Page 136 of A Game of Veils

He holds her gaze. “What do you need from us? How can we make tomorrow and the next day better instead of worse? Who the fuck do I need to kill so you don’t have to worry about finding your room in ruins again? Just say the word.”

A quaver runs through Aurelia’s next words. “I’d rather there was less killing instead of more. I don’t think I’m going to get that, though.”

Bastien squeezes her hand, but none of us knows what to say. We can’t stand between the emperor’s guards and whoever he directs them to murder without getting murdered ourselves.

I hug her tighter for a few aching thuds of my heart. Then I sit up, leaving my hand on her shoulder as I turn to my foster brothers. “We should at least make sure no one can disturb her for the rest of the night. Let her get as much sleep as possible—she needs it.”

Bastien glances around and gets up. “Come on—we can push one of the trunks in front of the door. No one else will be coming in uninvited.”

I leap up to help him shove the trunk into position. Raul paces beside the bed, the muscles in his shoulders flexing. “We can wait here in case anyone tries. Make that bitch wish she never?—”

“No.” Aurelia’s voice clears with growing alertness.

She raises her head from the pillow, concern etched on her weary face. “You shouldn’t stay. If anyone realizes you were in here with me at night— It means a lot that you want to protect me. But I’ll feel better if I know you’re all safe from sanction too.”

With all the burdens she’s carrying, she’s still as worried about us as herself. My throat constricts. “Aurelia…”

She shakes her head. “I won’t be able to sleep if I know you could get caught. You need your rest too, so we can all face the next day stronger.”

So we can help her if we do have the opportunity. My body balks, but I incline my head in understanding.

“We can’t just leave when—” Raul starts.

Bastien prods his arm. “What were you just saying about pushing? She’s told us very directly what she wants.”

The larger man lets out a huff, but his stance deflates with resignation. He pauses by the bed once more. “We’ll be watching over you, Shepherdess.”

“And if you need to get away in a rush…” Bastien eases past him and points out the spot on the wall just behind the side table that triggers the hidden door. “Press it two times quickly and then once hard until it opens.”

Aurelia watches him, her expression unreadable in the dimness. “Thank you.”

I can’t shake the feeling that there should be more I can do, more I can offer, but I have no idea what that would be. As Bastien and Raul step into the passage, I hesitate.

Aurelia catches my eyes and offers a gentle smile as if she knows what I’m thinking. As if I need reassurance more than she does.

My heart skips a beat. “I love you,” I say just for her—knowing it doesn’t make a difference, needing her to hear it anyway—and follow my foster brothers into the wall.

As we creep through the passages back to our own chambers, a gnawing uncertainty follows at my heels. Would a braver man have insisted on being there for her no matter what she said?

Chapter Forty-Two

Aurelia

I’m not sure I’ve ever felt truly at ease among the imperial court nobles, but this morning my mask feels especially brittle.

I smile and swallow bite after bite of breakfast, all of it tasting like ash in my mouth. I don’t show any hint of how Rochelle’s death last night is still wrenching at me.

When Emperor Tarquin stands at the head of the table to command our attention, I push the corners of my mouth higher and try not to imagine my cheeks cracking with the effort.

He raises his glass in toast. “To the three talented women who’ve risen above the rest to earn my son’s esteem.”

I lift my goblet to clink it against my neighbors’. The tinkling of glass resonates throughout the dining room.

The imperial heir gets up next, his mouth curled into a smirk. “Today is a day of rest before the final challenge tomorrow, but it’s also a chance for me and my potential brides to begin forging what may be a lifelong bond. I’ll meet with each of my ladies in private so we can get to know each other better.”

My skin creeps at the thought of what “getting to know” him might entail in his mind, but my smile stays plastered on my face.

My godlen’s message was clear. I’m on the right path.

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