Page 109 of Their Fierce Little Monster

I shove the bags beside me into the shadows for now, as time passes slowly. But when footsteps approach us again, we all stare down the hallway, waiting.

Eve steps forward this time, and everyone goes silent at first, maybe because Corvin’s aide is wearing one of Dawn’s dresses. The champagne one with thin straps, except it sits on her like a sack, unlike Dawn, who looked like a goddess dolled up.

Dawn stares at her, her mouth dropping open, and, in truth, it’s so wrong it’s laughable. “Are you wearing my dress?”

Eve smiles. “I saw how much Corvin liked it on you.” Then her attention returns to her lover boy, her pale lips pulling apart in an awkward grin. “My lord, today you were betrayed, and it’s unjust that you’re the one in this dungeon.”

“What do you mean? Have you heard something?” he asks, leaning toward the bars.

My ears perk up, curious to hear what she has to say.

“This morning, I followed you into the gardens, but I wasn’t permitted entrance, so I went to join the locals at the outer edges of the royal grounds to watch. Many go there to catch a glimpse of the Elite families and the king, wishing they had such an extravagant life.”

Corvin huffs, running a hand through his hair. “And the point is?”

She presses herself against the bars and threads an arm through them. Her fingers curl around Corvin’s hand.

Dawn watches them carefully, while Kazak and I exchange grins, but Corvin doesn’t shove her away.

“From where I stood, after you four entered the maze, the Gamemaster ran from the party, which I found strange. So I followed him from a distance, and he traveled to a side entrance into the maze. Near the gate were ten large cages filled with ferocious, wild beasts. Then he opened them and released the animals into the maze.” She stares at him without a flicker of emotion. “He meant for all of you to die, my lord. So the king should have imprisoned him, not you.”

“That fucker!” he snarls.

I grunt as fury bleeds through me at the thought that we’ve been played.

“I knew it was that asshole,” Dawn murmurs. “But I don’t understand why. I don’t even know him. Do any of you?”

Kazak shakes his head, while Corvin draws his hand away from Eve, saying, “I’ve seen him on previous visits, but only on this trip had we spoken to him. He gave us permission to enter Moonstone Village to collect you, telling us adamantly that we were to take you and leave. ‘Don’t bother returning to the city.’ Which worked for us.”

“And did you see how pissed he was when we turned up at the city with Dawn?” I butt in because I hated the weasel from the first time we spoke with him. Something was wrong about him even then.

“Explains why he’s been giving me a death glare ever since,” Dawn explains, her brow furrowing. “I just don’t get why he hates me.”

No one has an answer, yet a sickness stretches through me at the thought of that prick intending to harm my girl.

“My lord,” Eve says. “I can watch him, follow him around, and report back. I would be honored to do this for you.”

“No, thank you,” Corvin states. “I don’t want anyone to see you and blame us for spying on them. We can’t be seen right now, and I need you safe in our room as proof to the king later about what you witnessed. Aides can’t lie, and he can’t deny that truth.”

She nods.

“Eve,” he says. “You did well, and I’m proud of you. Thank you.”

She beams, her smile so wide I fear she’ll declare her love. Her sheer adoration for Corvin is staggering, but it’s come in our favor today.

“Now return to my room and remain there until I send for you.”

“Of course, my lord.” She stares at him long enough to make it creepy, then darts down the hallway and vanishes.

“Sounds like we just found our way out of prison,” Kazak says, and the tension in the air softens. “We have a witness who can’t lie. It’ll show the king we were ambushed and fighting for our lives and the dragonfly defended us.”

“And,” Dawn adds, standing at Corvin’s side, her party dress already crinkled, but fuck, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, “I suspect my dragonfly flew into the gardens to find the Gamemaster. Corvin, you said earlier today that my mark is fueled by my fury, my emotions. So she would have sensed the danger I felt around him, right? What if that’s the reason she went all feral at the party?” Her lips pinch to the side as she stares at each of us. “Remember, she never attacked anyone, but I saw her hovering in a cluster of people crowding together. The king was close, so what if the Gamemaster was there too?”

“He was,” I say. “I saw him darting through that cluster of masses, shoving others aside.”

“So the king needs to know,” Kazak says. “And the truth will reveal itself to him.”

“We’ll tell him when he comes for us,” Corvin says. “He won’t agree to visit us with the city screaming for justice. But tomorrow, he’ll arrive for our punishment. And then we’ll explain everything.”