with her hands clasped in front of her. “Good morning. Are you two off to see Father?”
“Yes, we are.” I say politely. Ozara is wearing a dress, which is unusual for her. She’s always been quite rebellious, dressing in boys’ clothing and smarting off to her parents. I suspect she’s trying to appease Janak since he finally agreed to take some of her militaristic ideas into consideration.
“Have you met Sadie?” Ozara gestures to the petite blonde behind her. “She was held captive by the same demon as Isla.”
Sadie jolts in shock at hearing her name, meeting my eyes for a split second. She’s rather plain-looking with straight, white-blonde hair and blue eyes, and she looks barely older than the prince and princess—still practically a child. I’m hit with the horrifying thought that Janak easily could have sent Sadie to us instead of Isla, or any of the other girls he ‘rescued’ for that matter. The thought of bonding with any other woman makes me sick.
What were the chances of Isla being captured by the same demon as Sadie and brought here by our Elders just before the Beast’s Full Moon? And then chosen by Janak among several other girls? My thoughts are spinning with the idea that maybe Isla was meant to be with us all along. I quickly shake the idea off—it’s nothing more than a coincidence, and I still owe it to Isla to find her family for her.
“I didn’t realize Isla’s situation was common knowledge,” I say carefully. Ozara mentioned the demon so casually in front of her other lady-in-waiting, I can’t help but be a bit surprised. I was sure Janak would want to keep the details of the girls’ rescue from their realm a secret.
“Oh, yes.” Ozara smiles wickedly. “Rumors have been spreading all over the city. People are even more excited to see their new Queen of Beasts after knowing she escaped the clutches of a filthy demon. The story of her killing demons with her shoe as a weapon even has women petitioning to join the military. Lady Isla is so inspiring.”
My mouth twitches while I try not to smile. It’s abundantly clear Ozara has been the one spreading the rumors and using them to her advantage. “Yes, it appears she is.”
“Well, we really should be going,” Ilari says with a tight smile.
“Of course.” Ozara bows her head, a tiny smirk forming on her lips. Sadie and the other lady-in-waiting curtsy to us, and Ozara meets my gaze before they walk away. “I’m sure Sadie would love to talk to Isla if you or your brothers would like to bring her to visit. Otherwise, we’ll see you at the ceremony in a few weeks.”
The women take their leave, and Ilari grimaces at me as we begin making our way to Janak’s office once more. “My father is livid with her. Everyone is talking about the dangers of Isla’s home realm and the way she and the other girls were brought here.”
It doesn’t change anything for me, my brothers, or Isla, but it is amusing to realize the chaos Ozara has created. I’m sure my brothers will appreciate hearing about it.
We’re quiet the rest of the way, and I try to gather my thoughts. Ozara and Sadie were a distraction, but right now I need to focus on what I’m going to say to Janak. Someone needs to go to her home realm to find Alistair. Everything else can wait, but that can’t.
There are a few guards outside of Janak’s office. That’s not entirely unusual, but it still puts me on edge. Ilari shoots me a concerned glance when one of the guards holds the door open for us, and we walk in to find Janak speaking to two Elders in hushed tones.
They go quiet, and Janak meets my eyes with a fierce expression. Keeping my curiosity and apprehension at bay, I nod my head and greet him cordially. “King Janak.”
“Hello, my friend.” His voice doesn’t give anything away. He dismisses the Elders, leaving Janak, Ilari, and me alone in private. Janak stares at us for a long moment before gesturing to the seats in front of his desk. “Have a seat. There’s something I need to discuss with both of you.”
I feel even more on edge, but I’m good at hiding my emotions. I take a seat beside Ilari, declining when Janak offers me a drink. Ilari declines too, rubbing his hands over his pants anxiously. It’s easy to scent his nervousness and