Chapter 48 Coast is clear
SOMA
“Who gave you permission to speak?” Brynne asks.
Jade pales instantly. Her knees hit the floor with a dull thud before I can blink. She bows her head low, exposing her neck in submission, a posture typical of a wolf bracing for punishment or, in her case, death.
A rush of cold shoots down my spine, freezing me in place for a second too long. My heart lurches into my throat so fast it’s hard to breathe. She can’t die.
“Jade—”
The word breaks off before I finish, and I force my feet to move. I step in front of her, shielding her from his line of sight. The heat of his gaze burns into me, and the light amusement from earlier vanishes. I wish he were still teasing me because now I realize that was him being nice. This… this is what truly lies beneath.
When he rises from his seat, the scrape of the chair legs sounds like thunder in my ears. My pulse pounds so loudly I’m sure Jade can hear it too. Every instinct screams at me to step back and cower, but I plant my feet and lift my chin. If I move, he’ll hurt Jade. He can’t hurt her. She’s the only real friend I’ve got left.
“She didn’t mean to, Your Highness,” I say, voice cracking despite my effort to sound steady. “Forgive her manners. Please? I-I-I apologize on her behalf.”
Brynne doesn’t answer, only stares at me.
Darkness lingers in his eyes like he’s deciding if I’m worth the trouble of punishing, too. As minutes drag on in silence, my palms sweat, and the air feels like ice against my skin.
“We’re sorry. I’m sorry,” I try again. What if I sit on his lap? Will it help? He lowers himself back into his chair, and I add, “She’ll rise now. If… if that’s okay.”
Still nothing. I take the risk of grabbing Jade’s wrist and yanking her up. He doesn’t utter a word, and I whisper through the lump in my throat, “Enjoy your breakfast.”
We nearly trip in our hurry to return to the room. It’s only when the door slams shut behind us that I let go of Jade.
Heat prickles my skin with leftover adrenaline as I sag onto the couch. The last time I experienced this version of Brynne was when he beat up Mason. I thought the worst version of him was the one who forced himself inside me. Now? I know better, and I’m not sure I want to be around any version of him.
“God, he’s—” I choke back the rest of the words, burying my face in my palms. “Annoying.”
When I finally lift my head, I notice Jade is standing by the door. Her hands tremble at her sides like she hasn’t fully shaken off the moment. And her eyes are wide and distant.
Clearing my throat, I sit straighter and force a thin smile onto my face. “He can’t sit there forever, can he?” I say, though my chest feels too tight. “Let’s just ignore him. He’s all bark. I will go back to eat later.”
Right on cue, my stomach grumbles.
Jade whimpers. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault. You can punish me, my lady.”
She moves to kneel, and I shoot out of the couch, catching her in the act. “Stop. There’s no need for that.”
Tears shine in her eyes, and she admits, “I was scared.” She hiccups. “I thought I would die today.”
“Don’t worry,” I say, pulling her into a hug. Her body shakes with quiet sobs, and I hold her tighter. “I’ll protect you. I’ll always protect you. No one is taking you away from me again. Not even the king.”
We break off the hug when her shaking subsides. I wipe the tears from her cheeks, and she tries to smile.
“Let’s watch TV or something,” I whisper.
Jade nods, turning on the TV with quiet efficiency. We sit together, watching characters move on the big screen, but she’s quiet. Minutes pass with me trying to hide my hunger, and she slips out of the room.
When she returns, she whispers, “The coast is clear.”
But I’m not interested in going back down, not with the memory of Brynne’s stare still burned into me. We watch the ongoing show for a few minutes before she disappears for a short while, only to reappear with a tray of steaming food. She sets it down on the coffee table, serving me with more care than necessary.
We eat in front of the TV, plates balanced on our laps, while the sound of the romcom fills the silence. Slowly, the tension fades, replaced by laughter at the absurd plot twists. When the day melts into evening, I’ve forgotten the taste of panic and everything feels almost normal again.
Sunday moves in a blur. I remain indoors for the whole of it with Jade, watching more ridiculous movies. By Monday morning, I’m eager to leave the room.
This time, I’m with company as I head to my first class of the day. Jade is quiet by my side, looking torn between running to her dorm or obeying her lady. I decide for her by leading us straight to the Year 1 class. Sienna and Dianna are already there, so Jade slips into a seat near her roommate.
Sienna looks up from her phone, a clear look of stifled respect spreading over her face as I introduce my maid to her. Mr. Obed shows up, interrupting our discussion. He looks surprised to see Jade, but doesn’t raise a fuss when I tell him she’s with me.
The rest of the class goes smoothly. At the end, Sienna leaves with Dianna before I can ask what other lessons she has for the day. She’s my best shot at improving my social skills, but we only share a few classes.
Jade begs to return to the dorm. Since the next lesson is dance, I allow her to go, and then I rush to the changing room to prepare for it. The uniform won’t do, so I slip into the soft wrap top provided by the academy, its fabric crossing snugly over my chest and tying at the waist.
A knee-length skirt with twin slits brushes against my legs, light enough to move in but leaving me feeling oddly exposed. Flat shoes complete the set. With my hair pinned back to bare my neck, I head for my dancing lesson feeling far less armored than usual.
Helga already showed me the studio during our tour. From the outside, I can tell it’s huge, but when I step inside, it’s larger than I expected. The wooden floors have been polished to a shine, with bright white walls and mirrors running the entire length of three sides, so every mistake is reflected a hundred times over.
On the fourth wall hangs a pale brown curtain. Its thick folds sweep down to the floor, guarding whatever storage lies behind it. I turn, and that’s when I see my cousins.