I gasped awake with a shriek, thrashing against a force that held me down. A wide eyed Cassie knelt beside me, her hands gripping my shaking shoulders.
“Kaleah, it’s only a dream,” she soothed. “Are you okay?” She released her tight grip.
I took a shuddering breath and nodded, unable to shake the feeling of Ryker’s hands around my throat. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I pushed myself into a sitting position and brushed the tangled nest of silver hair from my face.
“What was it about? You were struggling so hard, I thought you were going to hurt yourself.”
I rang the bell beside the bed to alert the maids I was up and eyed Cassie with a grimace. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to share my thoughts with her; she’d never condone my need to seduce someone—not that my conscience had allowed me any reprieve over the decision. At least I wasn’t planning on stealing his heart the way my brain had interpreted. I shuddered.
“Kaleah?” Cassie pressed.
“I dreamed Ryker was killing me.”A lie by omission is still a lie. My fickle little brain was so kind to remind me.
My sister’s brow creased, and a maid entered the room. “Did he try something last night?”
“No. But he won’t. Not surrounded by so many people and with the guards being extra vigilant. He’ll wait until all the hype is over and we’re alone.” Well, alone besides the golems—but he’d already made it past them once; I was sure he could do it again.
I slipped off the bed, heading for the vanity and the silent maid waiting there.
“I wish he didn’t scare you so much.” Cassie followed, leaning against the nearby dresser, ready for the day in a cream cotton-top and beige skirt; her golden hair braided down her back.
I paused, shivering in the brisk morning air as I peeled off my nightgown and discarded it on the floor. “I can’t help it. . . but enough about me. I missed you last night. How was the festival?”
Cassie flashed a brilliant smile and swooned. “Amazing, of course.” She sidled closer, glancing up through her eyelashes. “Also, Alex asked if I’d be his bonded—”
“What?” I threw my arms around my sister, ignoring the protests of the maid as I made her job more difficult. “It’s about time he got around to it. I’m so happy for you!”
Cassie laughed, returning the hug before releasing me so she could embellish her words with gestures. “It was so sweet and romantic. He took me to this little garden, all lit up with lanterns. . .” My sister beamed as she went over every second of her wonderful night in vivid detail. Jealousy rose within me, but I shoved it down. Iwashappy for her. She deserved the world, and yet I didn’t miss how exactly opposite my own experience from last night had been. Nothing to celebrate or be excited over.
“Oh, Kaleah.” Her voice broke me from my reverie, and I pasted on a smile. “We get to have a double bonding ceremony,” she gushed, dancing around me in a circle. “I can’t wait; it’s going to be a dream.”
If only. I chuckled through a wheeze as the maid cinched up the corset back of my pink silk top that was supposed to pass for a shirt. “Can’t you find anything more comfortable and less ostentatious?” I grumbled, my bad mood slipping through.
“Sorry miss. Empress’ orders,” The maid said, fastening a matching light-pink skirt about my hips.
Cassie and I rolled our eyes in unison, but I stopped when I noticed the black scarf in her hand. “What’s that for?” I asked, rearranging the bright purple feather on the small golem that Dawn had given me, where it sat on the dresser next to several other baubles.
“Another one of the empress' orders.” She grimaced as she wrapped it over the bottom half of her face. “Apparently we’re having company for breakfast.”
My stomach flip-flopped. “Who?”
Cassie’s fidgeting with the scarf was enough of an answer, and my stomach twisted into knots. Of course he would be there. This stranger who my mother wanted me to make an essential part of my life.
“I’m excited to get to meet him,” Cassie offered hesitantly.
“I don’twantyou to meet him.”
My sister’s face fell, and a pang of guilt gripped me. I crossed the short space between us—ignoring the fussing maid—and threaded my fingers through hers.
“I don’t want him to hurt you,” I amended.
Her face lifted with a sly smirk. “I’m not the one he wants, now am I?”
I groaned, but was glad to hear her laugh. She pulled away, and I snagged the scarf before she could get too far. “You can meet him, but you don’t have to wear that.”
My sister’s hands flew to her mouth in mock horror as I threw the silk piece across the room. “Why, dear sister, I do believe I’ll make a rebel out of you yet!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I do believe you might.”