Chapter 11 011

• The moment Lysander saw her slip silently out of the hall, he immediately withdrew his hand from Gwen’s grip and shifted a step away, as if her touch burned him. Gwen’s smile faltered, a small frown creasing her brow, but she said nothing. The meeting droned on, the courtiers around them too engrossed in the discussion of border treaties to notice the subtle tension crackling between them.
• Meanwhile, Astra moved quickly down the dimly lit corridor, her heart hammering against her ribs. She pressed a hand to her chest, willing herself to breathe, to calm down. The stone walls seemed to close in around her, the heavy tapestries unable to muffle the thudding in her ears.
• “Your Highness!” a familiar voice called, and she turned just as Indigo rounded the corner, skirts swishing around her ankles.