Page 27 of Beyond Those Gilded Walls

The voices and the footsteps grew louder. “Yes, of course, Your Majesty. I will see it handled.”

My blood ran cold. That was Tallon’s voice, talking to the prince. While luck had been on my side in my battle against the blood plague, I had run out of it steadily since being locked inside this tomb. Who were they talking about, and what work needed to be done? I wanted to listen more, but their footsteps grew even closer and if I stayed here, I would be spotted.

Picking up the ends of my dress, I ran as quietly as I could back to safety before making my way back to my room.

Finally, I was safe back inside. I turned the locks and pressed my shaking hands to my chest as I tried to slow my breathing.

Tallon was the prince’s right hand, it seemed.

I held up my own hand, the hand he had just bandaged. His kindness could be nothing but a manipulation, and I refused to be manipulated by these abhorrent people. Gritting my teeth, I dug my thumb into the center of the wound again, pressing deeply until I was gasping in pain rather than from shortness of breath.

The stinging would remind me.

“Where did you go?”Maricara demanded, lunging in front of me to meet me toe-to-toe as soon as I walked into the dressing room. Her eyes were lit like fire, and her lip curled up in a snarl.

I stumbled back a step before I could suppress my shock at the vitriol on her face. The vein in my forehead throbbed as I realized that Tallon had decidedlynottaken care of things before he’d left me in my room. Another reminder that he was not an ally and never would be. He’d wanted this, to separate me from the others. It was part of his manipulation, to whatever end, and I despised it.

I’d planned on keeping my wound as hidden as possible, but if Tallon had wanted them to hate me, I had to earn their civility back. Their trust and their friendship were both things I cared little for, but even the perception they did not despise me would work to my advantage. So I held my hand up, showing them the bandage. “I had to go to the infirmary. By the time they were finished and let me go, you’d all gone.”

Talyssa gasped, coming over to grasp my hand. Her touch was gentle as she peered beneath the bandage. “What happened? That looks very deep. Are you okay?”

Her concern almost seemed genuine. Almost, but something in her eyes betrayed her distrust.

I pulled my hand back, rolling the words on my tongue before speaking. I could not tell them the truth, that I’d broken the wine bottles defending myself from a Soulshade. But it needed to be as close to the truth as possible, without pitting them against me further. “There was broken glass in the cellar, and I tried to clean it up and cut myself.”

They were all silent for a moment, all of them staring at me. I refused to shift under their collective gaze, to fill the silence with more words. I did not lie often, but I knew how to, and I knew that if I gave into the discomfort, it would give me away. I caught Zaharya's eye and held it.

“Well,” she said, clasping her hands together. “We are glad you got it tended to. Let’s all try to make it through the entire night tonight, hmm?”

I inclined my head, taking the words as dismissal. “What is tonight’s theme?”

“Green.” She turned her back to me and settled back into her station.

Taking up a swath of forest green fabric that was draped over the back of the couch, I settled into what had been assigned as my vanity station. As I twisted my long waves back away from my face and into a low bun, I watched the others in the mirror. The darted glances and hushed conversations meant they were watching me, too, but no one was going to admit to anything.

Their cowardice would be my advantage here. They did not trust me, and I did not need them to, but they would not confront me either. And so long as they did not confront me, I could continue to get information out of them.

“Does everyone in the castle attend every party?” I asked. The mirror showed Talyssa flinching at my voice as it broke the silence of the room.

“What else is there for them to do?” Elena snorted. “Yes, of course they do. It’s the only respite as we all await our fates.”

“How long has everyone been locked in here?” I swallowed and ensured the surprise in my tone was clear. “And no one has gotten tired of these parties?”

A hairbrush slammed down on the vanity. In the mirror, I watched as Maricara stood and stalked over to stand behind me. Our eyes locked in the glass. “You may have wanted to come here, but the rest of us are just trying to survive. Stop meddling or you will get us all killed.”

Before I knew what I was doing, I’d stood and faced her. I clenched my fists as images of my mother’s bloodless body filled my eyes. Every plan to endear myself back into their graces vanished like smoke on the wind. “Let us get one thing perfectly clear. I did notwantto come here.”

“You still volunteered,” she sneered, tilting her chin to keep my gaze. “You stillchoseto come here. And now you are faced with the consequences of your choice. We do not care that you are scared and want to go home. You are stuck here now, and it’s time you accept it.”

“I’ve told you why I volunteered. Volunteering for ajobor watching my younger brothers starve to death is hardly a choice. Could you have been so selfless, or would you have let your family die with you?” My voice was barely higher than a whisper and I could feel my pulse pounding in my neck. This anger seeping from me was not a raging inferno, not a roaring fire. It was an icy blade, cutting sharply and freezing out the air in the room.

Her eyes hardened and the twitch of the muscle in her neck was the only warning I had before her hand was flying at my face, palm open. I kept myself from flinching, but the blow never landed.

Pulsing from my body was a black shadow, tendrils pushing from the Death marks and wrapping around her wrist. Her eyes widened and she struggled, but the shadow held firm to her. And then, it was gone. Her hand fell and she stumbled back, clutching it to her chest. My knees felt weak and my heart sped, but I fought to keep calm. Better they think I could control it.

“What did you just do to me?” she spat. In my periphery, I could see the others hovering, tense and coiled, ready to jump in if they needed to separate us.

Though I was still reeling inside, I kept my voice steady and calm. “You should keep your hands to yourself.”

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