Chapter 30
Fawn tried not to worry about Emi’s warning. Maybe Emi only meant her sister was a bitch, not that she’d plotted something nefarious. Then again, Fawn hadn’t known Warren wanted to kill her. Her judgment of people couldn’t be trusted.
An hour wandering the gardens’ hedge maze left Fawn hungry and bored. Her stomach growled, and she set Tickles down. “I’m going to get food, little guy. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She still wasn’t sure if he understood, but she talked to him anyway, just as she did with Cassandra.
She wound her way through the maze and glanced at Cassandra’s massive form. “Will they allow you in the kitchens?” The familiar ignored her and she shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”
Cali’s voice penetrated the air from the other side of the hedge wall. “I know you need her to have your heir, but why do you have to marry her?”
Fawn ground to a halt, unable to move or blink. A deep male murmur responded too low to make out.
“But what if you actually fall in love with her?” Sniffling. “Promise me you won’t.” More soft murmurs.
Did nobles call their children heirs too since they were ranked higher than others? If Cali had found another man to latch on to, that would make Fawn’s entire year. Then they could move out and have a happily ever after somewhere else.
Fawn’s ribs felt like they cracked under the force of her heartbeat as she ran quietly on her tiptoes to the edge of the hedge wall to see who stood on the other side. She poked her head around the corner to get a glimpse of Cali’s secret lover.
She spotted two figures, and the ground seemed to vanish beneath her. No . She shook her head to force the image to reform into something else, but nothing worked.
Dean, her Dean, cupped Cali’s face in his hands, whispering to her with so much love and adoration on his face that Fawn had to look away.
Her eyes burned, nearly blinding her, yet she forced herself to keep watching.
Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like. He loves me. He wouldn’t do this.
“I miss you,” Cali admitted softly, almost too quiet for Fawn to hear.
“You’re always with her .” He said something in reply, but only low rumbles reached Fawn.
Then the cracks in her ribs extended through her entire body as she watched her mate lower his mouth to Cali’s.
The passionate kiss stole Fawn’s breath, and a sob escaped before she could muffle it.
Dean and Cali turned quickly, and his face turned ashen. He scraped his hands through his hair, his grey eyes darting between the two girls. “ Fuck .” Fawn focused on his emotions, praying for anything to explain this away since he wouldn’t.
Nothing . The bond had gone silent.
He started toward her. Yes, she silently begged. Please explain why you had your lips on someone else.
Cali grabbed his arm and tugged him back, her voice pleading. “Stay with me.”
Cassandra had moved toward them, leaving Fawn behind. Is that why she’s been following Cali around? The hurt was unbearable. Dean turned to Cali fully, ignoring Fawn, like she wasn’t worth his time now that the charade was up.
She turned and ran back through the hedge maze until her legs burned and a stitch in her side forced her to slow down. Images of Cali and Dean played on a loop, breaking her heart until there was nothing left.
None of it made sense. She’d felt his love for her. Could he love her that much and also love Cali? Fawn squared her shoulders and marched toward the palace. He might love her, but he loves me too, and I’m going to fight for what’s mine.
“Your Highness?” Fawn whirled around at the sound of Emi’s voice and the girl gasped. “Oh my gods, are you okay?”
The worst thing to do when someone is upset is ask them if they’re okay. Her fragile hold on her emotions snapped, and the hurt poured out of her like salty rain. She tried her old tricks to shove it all down, but nothing worked.
Emi ran over and wrapped her arm around Fawn’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry you found out that way.”
Fawn raised her blurry eyes. “You knew?”
“I didn’t know for sure, but I suspected they were still seeing each other.” Emi led her toward the palace courtyard. “I never found proof, but Cali mentioned taking matters into her own hands so they wouldn’t have to sneak around.”
“That’s why you told me to stay away from her.”
Emi nodded. “I love my sister, but since getting engaged to the king, she’s slipped farther into her delusions. My parents don’t see it. They never did,” she added bitterly.
Emi pushed through a side garden gate into the palace courtyard and released Fawn’s shoulders. “I’ll take you to my house and you can hide out there until you decide what to do.”
“I’m going to fight for him,” she declared. “He loves me, and we’re mates. I’m not giving him up, but I need time to think of what to do next.”
Emi’s brows hit her hairline. “Good for you. My sister would make a terrible queen.” Unhooking the lightweight hooded cloak around her shoulders, she held it out to Fawn. “Put this on so people don’t recognize you. The guards will report back to the king.”
Fawn fastened the cloak at her throat and pulled the oversized hood low to shield her face. She’d accept the sanctuary Emi offered and figure out her next course of action.
Fawn stood in the receiving room of the Galla’s home, waiting for Emi to return with tea. The family lived lavishly on a grand estate just outside the palace walls.
Fabric rustled and Fawn turned around to Emi standing in the doorway sans tea. “Do you need help? I don’t mind,” Fawn offered. “I was a maid at the Mountain Kingdom palace for years.”
“I thought you were a whore,” Emi deadpanned.
Fawn recoiled at the girl’s lifeless tone and even more lifeless eyes. “I worked at the pleasure house for fun, but my primary job was a maid.”
Emi’s lip curled into an ugly sneer. “Why would the gods mate someone like you to a royal?”
“Did I do something to upset you?” Or do you have an evil twin? The girl she’d run away with and this one couldn’t be more different. The light glinted off a metal blade in Emi’s hand, and Fawn swore.
“You’re a weak slut who doesn’t deserve the royal title,” she said, her voice too calm for the situation.
Fawn gauged the distance from herself to the door. Emi stood halfway, and she didn’t know how fast the girl was. “Did your sister try to have me killed before I came here?”
Emi rolled her eyes, the action making her look like a normal eighteen-year-old, and not the psychopath she was.
“Cali told Daddy that Dean claimed to still feel the mate bond even though you were dead. Daddy spoke with Henry about it, but everyone wrote Dean off as delusional. But Daddy didn’t want to chance it.
He’d fixated on Cali being queen and our family being elevated to royal status.
He dug around and discovered you were alive and well, living in the Mountain Kingdom. ”
Fawn’s mind spun. “He tried to have me killed because he wanted to be related to a royal?” She waved her hand at the grandeur around her. “Don’t you have enough?”
“It’s not about money; it’s about prestige,” Emi stated and held up her dagger. “If you’ll give in, I’ll make it quick.”
Fawn didn’t believe that for a second. Emi ran forward, and Fawn darted to the side and rounded the closest settee. The other girl anticipated her move and went the other way. Fawn screamed, knocked over a side table, and bolted into the hall.
Looking side to side, she ran left and hoped it led to the entrance. “Fawn,” Emi sang. “You’ll never find your way out of here.”
Why is this house so fucking big? Her sandals slapped the marble floors like a beacon, but she couldn’t afford to stop and take them off. They must not have rugs in their halls so they can hear their victims running away.
Fawn careened around another corner and cried out with relief when she entered the foyer. Almost there. A hand reached out and snatched her hair from behind, yanking her back. Her scalp screamed, but it was nothing compared to the excruciating pain of Emi’s dagger sliding between her ribs.
Fawn’s knees gave out and she sank to the floor as Cali strolled through the front entrance looking smug. “Where are the servants?” Her eyes hit Fawn with confusion and then dread when they trailed to her chest. “Emi, what did you do?”
Cali ran forward and dropped to her knees beside Fawn. “Get my bag.”
“No,” Emi said flatly. “If she dies, Dean is yours.”
Cali glanced back down at Fawn and sat back on her haunches. “Please tell me you didn’t do this for me.”
Emi’s slow grin held a promise of evil. “Why? Would that make you feel guilty? You signed her death warrant when you ran to Daddy, crying about Dean thinking he still felt her emotions.” Cali paled.
“Daddy hired General Galla to kill the half-human bitch, but the general disappeared. He didn’t have time to find another to do his bidding before Dean married her and knew I was the only person he could trust to do it.
” Her face fell into girlish fear, lip tremble, and all.
“Who would think a sweet young girl barely out of school could do something this horrible?” She cackled.
“Let her die, or we’ll all die in her place.
The king won’t let us live when she tells him what happened.
Leave now, and we’ll all get the life we deserve. ”
Cali stood and stepped away. “Does Mother know?”
Emi rolled her eyes. “She never would have agreed. She’s too soft like you.” She made a shooing motion. “Leave. You don’t need to watch this.”
Fawn tried to talk, to beg Cali for help, but she couldn’t draw in a deep enough breath. She tried to cough and cried out from the pain. Her last hope at survival walked out of the room without looking back.
Emi hovered over her, smiling. “I’ve never watched a person die before. With animals it’s hard to tell their emotions, but with you, they’re written all over your face. It’s fascinating to watch you accept your fate.”
A sickening feeling twisted in Fawn’s gut, and the world around her faded away.
Cali disappeared into the hallway, took off her shoes, and sprinted toward her old room for her healer bag she kept here for emergencies.
Bile crept up her throat at the thought of her family doing this for status.
Their father had always been ambitious, but this was horrifying.
To think Cali was the catalyst… she’d never forgive herself if Fawn died.
She should have bowed out when Dean picked his mate over her, but she loved him and hadn’t wanted to give him up without a fight.
She’d be lying if she said Emi’s offer hadn’t tempted her. It would be so easy to say Fawn ran away after seeing the glamour of Dean and Cali in the gardens, and if Fawn had run, Cali wouldn’t have cared.
But Cali couldn’t watch an innocent person die.
That went against everything she believed in.
She swiped her bag and ran back to the foyer.
Leaving Fawn with Emi had been a risk, but she banked on the fact that Emi would find Fawn’s suffering interesting and would leave her be until she died on her own.
She paused before walking into the foyer. Going in without a plan was foolish. Emi wouldn’t hurt her, but she would kill Fawn before Cali could get to her.
“I found her like this,” Emi cried. “I don’t know what happened.”
A dangerous hiss and more fake cries from Emi. She wouldn’t know a real emotion if it stabbed her in the heart, but she was an excellent actress.
Cali ran into the room and Cassandra rose up protectively over Fawn’s unconscious form and bared her red fangs. Cali held up her bag and opened it to show her healer supplies. “I’m going to help her.”
Only fate could have sent Cassandra to Fawn’s side when she did. The serpent had been accompanying Cali more and more lately, and she sent a silent prayer to the gods for the familiar’s newfound interest.
Emi’s mask fell into one of annoyance behind Cassandra, but Cali ignored her.
Slowly, Cali dropped down beside Fawn and assessed the damage.
Bubbled up blood leaked form the sides of her mouth, and one side of her chest caved with each labored breath.
Fuck . Cali had only vented a punctured lung once in her life, and it was with a mentor at her side.
“It’s going to be okay,” she lied to herself. Fawn blacking out was for the best because this was going to be excruciating.
Emi started pacing behind Cassandra as her composure slipped. The calculating glint in her eye told Cali all she needed to know: her sister wasn’t done.
An aggravated Emi who didn’t get her way was dangerous. Cali didn’t know what her sister was capable of. At best, she’d run and exact her revenge later—and there would be a later. Emi didn’t let things go.
Emi’s scheming kept her occupied, allowing Cali to stare Cassandra in the eye and mime stabbing Fawn then point at her sister.
Hot tears tracked down her face as she did it again, imploring the serpent to understand.
Emi was her sister, she loved her, but she was sick, and that sickness wouldn’t ever go away.
Cassandra nodded once, flipped, and extended her red fangs. Emi started fake crying again. “I’m so scared. When will Daddy be home?” she asked Cali. “He’ll know what to do.” Her sister’s ability to deceive and manipulate terrified her.
Cassandra looked back, and Cali nodded once, sealing her sister’s fate. Cali squeezed her eyes shut and clapped her hands over her ears to muffle her sister’s screams.
Collecting herself, she opened her eyes, avoiding her sister’s body, and assessed Fawn again. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and unloaded her bag for the procedure. “I’m going to save you.”