Page 10 of Song of the Heart Scale
She winced and covered her ears. “Please don’t shout. I’m a bit sensitive.”
“Apologies.” I patted her on the shoulder. “I should have stayed by your side. I’m sorry. I wasn’t being a girl’s girl last night. That was wrong of me.”
She grimaced. “You weren’t being what?”
“A girl’s girl,” I said. “Forget about it.” I waved her off. “It means I wasn’t being a good friend.” Mainly because I was getting dicked down while she was getting drunk, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
“Lady Arya never considered me her friend…”
I sighed. “Well… Lady Arya’s a bitch.”
Maeve snorted and gently shook her head. “I’ve learned what that word is, my lady. That’s not very nice.”
I offered a bright smile. “I’m glad you’re expanding your vocabulary, but I never claimed to be nice. Now tell me, Maeve, what’s the game plan for tonight?”
“Young Master Jacob came back from Dragon Valley early this morning with Lord Zacharia. They have requested your presence for breakfast.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course they did. One thinks I’m his sister, and the other one is a shitty father. Sounds like a party.”
Maeve offered a sympathetic smile. “Would you like help getting ready?”
I reluctantly nodded and swung my legs out from under the covers. “Yeah, better get it over with. The sooner I endure this family reunion, the sooner I can plot my escape.”
Maeve gracefully moved to the wardrobe and selected a pale lavender gown with silver embroidery. Her hands shook slightly, and I knew her headache was probably fierce. “Drink water, Maeve. It'll help. Also, eat anything greasy. Helps with the tummy rumblings.”
“Thank you, my lady,” she murmured, handing me the dress. “I will.”
I dressed mechanically as my mind spun through and discarded a dozen possibilities and outcomes. Damien’s note was vague but hopeful, and though I trusted him, relying solely on hope felt precarious at best. It was best if I took matters into my own hands.
Once Maeve helped me dress, we walked out of my bedroom and headed down the walking path toward the dining hall across the courtyard.
The dining hall was brilliantly bright with sunlight streaming through tall, narrow windows, casting a golden glow over the polished wooden table. Jacob stood as soon as I entered and his face lit up. Lord Zacharia remained seated, his expression carefully neutral.
“Arya!” Jacob exclaimed, coming over to embrace me warmly. I awkwardly patted his back, guilt twisting my stomach as it always did when I wore this façade around Arya’s brother. He pulled back, his eyes searching my face. “You look well.”
“Thanks.” I forced a smile. “You too.”
Lord Zacharia cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence. “Sit down, Arya. We have matters to discuss.”
Of course we did. They probably had tons of shit for me to do after their meeting in Dragon Valley. And only God knew what was going on in that man’s head. Something had been off with him since the day I was flogged in the courtyard. It was just too weird. Lady Arya was his favorite child. For him to do that to her seemed…odd. Something was going on. If I had any chance to protect myself, I needed to find out what it was.
“Wonderful,” I muttered sarcastically, taking a seat. Maeve lingered nearby, clearly uncomfortable but unwilling to abandon me.
Jacob gave me an uncertain look, clearly uneasy. Lord Zacharia straightened, his eyes cold and calculating. “Arya, your marriage to Crown Prince Thorne is more crucial than ever.”
“Oh?” I raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Why, exactly?”
Zacharia sighed as he steepled his fingers. “Our family’s mines provide the iron that secures the fae in Faelight Forest, but those mines have been empty for three years now. Without that resource, our family's position and the kingdom's securityare at risk. Marrying Thorne could shield us from the emperor’s wrath when he inevitably learns the truth.”
Jacob stared at his father in shock, even though he already knew how dire the family’s fortunes were.
“Don’t look so surprised, Jacob,” Zacharia snapped. “This is our reality. And now you understand the urgency.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So you're selling me off to Thorne to cover your own incompetence?”
“It’s not ideal,” Zacharia admitted coldly. “But sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”
I clenched my fists beneath the table as fury simmered in my chest. “The greater good—or your own survival?”
