“Are you about to break my brother’s heart?” she asked.
Luci closed her eyes, silently begging Elowen to intervene, but no smell of cinnamon came. Realizing she was entirely on her own, Luci ran her hand through her wild braid and over her face.
“He can do so much good for people, and more importantly, he wants to rule. He’s spent his whole life preparing for it, andMeridea needs him. I’m not going to let him throw it away for an orphan servant.”
Gladys brow unfurred with every word until her face was relaxed, and a small, hidden smile played on her lips. Whatever was happening in her mind, Luci didn’t have time for it.
Huffing out a frustrated breath, Luci turned and began running after Brielle again. Passing painting after painting and a small gathering of servants whispering, Luci feared the worst until she turned the corner to where the chamber was and found Lucien standing in front of the door, Brielle trying to sneak by him.
Luci came to a stop and clutched her stomach as her chest burned with the need for oxygen.
“Brielle,” she panted.
Apparently, Brielle was in the habit of ignoring her now because she continued to try to dart to one side and the other side of Lucien, but he remained a formidable opponent, holding onto her shoulders like she was an errant child. Which she was.
“As glad as I am that you are awake, and I am, letting you barrel into that meeting isn’t something I’m going to do. Also, I would make the point that you don’t want to do that either,” he said, calmly, a smirk showing no concern for the gravity of the situation.
“Oh, good, you caught her.” Gladys panted as she stopped next to Luci.
“So I did,” Lucien said.
Brielle let out a growl and ordered him to move, but when he didn’t, she moved to shove her fist into his stomach, but Lucien was quicker. With one swift movement, he swiped Brielle up and threw her over his shoulder. The squeal she let out was pure surprise, which only grew Lucien’s smile.
“Put me down, you beast!” She said, pounding on his back.
“Of course,” he said. “When you learn to behave.”
The world had gone mad. Clearly, the balance of what was and should be shifted and was lost to nonsense and the impossible. When Luci glanced at Gladys for help, she was grinning wildly and trying to hide it by covering her mouth with her hand.
“What is happening here?”
The question was exactly what Luci wanted to ask, but unfortunately, Max beat her to it as he came out of the library a few doors down.
“Lucinda is trying to thwart Brielle’s match-making plans, and Brielle has decided that is not an option, even though free will is important,” Lucien said, walking towards them with Brielle in tow.
Odd to agree with Lucien, but then nothing really made sense anymore.
“I’m going to put you down now, but only if you promise to hold still so we can all talk like civil people,” Lucien said.
“I am so mad at you!” Brielle said.
“Yes, but do you promise?” he asked, clearly enjoying himself.
Brielle sighed and mumbled something.
“What was that?” Lucien asked.
“Fine!” Brielle yelled.
Chuckling, he gently put her down, but did not remove his hands from her shoulders lest she bolt for it. She glared at him while she smoothed out her dress.
“You were supposed to be on my side,” she pouted.
“Iamon your side, little dragon. Which is why I’m not letting you interrupt that meeting,” he said, bending to press his lips near her ear. “Maybe you’ve forgotten, but I have a vested interest in the dissolution of your engagement.”
Midnight above, stars save them all, but Brielle bit her lips and gave a small shiver at his words. To the point that Gladys cleared her throat, and Luci thought about vomiting all over the plush red carpet.
“Gross,” Max said.