Page 33 of Warrior Princess
Both Ronan and I stiffened, instantly alert. “How do you know who I am?” I demanded, my voice sharp.
She smirked, her eyes twinkling with secrets behind her veil. “I know all about you, and I can be of service to your cause.”
“I have no cause,” I countered, wary of her intentions.
“Well, you should.” She drifted closer, her movements sinuous. “As you’ve already figured out, Prince Caelan is working with Ellyndor. But it’s more than that… He has a secret army there, just waiting for him to say the word.”
Ronan’s gaze snapped to mine, his expression one of shock and concern. “A secret army?”
The dancer nodded, her glittery eyes serious. “It’s all part of his plan to unite Asteria under one nation—hisnation.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “No. He can’t do that!”
“He can and he will, if we don’t do anything about it,” she asserted firmly as she wrapped her sheer scarf around me playfully while continuing to dance. “You may not remember me, Lyanna, but we used to play as children.”
I frowned and wracked my brain. There weren’t many princesses with whom I’d interacted with as a child. One name came to mind. “Avery?” I studied her as she lowered her veil and winked.
“I see youdoremember.” A mischievous smile played on her full lips as she glanced around to ensure no one was paying attention to our exchange.
“Avery?” Ronan echoed, looking between us in confusion.
I nodded. “Princess Avery, to be precise—Caelan’s little sister.”
I wasn’t sure it was possible for Ronan to look more shocked. In a heartbeat, his expression shifted to one of guarded skepticism. “How can we trust you?” he asked, his hand reaching out to me protectively.
Avery snorted lightly, a sound that was both amused and dismissive. “Relax, I won’t harm your woman. I’m merely here looking for an alliance.”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite the situation. “An alliance? Are you trying to claim the throne?”
“Yes,” Avery admitted with a nod. “You were always quick witted, Lyanna. Yes, I’m secretly fighting against my brothers because they’re all morons.”
I chuckled and the tension eased slightly. “Does Caelan know?”
She shook her head, her expression turning serious. “No. They’re all clueless.”
Ronan frowned as he glanced around the Rose Petal. “How did you know we’d be here?”
Avery smirked. “I have eyes and ears everywhere. I’ve been following you since you arrived in the Central Plains. But all that aside, I have information you need, Lyanna.”
“Okay, what is it?” I leaned forward, my interest piqued.
Avery leaned in closer and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Now, now, I can’t just give this information out freely. I need you to do something for me.”
I frowned, suddenly wary of the implications. “So we’re negotiating now? What do you need?”
She draped herself across our table, her manner seductive as she played her role to perfection, causing Ronan to avert his gaze uncomfortably. “Caelan isn’t the only one with a secret army,” she murmured. “I have my own, composed of women from all over Asteria.”
My eyes widened at the revelation. “Is that so?”
“Yes. You've even met one of them,” Avery said, her tone somber. “Tessa.”
I gasped, and my surprise turned to shock. “Tessa?” My voice rose above the low hum of the lounge, drawing a few curious glances from nearby patrons.
“Leila,” Ronan cautioned, his hand gently squeezing mine under the table, a silent plea for discretion.
Avery nodded gravely. “Yes, Tessa was one of ours. Unfortunately, as you're already aware, she's no longer with us—Caelan's doing.”
I struggled to process this information as the pieces of a puzzle I didn’t even know I was assembling fell into place. “How? Tessa was Valorian. She wouldn’t have betrayed her own people—”
