six?”
I jerked my head to the side, as if she’d struck me again—she might as well have. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Zach’s fists curled at his sides.
“Did he die like Telek?” she asked.
My heart cracked. As I struggled to push down tears, I silently begged her to stop.
“A sword through his chest because his battle magic had run out and you were off fighting a lowly creature instead of staying by his side?”
Pain ripped through every nerve ending in my body. Telek’s death haunted me to this day. Master Gelloren spent months coaxing me to fight again afterward, telling me it hadn’t been my fault. I’d chosen to protect Minnow, who had fallen before a troll, instead of watching over Telek. His blood was on my hands. Sisters, forgive me.
“Perhaps you’re ready to finally join the other princesses at Freida. Maybe we might find the one thing you’re truly good at.”
I closed my eyes and took a slow, deep breath, the world dimming around me.
As painful and harsh as my mother’s words were, they were true. I had been prideful to think I could’ve taken on a horde attack without a partner. Time and again I was faced with the downfall of another partner, and the darkest parts of my heart—the parts with my mother’s voice—told me that it wasn’t the Mark of Myriana’s fault, but mine. It had always been mine.
I didn’t deserve another partner, let alone a chance to go after the Sable Dragon.
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Insecurity drowning me, clawing at my throat…
“I’m afraid she can’t join them just yet.”
I raised my head. Zach stood to my side, a step in front of me. It was a foolish thought, yet it seemed almost as if he was trying to shield me.
Queen Dahlia raised one eyebrow. “Ah, the legendary swordsman I’ve heard so much about. And why can’t she, Prince Zachariah?”
“Because Princess Ivy has agreed to be my partner.”
If the Hall hadn’t already been quiet, it went dead silent now. I struggled to keep my face neutral, even though inside I was tearing my hair out in confusion.
What in the name of the Holy Queen?
My mother folded her arms. “You were in the battle and rescued her from her stupidity, and yet you would have my daughter as your princess?”
I tried not to wince, and it came out as a twitch.
“I would. If she’ll still have me.” He cast a glance back at me, and the ghost of a smile traveled over his lips.
I opened and closed my mouth like an idiot, completely stunned. What was more surprising? Zach’s sudden change of mind wasn’t the thing that had me speechless. He’d pulled me out of a dark, bottomless pit of self-hatred and loneliness my mother’s words always stirred within me.
No one had ever stood up to Queen Dahlia before—she was the Queen Heir of Myriana. It simply wasn’t done. And no one had stood up to her, especially, on my behalf. But this prince had, and from our past interactions I couldn’t fathom why.
“I say we discuss this after the feast,” Master Gelloren said, at last interrupting an awkward silence.
“An excellent idea,” King Helios said, then gestured to my mother—his daughter—to come with him. Dahlia cast another disgusted look my way and followed her father.
Since Zach had consented to the partnership, only the approval of the Council was needed now. Did the Council even want me with Zach after all my mother had said? I hated to admit it, but Zach with his heretic bloodline wasn’t even as much a risk as a princess who didn’t stand by her prince.
With the show over, the rest of the Council and the Saevallans started out of the Hall.
But Zach didn’t leave. He stayed next to me, and in a low voice, said, “May I walk you to your room?”
I swallowed, the shame still burning on my skin. “I can manage, but thank you.”
“I’d like to speak with you.”
“All right, then.” I allowed myself to take Zach’s outstretched arm. Partly because I needed it, and partly because my mother was still watching and she needed to see that Zach and I were serious about being partners.
We walked down the corridors, silent. Bromley trailed after us for a while, but when I realized Zach wasn’t going to talk with Brom around, I dismissed my page. With a scowl, he vanished into the entrance of a servants’ corridor hidden behind a tapestry.
“You want to tell me why you suddenly changed your mind?” I finally asked. When he stayed silent for a few more paces, I said the words that made my voice crack. “Please don’t tell me you were trying to be chivalrous by protecting me from my mother. I don’t need anyone’s protection from her.” No matter how great it felt.
Zach stopped mid-stride, his elbow tightened, squeezing my arm against his ribs. His hazel eyes bored into me, a gaze so intense I found it hard to swallow. To do anything but stare right back. “I know you don’t.”
His words settled over me like a blanket. They were genuine. Earnest. The truest words he’d spoken to me, it felt like.
“Gelloren told me about the Sable Dragon.”
I dropped my gaze, curling my fingers around the fabric of his sleeve. So that’s why he’d suddenly rushed off while we were in the library. He saw the book and made inferences from my previous words. “Did you think I wanted you as my partner for just any battle?”
I looked up at him. “And you want to go.”
Slowly, his grin came back, and I couldn’t believe this was the godlike fighter I’d seen drenched in blood amid the smoke and fires less than an hour ago.
“It sounds like the adventure of a lifetime,” he said.
I dropped his arm and leaned against the wall. We watched each other carefully, scrutinizing. Me, with a frown, and Zach, with a smile.