Page 83 of Dueling the Suitors

His wide eyes met hers. “What was that?”

Astoria took a brief look at it, in case it wasn’t one of the regular notes but one from Cyrus’ father at the desperate prayer of her heart.

This is your destiny. You are born for this. Kill him while you can.

She crushed the note in her hands angrily and stomped towards the fireplace, tossing it into the fire.

“Astoria?”

Astoria pivoted to Rowan who stood frozen with open bafflement on his face. “Don’t ask me anything. I can’t tell you, Rowan. Ican’t. Whatever you are thinking, it’s not true. I—I care for Cyrus; I will not let anything happen to him. Anyone who wishes him harm will have to go through me.”

She rolled her shoulders back and lifted her chin. She meant it.

Rowan blinked, then shook his head as if to clear it. “I—I’m sorry. For a moment, I… So, he’s not—you swear he’s not being poisoned?” It was clear he meant to ask if she was the one doing the poisoning.

“I swear on my mother’s grave,” she said and surprised herself with her choice of words. She had heard people swear like that but had never used it herself. “I need to ask you a favor.”

“What is it?”

“I want to confront the people who think I’m poisoning my husband.”

His eyes widened. “Astoria—I don’t think that’s a wise idea.”

“Rowan, please, Ineedto do this,” she pleaded.

He seemed to debate with himself before he sighed. “Fine. I will go and gather the people outside the wall. You can speak to them from the battlements.”

“Not from the battlements. I want to go into their midst.”

“Cyrus will have my head.” Rowan deadpanned.

Astoria rolled her eyes at him. “We both know you’re being dramatic.”

“Fine then, not my head. But he would be utterly furious if I let you out of the gates,evenwith an army surrounding you.”

Astoria sighed exasperatedly. “Then you leave me with no other choice than to ask you as your Empress.” She looked at him seriously. “Rowan, I want to see my people, go into their midst, and confront them, and I want you to go with me. IfCyrus asks you, blame me. We have Spyrah and Skylar as our witnesses.” She turned to the red pandas who were watching them from the bed. “Right?”

They both nodded.

Astoria glanced back at Rowan and raised an eyebrow. He sighed in defeat. “Fine. Let’s go.”

* * *

The carriage stopped at the main square of the capital, just beyond the great market. Astoria could hear the murmur of the gathered crowd outside, the rising volume of voices mingling with the commands of the guards keeping them at bay. She held back from peering through the curtained window and steeled herself for the task ahead instead.

Rowan and Skylar’s presence in the carriage encouraged her, as she was already a bundle of nerves. Spyrah stayed behind with Cyrus. Astoria asked Clara to stay with the two of them and stationed four guards outside the chambers. No one was to leave or enter until she returned.

Rowan opened the door and stepped out to examine the situation of the square, whether it was safe or foolish to bring her into the midst of an angry crowd. Astoria grabbed the opportunity and pulled out the envelope from her pocket, addressed to her brother. She held it in her palms and closed her eyes.

The letter vanished from her palms.

Emmett ought to know what was going on and that she wasn’t poisoning her husband if the rumor had reached Daliston. She also mentioned the notes, her change of heart, the man Cyrus truly was, and the truth behind his invasions.Whether he would believe it or not was up to her brother; Astoria just wanted to share it with him. She also asked him not to tell anyone.

The door opened, and Rowan poked his head inside. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Astoria scooped Skylar into her arms and stepped outside, taking Rowan’s offered hand. The sounds of disbelief, curiosity, and anger from the assembled crowd rose in the air. Some called out insults at her, causing Skylar to growl, but Astoria told him to calm down and refrained from glancing at them. She walked with Rowan, flanked by a phalanx of guards, to the elevated platform that had been hastily constructed for her speech.

“You can do this,” Rowan whispered to her as they reached the top, and he stepped aside.

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