Chapter Twenty-One

Nieve stood near a wall with her arms clasped behind her back while she watched Layla try on a dark blue dress with silver accents. She looked beautiful and happy looking at her own reflection. Nieve's dress was the exact opposite, flowy silver with dark blue accents on her bodice. But she wasn't wearing it right now, nobody cared if her dress fitted perfectly, as long as Layla looked good. She felt angry at her friend for not seeing how unfair the whole situation was, and maybe even a little jealous for not having the same. It had been years since she'd felt like she missed someone in her life, but as Layla's engagement approached, she started to realise more and more that that special day was never going to happen for her. She'd also realised that she maybe did want that.

Layla looked at her friend through the mirror. She'd tried talking to Nieve any chance she'd had, while they were walking to the many classes that she'd had over the last couple of days, or when Nieve helped her get ready in the mornings, but the brunette had only spoken to her in two-word sentences. She just couldn't understand why her friend wasn't happy for her. She'd found the love of her life, and she was getting engaged in a day, but Nieve seemed adamant to suck the joy out of the room. Layla wouldn't let her. She was determent to enjoy herself, whether her friend wanted her to or not.

"Do you feel comfortable?" the seamstress asked once she'd tightened the corset.

Layla turned back to her reflection. "Yes, very. Thank you," she answered. She felt wonderful, just seeing herself in this beautiful dress made butterflies crash through her. Just one more day and she'd officially be engaged to Ryan.

The only thing that had her worried was the conversations she was bound to have with Ryan's distant family. News of Ryan marrying a previous servant had travelled fast. Even though they all thought she'd been a prime since birth, she was sure they were going to ask her about her life. How had she not known she was a prime? Where had she lived before she started working in Serenissima, and with whom? She didn't want to lie too much, but Ryan had explained that they were breaking the law, and the truth would mean punishment by imprisonment, or worse. Or Riven would have to wipe their memories, which, she thought, was the worst punishment of all.

She'd hoped to have her friend by her side, not just physically, but mentally, but the way Nieve had acted the entire week made it clear she wouldn't be able to count on her. She was glad Ryan had promised not to leave her side.

A knock on the door made her look away, she almost went to open it herself when she realised that wasn't her job anymore. Instead, Nieve rushed to the door and opened it slightly. Layla couldn't see who was standing on the other side, but the way her friend spoke told her it was Riven. Nieve spoke softly, but Layla could hear her tell him she wasn't sure how long it was going to take. She frowned curiously. Were Nieve and Riven hanging out after work?

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to," she told the grey-eyed woman, who turned to her, looking a little wide-eyed, like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't allowed to.

"Okay," the brunette shrugged. "Good night." She left the room before Layla could even reply.

It was on nights like this, when she stood on the highest of the towers, out of view to the world, looking over the entire city, that Nieve felt like maybe she could be happy here. Aside from the distant rustle of trees and the soft ebbing and flowing sound of his breathing, everything was quiet. She looked up at the sky and smiled when she spotted a falling star. The black sky, a velvet blanket studded with millions of diamonds, seemed almost close enough to touch. If only she'd try hard enough, she could pluck a star and hold it in her hand.

She turned to the man stood next to her. He wore black trousers and a white shirt, the top few buttons undone. She'd never tell him, or dare to say it out loud to anyone, but the sight of him was even more breath-taking than the city or the sky ever could be. The way he looked at her, the stars reflecting in his eyes, made her face flush. His hand hadn't left the small of her back since they'd ascended the stairs together. He pulled her closer to him, until she was pressed against his chest, her heart racing next to his. She tilted her head so she could still look at him, they were so close his breath tickled her face. And as they stood there, she wished they could stay like this forever, in their own little world, where nothing mattered but the warmth of his hands and the fact that she desperately wanted him to kiss her. The thought surprised her as soon as it entered her mind. She couldn't remember when she'd started to like Riven, let alone when she'd started to like him more than she was even allowed. But now it was all she could think of, and the way his gaze shifted from her eyes to her lips made her wonder if maybe he wanted to kiss her, too. He reached for her face and brushed a strand of hair that had come loose from her bun behind her ear. His thumb caressed her cheek as he cupped her face and her lips parted in reply, almost begging him to hurry. He leaned in, agonisingly slowly, his eyes always searching hers as if to make sure he was reading her right. The uncertain look in his eyes was something she rarely saw, and it made her want him even more. It made the sudden ache she felt for him almost unbearable. She couldn't remember ever feeling this way. His lips brushed hers, somehow softer than she'd imagined, when he suddenly stepped back. She wanted to protest, to pull him back in, but instead, felt a sudden coldness when he dropped his arms.

"Something's wrong," he said, and she couldn't agree more. That had barely been a kiss. But that clearly wasn't what he was talking about. And it didn't matter anyway, the moment was gone.

She'd been on her way to her room as instructed by Riven, when a guard stopped her and told her she'd been summoned to the throne room. She'd asked why, but he either hadn't heard her or didn't care enough to answer. Fear had bubbled up inside her. The last time she'd been forced into the throne room was when she'd tried to escape. She'd racked her brain, wondering what she'd done wrong this time. They couldn't possibly know about what had almost happened on the tower, could they?

Now she stood to the side, clearly not the reason Lord and Lady Simia were sat on their thrones. Instead, a tall, broad guard and a pretty, slender chambermaid were standing in front of the Simias, staring at the floor. Ryan and Layla were sitting next to Lord Simia, Kaitlyn on the side of her mother. The chambermaid looked like she was fighting back tears, her shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to calm her breathing. Unlike when she'd tried to escape, the throne room was almost empty.

But Nieve knew why she'd been summoned; this was as much a punishment for them as it was a reminder for her to follow the rules. She knew why they were being punished. Just by looking at them she could guess their crime. They were stood too close to each other, never touching, but still trying to comfort the other. Riven was standing in his usual spot, staring ahead, and ready for whatever he was told to do. And Nieve wondered what the Lord would command. Surely, they'd take some pity on the couple. That law couldn't be more than a guideline, could it? Surely, they weren't actually serious about it? Nieve was almost positive they'd be let go with a stern warning. That the room was empty so no one would know the rule was made to be broken. But then Lord Simia spoke.

"Make them forget," the greying, older version of Ryan spoke, his tone as icy as the look in his wife's eyes.

Nieve slapped her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp while the guard yelled, begging the Lord for forgiveness, anything but what he'd commanded now. The maid's knees buckled, and she sank down to the floor, crying. Nieve looked at the two in front of her, she didn't dare to look at the Lord and Lady, before she turned her wide eyes to the tall, handsome man she'd almost kissed not so long ago. He wouldn't do this. She'd almost convinced herself when his eyes flitted to her apologetically. He didn't even bother walking to the guard and maid, he kept slouching against the wall, but it was obvious when he'd used his ability. It cost him no effort at all. The guard stopped begging, the maid stopped crying, they both stood up straight, stepped away from each other without even bothering to look at the other, and bowed to the Simias. The tears on their cheeks were still glistening and yet already forgotten. The Lord nodded, his only acknowledgment to Riven's horrible act, then stood up and left the room with his wife and their guards. That was that. A forbidden love erased, deleted from their minds as if it were nothing, and life in Serenissima went on, like nothing had ever happened. All because one man had the power to make it so.

Layla felt nauseous, and not because she was getting engaged tomorrow. She was pacing back and forth in her room, trying to calm herself. She couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed in the throne room. It was like her eyes had opened, and she finally understood why her friend was so upset. The only reason this hadn't happened to her was because she'd been lucky enough to have fallen in love with the son of the one that made the rules.

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. All she wanted to do was go to Nieve and talk with her friend, tell her she understood, but she wasn't allowed to go to the servants' quarters, and there was no way she could sneak there, she had a guard waiting outside her door at all times.

She eyed her bed and bit her lips. Maybe she needed to get some rest; tomorrow was one of the biggest days of her life of course. There wasn't much she could do now anyway. She'd talk to her friend in the morning and try her best to enjoy the day. She'd figure out what to do after that.

"Just say it," Riven said gruffly.

Nieve had been brooding the entire way from the throne room to their bedrooms. It was obvious she had an opinion and wouldn't rest until she'd shared it with him.

"How could you?" she asked. He knew she meant more than just how he could follow orders. He always had; she knew he would. She wanted to know how he could justify following these orders when he'd been just about to break the same one that he was punishing that guard and maid for. He didn't know how to answer that, he hadn't thought about it much, he didn't want to. All he knew was that he wanted her, for whatever reason, he wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anything in his life. But the repulsed look on her otherwise beautiful face showed him she felt differently, though she might have thought the same no more than an hour ago...

Had it really only been an hour?

Though she might have thought the same then, she sure as the stars above didn't think it anymore.

"I have to follow orders," he said lamely.

She scoffed. "You don't have to do anything. You're the strongest person in this place," she started, not knowing how wrong she was. He was a mere guard, lucky to have been chosen by Ryan to be his friend. He was a poor half-blood who'd lucked his way to unknown heights. He'd just been in the right place at the right time. Strength had nothing to do with it. The girl in front of him with the ice-cold eyes gave him too much credit. "You could make them change their minds, literally," she nearly exclaimed when all he did was lower his gaze.

"You know it doesn't work like that..."

"Well it should," she snapped, and he was surprised to find tears spill out of her eyes. "You're a weak coward," she said, her words stinging more than the shove she gave him ever could. "I can't believe we almost..." she trailed off, her breath hitched as her eyes dropped to his lips, if only for a moment. "You disgust me."