Page 121 of Heir of Illusion

For the first time all morning, true sadness pierces my heart. I let go of Bel’s hand, pulling mine back into my lap. “Oh. Of course.”

“I wish I could stay longer,” he says, his voice so soft I can barely hear him over Baylor’s prattling.

I tuck my chin, not wanting him to spot my disappointment through the veil. “I understand.”

“The king ordered me to return home and set father’s affairs in order.”

My head swings back toward him as anger stirs within me. I should have seen it coming. Of course, Baylor would try to isolate me from the one family member I have left. He’s always kept me away from Bellamy. I’m sure he never forgot the way my brother tried to fight for me that night, the way he begged them not to take me. That kind of bond is dangerous to Baylor. He knows it might teach me the difference between genuine love and Baylor’s cheap imitation.

“I can try to talk to him,” I offer, knowing it’s probably useless.

Bel shakes his head.

“No. It won’t do any good. Besides,” he says, his tone conflicted, “there’s a reason I need to be elsewhere right now.”

My eyebrows pinch together. I want to ask what he means, but the crowd erupts in applause as Baylor finishes his speech and steps to the side, signaling the choir to begin their performance. The crowd rises to their feet as the melodic tones swell through the room. Voices join in all around us, creating a symphony of echoes.

Desperation blooms as I sense my time with Bellamy coming to an end. Will we see each other again? That uncertainty fans the flames of my anxiety, pushing me to do something reckless. My gaze flits to the crowd behind us, ensuring no one is close enough to overhear before I grab Bel’s arm, squeezing it hard. His head snaps in my direction, concern clouding his eyes.

“Listen to me carefully,” I whisper, my voice barely audible above the singing. “As soon as you get home, you need to create an exit plan.”

“Ivy—” he starts, but I cut him off.

“Find somewhere safe, a place no one else knows about that you can get to quickly. You’ll need enough funds and supplies to get you through several months, maybe more.”

He grabs my hand in both of his. “Why are you saying this?”

I wish I could tell him the truth, but there’s no time. And even if there was, it would be too risky to bring him into everything. This is my mess to sort, not his.

“There may come a time soon when things…” I trail off, searching for the right word to explain. “Change.”

“Change how?”

“I can’t say. But when it happens, everything is going to move very quickly. If I—” I cut myself off, taking a deep breath before I say something I’ll regret. “I need you to be ready to leave the moment things turn bad.”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me.” I shake my head, letting the lies roll smoothly off my tongue for old time’s sake. “I have a plan in place.”

His eyes narrow, and I’m reminded of how he always used to be able to tell when I wasn’t being truthful.

“How will I find you after?” he asks, not calling me on my dishonesty. The question surprises me, but it shouldn’t.

“Contact Dellaphine Cardot,” I say without hesitation. No matter how strained things are between us, I know I can trust Della with my brother’s life.

His eyebrows nearly reach his hairline. “The club owner?”

I nod, knowing he’s likely dying to ask how I’m acquainted with the infamous woman who was rumored to be the late queen’s lover. “She’ll know where I am. You can trust her.”

He watches me for a few moments, squeezing my hands between his own. “I hate leaving you.”

“I know.” And strangely, I do. I know that if Bel could stay and help me, he would.

The song comes to an end, and we take our seats once more. I expect one of the temples priests to lead us in a closing prayer, but instead, Baylor returns to the podium, causing whispers to circulate through the room.

“Before we conclude the service,” Baylor begins, his jaw hard as his gaze moves over the crowd. “I want to make an announcement.”

A frisson of apprehension has me straightening my spine. The last announcement Baylor made didn’t end well for me.

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