Page 67 of Sands of Atonement

I just knew that as soon as our fathers would be done speaking, Ezra would do something that would infuriate me. Then Casimir would help me feel better.

Right now, Ezra’s eyes were trained on my father, cold and calculating.

Our fathers clapped forearms and moved toward the balcony overlooking the gardens. Ezra followed and leaned his back on one of the pillars, watching them. Pieces of his black hair fell into his eyes. His eyes were so dark, I had to physically stop myself from staring at him because I didn’t want him to catch me. It was always embarrassing when he did. With a bit of courage, I approached him. He was tall, but I was tall for girls my age, so his height didn’t intimidate me.

“You won’t be able to ignore me forever, you know, if we get married.” I crossed my arms, staring up at his face.

His eyes slid down to me. My smile fell short when I realized just how tall he was and how small I felt.

“If we get married? Don’t be so naive, it’s when.” And then he pulled on my long braid. Before he could move away, I sucker-punched him in the stomach.

He barely made a sound at first, mostly because of shock, but then he laughed.

“Nice try, little warrior.” He tried to stifle his laughter.

Blinding rage soared through me. “Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t hurt you!”

He wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and walked away.

That was exactly how it always was. He’d do something stupid, and I’d do something tenfold, but somehow he’d make me feel like an absolute imbecile!

After two days of complete solitude, except for the servant who gave me food, I had gone through all the options before I came up with one more.

Once the chambermaid entered with a tray full of dinner, I slowly released my crossed legs from the ottoman I sat on.

She trembled slightly when she placed the tray on the short table to the left of me.

The air had shifted, and she could feel it too.

“You wouldn’t hurt an innocent working woman who has no choice in this, now would you, girl?” She quirked a brow up at me.

Innocent? She was the same woman who purposefully lied to me about Ezra’s whereabouts.

I flashed a smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, old woman.”

God, was I really that obvious?

She placed my food on the table while I picked at my nails. The faint glow of the fireplace to the right of me matched the desperation of my actions.

As soon as she was done, I sprang forward. Before she could scream, I had a hand wrapped around her trembling neck from behind, cutting off her vocal cords.

I pressed my fingers just enough. The servant grappled against my hold, and I could feel her suffocating. I didn’t want to hurt her, and she wouldn’t really be suffering for too long.

With my free hand, I used a trick Garamgai taught me and pressed two fingers around her skull. All I needed was her to⁠—

She grew limp in my arms. I released my fingers.

I checked her neck and her breath. The least amount of damage was done. She would live. I had little time and rushed through her clothes.

As soon as her clothes were on me and mine on hers, I took the empty tray and mimicked the woman’s hunched back. I covered my face with the hood she never wore around her face.

The two guards barely looked over their shoulders when I walked out. Instantly, I felt a sense of freedom. The presence of my brother in this palace with me.

Down the hallway, I walked slowly with the tray in both my hands. The moment I turned the corner, I heard her scream. I glanced over my shoulder. The servant was shouting to the guards that I had escaped.

Abandoning the tray, it rang in the hallway as I sprinted down to the next. My mind raced over where Kavid would be staying, definitely not in this wing. I ran down until I reached the end and turned to my right, toward the center of the palace.

Windows, tapestries, mirrors, they all blurred as I focused and tunneled in on finding him. My ears perked past the shouting guards and tried to hear any conversations through the chambers. I peeked through a few chambers as quickly as I could.