Chapter 15 Leaving the Stage
The palace breeze was starting to bite. This stupid grey dress felt like a lead weight now, soaked to the seams with rose wine.
The sticky gunk had already bled through my corset, itching like crazy across my chest.
If I stayed by this fountain just to gloat at Prince Didier's dumb face, I'd get hypothermia before I could even fix this death plot.
Time to bounce. I'd gotten what I wanted out of this little stunt.
I turned around. I forced my feet to keep a steady, slow pace, couldn't look like I was running away.
I headed straight for the main pavilion where the Empress was sitting.
The middle-aged woman in the silver crown had been watching the whole circus from the terrace, flanked by a bunch of old high-society biddies.
Once I reached the bottom step, I dropped into a deep bow. Stared straight at the marble floor by my wet shoes.
"Your Imperial Majesty," my voice was a little raspy from the cold, but I kept it as respectful as I could. "Forgive me for presenting myself in this state. The servant's clumsiness caught me off guard. To keep from ruining Your Majesty's party, I ask permission to leave early."
I stayed down, letting the silence stretch. Up on the terrace, the old ladies—the ones who usually throw tantrums over basic manners, started muttering.
"Such a proper girl," one old Countess whispered behind the Empress. She didn't try to hide her voice. "Instead of throwing a fit over a ruined dress, she's worried about the dignity of the Empress's party."
The Empress gave me a long look, evaluating me, before waving her left hand. A massive jade ring caught the light. "Rise, Lady Varannes. Your quick thinking... it was decent. I won't keep a freezing girl in my garden over party rules. Go home and change."
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty," I said, standing up. I bit my inner cheek to stop my jaw from shaking in the freezing night air.
Before I could turn around, the Empress looked past me toward Gisella, who was still standing awkwardly by the fountain. "Lady Gisella, come up here. Since your friend has to leave, you can sit with me and try the new spring tea."
Gisella shot me a panicked look, her eyes bulging.
She was terrified of being left alone with the palace vipers without a leash.
I just gave her a sharp nod. Get up there.
This was a massive win for her reputation; she couldn't screw it up by throwing a bratty fit now.
Reluctantly, she walked up the stairs, finally leaving me off the hook for babysitting duty.
I turned and booked it out of the crowd.
Passing the fountain, I felt Lysandra's eyes on me.
She was still clutching my grey handkerchief like a lifeline.
She looked totally confused and guilty, probably trying to figure out why her worst enemy friend just got drenched for her.
Screw it. I wasn't here to make friends with the main character.
I walked right past her like she didn't exist.
The toxic, plot-heavy air vanished the second I cleared the rose garden.
The stone hallways of the inner palace were dead quiet.
My wet shoes made a loud, annoying squeak with every step on the grey marble.
I had one goal: get to the carriage, go home, take a hot bath, and sleep without this miserable corset.
The hallway was dark. The servants hadn't lit the wall sconces yet. The fading sunset coming through the high windows stretched my shadow into a weird, distorted shape against the wall.
I was just about to turn the corner near the old armory room when I heard heavy, fast footsteps behind me. They were rushed. Like someone chasing down a fugitive.
Before I could even turn around to see who it was, a hand in a black leather glove grabbed my right wrist out of nowhere. Hard. It yanked me to a dead stop, spinning me around to face them.
My breath hitched. I looked up straight into a pair of sea-blue eyes burning with rage. Prince Didier stood right in front of me in the dim shadows of the corridor. His jaw was locked tight, and his grip on my arm was so brutal it bruised.