"You were attacked by a scorpion?!"

"Get! OUT!"

Zaydan blew into Marie-Fey's original rooms in the women's palace the next morning and Marie-Fey screamed at him from her bed, hurling one of her small silver jewellery trays from her bedside directly at his head and he retreated again.

Gharam appeared a second later and hurriedly helped Marie-Fey into the peacock gown, doing her makeup and hair as quick as possible while still maintaining her usual standards, then Marie-Fey hurled open the doors of her inner rooms and glowered at Zaydan.

"Do you have no boundaries?" she snarled.

"Do you have no sense of self-preservation?" Zaydan shouted back, bouncing up from his seat and rounding on her, "What if you had been stung? You could have been killed!"

"But I wasn't!"

"That is not the point!"

"You sound like Maanah."

"Because she had a point!"

"Ugh!" was Marie-Fey's undignified response as she swept past.

Zaydan fell into set in a heartbeat and grabbed her arm but rather than stopping her, he wrapped it through his as they left her apartments, his hand squeezing hers tightly as he led the way to one of the dining halls.

Marie-Fey dug her heels in when she realised he was expecting her to eat with the rest of the women but he didn't stall and kept going.

"Show them," he snapped, dragging her forwards.

She glared at him and he looked back at her, his own expression quite ferocious.

"Show them you're alright," he hissed, "Do you think this was coincidence or an attack?"

Marie-Fey narrowed her eyes at him, reluctantly falling back into step with him. "Well in two years, I've never had a run in with a scorpion. I'd say an attack."

"From who?"

Marie-Fey pursed her lips. "Zaafira."

Zaydan shook his head, looking away.

"Don't ask for my answer if you won't believe it," Marie-Fey hissed back.

"It's not that I won't believe it," Zaydan said, and she could hear the hurt in his voice even though he wasn't looking her way, "I just hate that I do. I hate that she's forcing me to choose between you and her."

"No one is forcing you to choose," Marie-Fey said, "I don't know why you would think you have to choose between someone you met weeks ago and someone you've known most of your life."

"Do you want to lose an ally?" Zaydan asked, looking at her.

"An ally who is compromised by the opposing side is no ally at all," Marie-Fey replied.

"Those are words for war."

"Court is a war in its own right."

"So, you don't trust me?"

"I said I didn't. Why are you surprised?"

Zaydan looked away and kept walking towards the hall.

The doors were quickly pulled open for them when they reached the hall and silence greeted them.

The hall was a large, expansive room, with a beautiful domed ceiling and arching windows, blue and gold tiles depicting flowers and fruit.

Low tables were around the room, cushions scattered around them as women lounged, talking over their morning meals until conversation stalled at the sight of their unexpected guests.

There was silence for only a moment however, before everyone scrambled to bow before Zaydan.

Zaydan didn't acknowledge anyone for once, his eyes zeroed in on Zaafira who was across the hall, her body tense and eyes narrowed as she looked between them.

Marie-Fey detached herself from Zaydan's arm and sailed into the room.

"Good morning, ladies," she said, her voice bright and carrying, like her smile. "Everyone is still alive, I see."

Zaafira was on her feet in a second, sweeping across the room.

"I didn't try and attack you," she hissed as she passed Marie-Fey, giving her a scathing look as she took in the peacock gown.

Marie-Fey didn't register her presence as she glided into the room.

That made Zaafira stop on her way to Zaydan, turning and glaring daggers into the back of Marie-Fey's hair.

"I said!" she snapped, "I didn't try anything!"

"I ignored you the first time, no need for repeats," Marie-Fey replied with a dismissing wave over her shoulder as she continued to a table where three ladies sat. "Shoo," she ordered them and all three scrambled from their seats, servants rushing forward to remove the plates as Marie-Fey sat down, her skirts pooling around her, Maanah and Gharam taking seats on either side of her.

She sat so she was facing the hall, her back to the wall, and she glanced up to watch the torn attention of the room.

Half the eyes were on her.

The other half was on Zaafira who was beside Zaydan, gripping his hand tightly, her body language desperate even if her voice didn't carry.

Zaydan pulled away from her, shaking his head before stepping back and turning, striding back out of the hall.

Zaafira made to follow but the doors closed on her and she was left to the rest of the hall who were watching her.

A snigger from the crowd made Zaafira whirl towards the audience.

That stopped everyone from breathing as her eyes scanned the room to identify the one who'd laughed.

No one gave an indication so Zaafira turned her eyes on Marie-Fey.

Marie-Fey settled her elbow on the table and her chin on her delicate fingers, watching Zaafira as she swept across the room towards them.

Maanah made to block her but Marie-Fey gripped her thigh, digging nails in and holding her down until Zaafira sat down opposite.

"Joining me to dine?" Marie-Fey asked with a charming smile.

"Joining you to inform you I'll be travelling with you to your home country," Zaafira snapped.

"You have a lot of nerve assuming that invitation is still open," Maanah growled, leaning forwards.

"But it is still open," Marie-Fey said and Maanah stared at her.

Marie-Fey just squeezed her leg again then removed her hand.

"Why do you want to come with me, though?" Marie-Fey asked.

"Better a chance to try and hurt you?" Maanah said bitterly.

Zaafira glared at her. "You should mind your tongue," she bit back, "I hear that scorpion fell out of those dresses you delivered to Marie-Fey's rooms. Slip a little present in there for her while you were dropping them off? That would explain how poison got into her tea. Gharam trusts you implicitly, she wouldn't notice if you tampered with her lady's drink, she's too stupid to think otherwise."

Maanah was almost across the table, her hands at Zaafira's throat before Zaafira moved, scrambling back.

"How dare you!" Maanah snarled, jumping to her feet and rounding the table fast.

Gharam rushed to her feet, running to Maanah to try and pull her back.

Marie-Fey watched them without moving, merely tilting her head slightly, still balanced on her fingers, watching the altercation before the guards arrived and hauled the women apart, dragging Maanah back to Marie-Fey's side and shoving her down.

Gharam knelt beside her, arms around her to keep her sitting, holding her close as Maanah breathed heavily, glowering at Zaafira as another guard helped Zaafira back to her seat, her hair wild.

"You should tame your dog, Marie-Fey!" she snarled, shoving her hands through her hair to neaten it – one of her own ladies rushed over to quickly fix it. "No one has any need for a wild bitch!"

Marie-Fey just smiled at her. "A tame dog is only aggressive when threatened or protective. Watch your mouth and you won't have to fear her."

She then turned her cool gaze on Maanah.

"Go see that my palace has been properly searched for unwelcome visitors. Be they scorpion or human," she ordered.

Maanah still looked ready to drive her fist into Zaafira's face, she was so angry she could barely draw in breath.

It was such a departure from her usual calm demeanour, Marie-Fey would have to take note of exactly how she could be triggered later. For now, she just wanted Maanah to leave.

Maanah finally got to her feet, Gharam helping her up.

"You stay," she ordered to Gharam.

Gharam quickly retook her seat and Maanah bowed before striding out, everyone shifting out of her path until the doors slammed closed behind her.

Marie-Fey watched her go until the doors closed, then looked at Zaafira again.

Her smiled returned.

"So," she said, "You want to visit my homeland."

"You invited me, no?"

"I did."

"I didn't put that scorpion in your rooms."

"I didn't make my own tea last night, but it was still there for me to drink."

Zaafira bristled. "I didn't orchestrate for it to be there either," she growled, "I would never make an attempt on your life."

"No," Marie-Fey, her smile taking a harder edge, "You just hoped to humiliate me in front of the palace."

"We all have ground to keep," Zaafira said with a dismissive wave of the hand, "Your very existence threatens my authority. Can you blame me for pushing back? I didn't imagine you'd break down in front of everyone.

She gave Marie-Fey a nasty grin.

"That was enough to shake your authority – though you didn't have to turn Zaydan on me."

"Lord Zaydan made his own choices, I didn't turn anyone," Marie-Fey, mimicking her dismissive flick.

"So I still intend to travel with you."

"You won't have an ally," Marie-Fey said, "I'm not inviting your maids. I won't be your friend, nor will I look after you. I'll simply see that you get back here in one piece."

"I can take care of myself," Zaafira said and Marie-Fey chuckled.

"I look forward to seeing you crumple under sensory-overload," Maire-Fey said, setting her hands on the table and pushing to her feet. "But fine, join me. Amuse me."

She stepped away from the table, then paused.

She looked down at Zaafira.

"Who do you think started the rumour?"

"About the whip?"

Marie-Fey nodded.

Zaafira was quiet for a moment, seeming to genuinely think, then shook her head. "I'm not sure, I couldn't guess."

"Rumour has it, Lord Zaydan himself started it."

Zaafira shot her a glare.

"That's a lie," she said, pushing to her feet, "Whoever said that is lying or misinformed."

"Oh?"

"Zaydan wouldn't do that, to anyone but especially not you."

"Why me?"

Zaafira just gave her an annoyed look. "He's not malicious and he doesn't spread rumours and lies about people. He's a kind person, you know that."

Marie-Fey shrugged at that. "I never believe the first mask revealed to me."

"Aren't you exhausted? Seeing the world as your enemy?"

"You tell me," Marie-Fey said, walking past, "Are you exhausted?"

Zaafira tensed, her mouth thinning, before she turned away, guiding her maid back to their original table as Marie-Fey led Gharam out.

"Do you still think Lord Zaydan spread rumours about you? Gharam asked softly.

"Undecided," Marie-Fey said, "But I'm also not interested in that right now. I want to have breakfast – without the audience."