Page 81 of The Assassin's Dancer
“Wait,” Dahlia hisses as I close one eye. “No!”
She shoves into me just as I fire the arrow, sending it flying in a random direction.
Shit!
“Ami!” Dahlia screams.
The arrow pierces the branches, making the hedgerow shake, and all I can see are flashes of colour through rustling leaves.
There are shouts from the other side. My heart pounds. If I’ve actually hurt her, I swear I’ll slit Orion’s throat and then do the same to myself.
After a few awful moments, the leaves settle and I hear Orion screaming for the guards. Ruby’s backed against a hedgerow, looking petrified but otherwise unharmed, while Blossom runs towards her, grasping her arm.
I almost groan in relief. The stray arrow sticks up from the grass, having perfectly speared the velvet ring box. At the same time I notice tiny drops of blood on Orion’s fingers. The arrow must’ve just nicked him.
“Nice shot,” Dahlia whispers, grinning as she peers through the branches.
“Told you, I wouldn’t hit her.” But I also barely hit him. Frustration claws up my throat. There’s no time to try again. I can already hear the heavy boots of guards swarming the clearing.
Shoving the bow into the hedge, I cast a final glance at Dahlia. “You should get out of here before the guards start asking you questions.”
“They can try.” She shrugs. “But I saw nothing. Too busy flower-picking, remember?” She shoots me a wink.
I’m grateful she’s not a rat, but I’m not about to thank her when it’s her fault Orion’s still alive.
With a scowl, I push away from the hedgerow.
“Hey,” Dahlia barks, making me glance over my shoulder. “I wasn’t lying when I told you not to break my sister’s heart.”
“I know,” I yell back. “But really I’m not the threat here.”
“Good.” Dahlia’s expression turns icy, and as I turn away to leave the grounds, I catch her adding, “Because not all of us princesses are as forgiving as Amaryllis.”
28
AMARYLLIS
It’s been hours since that arrow interrupted Orion’s proposal, and the entire palace is still on lockdown. After the incident – or as Orion so poetically put it, ‘a brazen assault on an innocent prince’s life’ – Blossom and I were whisked away to a safe room while the guards searched the palace grounds for the archer.
They didn’t find him, of course, but I’m hardly surprised. There’s no doubt in my mind about who that arrow came from. The only thing I’m uncertain about is the little flutter in my chest when I realisedhewas here.
Blossom walks closely beside me as we head up the spiral staircase towards our bedchambers. Ever since the arrow in the garden she’s been so quiet; almost as if it’d hit her instead of just knocking a box out of Orion’s hands. Still, I can hardly blame her for her reaction. If this had all happened a few weeks ago, I’d be just as afraid. But I suppose now, after everything I’ve seen, a stray arrow and a small puddle of blood don’t bother me.
“Thank you for walking with me,” Blossom mumbles as we arrive at our hallway.
“It’s perfectly alright,” I tell her with a gentle smile.
We pause outside of her room, and she’s just about to enter when her hand freezes on the crystal doorknob.
“Actually, Ami.” She chews her lip. “Would it be alright if I sleep in your room tonight? I just… I can’t stop seeing that arrow. It came out of nowhere, and then there was so much chaos. I can hardly stand the thought of being alone.”
My heart twinges with guilt. “Of course you can.” She may be the second-eldest, but she’ll always be my baby sister – even if she rarely acts like it.
Taking her hand, I lead her over to my door, but we both gasp as we collide with a six-foot wall of fabric and steel.
“Sorry, Your Highnesses,” the guard who blocked us grunts. “I’m afraid the king has requested you all remain in your own bedchambers tonight, so we can keep an eye on you.”
“But she’ll only be one room away,” I protest.
