Page 31 of Royally Yours
“Cut the live feed!”
“Get him out of here!”
Rough hands shoved hard, sending me reeling, and in the next second, I slapped against the marble floor.
“Coco!” His voice came from far off. “Help her!”
“Does anyone have eyes on the king?”
Feet thundered around me, a stampede of fear and worry. I curled into a ball, arms over my head for protection. I was an outsider in this land. No one but Fitz would think to protect me and there was no way they would let him stay in this calamity.
My heart pounded with terror as the screams of revolt continued.
Orders billowed up around me in what felt like a vain attempt to gain control again.
“Left flank! Control the deserters.”
“They’re coming from within!”
“Move the family to the safe room.”
I tightened my grip and stayed small, hoping someone would leave me for dead and I would escape the whole ordeal. But within moments, hands gripped my arms and forced me to my feet. Ready to defend myself, I looked up, worried that same banshee would be staring at me with her dagger pointed at my chest. But Blair surveyed me for injuries as Sadie took my other arm.
“Come on,” Blair nodded for the door, “we need to escape.”
A fight had been quarantined to the opposite side of the hall. It wasn’t only the five women I didn’t know. There were others. As if they’d been waiting for this moment to attack. I stared as my companions yanked me from the room, trying to make sense of the world I’d stumbled into. The moment we stepped free of the hall, the towering doors slammed behind us.
Guards held the remaining women in the open space, debating the next course of action. I searched the crowd of people, spotting Corbin Snyder looking petrified and two producers cowering in the corner.
“Take the ladies to their rooms,” a lead guard instructed. “Dinner is canceled. Food will be waiting.”
Where was Fitz? They’d obviously taken him to safety, but where was that? Had he been hurt in the scuffle? Did he make it out?
I glanced down at the barren bracelet on my wrist. The charm had fallen in the chaos. He’d asked me to stay and I’d accepted, but I didn’t carry the proof. Halfway in, halfway out, not quite belonging. Why did it bother me so much?
Soft hands wrapped around my arm. I turned, feeling like I was back at one of my princess parties and a child wanted my attention. Sadie stared up at me with her wide amber eyes. I wasn’t sure how to calm those fears. The others were already branching off and going in other directions, but no one had come for us.
“Milady,” the guard with silver flecks in his hair caught my free arm with a gentle touch, “if you will.” He motioned to the left and I took a step to follow, Sadie stayed glued to me and I wasn’t about to ditch her. He didn’t seem to care that she was coming. Maybe we were roommates?
We followed the curves of the vacant halls, chill descending from the massive windows. The holiday cheer didn’t expand into our section of the palace. Maybe that was another nod to the fact that no one expected me to stay. I stole a glance at Sadie. She was likely in the same boat.
We stopped before my door because I recognized the massive goat crest at the next curve that waited outside my room. “Lady Martalle, this is your room. Lady Caldwell, you’re the next door down. You’ll find dinner waiting within.” With the slightest dip of his chin, he bid us goodnight.
My heart had finally slowed to a normal pace, but in no way did I feel normal. Sadie’s eyes still darted around, looking for a threat, but that felt like her status quo for the most part. Still, I felt the need to smooth things over.
“That was a lot, huh?”
Okay, understatement of the year. Someone had orchestrated, with very little time for planning, a well thought out scheme to take on the Nolcovian monarchy. A lot didn’t even begin to cover it. Like trying to hold a gaping wound together with a child’s Band-Aid.
Sadie nodded but averted her eyes. Again, not unusual for her, but it still pricked my curiosity enough that I wanted to push more.
“Do you know her?” I took a step back to give her room. Maybe she felt trapped. “The one who went all… cuckoo?”
“Reika,” Sadie answered without prodding. “She’s from the Corswald Province. They all were. Most people from there are peaceful…” She left it hanging there, making me wonder if the rest of the sentence was: But they’re headed toward rebellion.
How bad were things in Nolcovia? Did Fitz have any clue about all this unrest? Or was he caught off guard like the rest of us by the attack?
“Well, she’s gone now.” I meant it as a form of comfort. The threat was over. But it came out darker than I planned. In reality, I didn’t have a clue about what happened to rebels in Nolcovia. “I mean, we’re safe.” I pointed at my door down the hallway. “And we’re neighbors.” I nudged her with my elbow. “And you’re still here.”