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Aria flinched at the sound of the monster’s name and shifted her eyes to the soldiers before us. Mina knew it wasn’t fair to yell at her, or the guards, but enough was enough.
Turning her eyes to the metal statues waiting for her to take another step forward, she sighed. “Alright, either you clear a path, and move out of my way, or I am going to pull the blades from my belt andmakeyou move.”
“Let her through,” her father’s voice called out in the distance.
At once the column of guards before them parted, creating a path with their bodies that led her right into her father’s sitting room.
Pacing across the floor again, he wore his dark robes. The ones he was to don before the people when it was announced who the vampire had chosen. The only things missing from the outfit were his ermine cloak, and his silver crown. Those sat waiting for him on the bed. Her stepmother was nowhere to be found.
“Father, I—”
He whirled around, and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her in for a bone-crushing hug. Mina gasped in surprise, and then awkwardly patted his back as he squeezed her tight.
“My child.” He exhaled, releasing her. “Do not fret. You are safe as can be. There will be no wedding, and the vampire king will not take you from us. I promise.”
Mina jerked back in surprise. “What? What do you mean?”
Her father cupped her cheek and smiled. “We will get you away from here before the sun is down, and you will never have to go near those mountains again, My Darling. You will never enter the mists so long as I have breath in my body.”
“I…” Mina shook her head and took a step away from him. “I can’t just leave.”
“Of course, you can,” he laughed. “If you stay the vampires will come for you. You’re safer if you return to the palace.”
“The vampires will slaughter this town if I don’t show up in the amphitheater. That has been the price of non-compliance since he began choosing wives from Distova.”
Her father narrowed his eyes. “There will be someone there waiting for him, just not you. You are to gather your things, and you will ride for the palace at once.”
“Father, I can’t just leave.” She repeated. “Not to mention the fact that it isovera day’s ride to Dee. The sun will go down while I’m on the road. Am I not safer staying to fight? On the road, they could come from anywhere. Here we know this land, and we know where they’ll be coming from. There’s a better tactical ad—”
“Bah!” He threw his hands up and turned away from her in frustration. “I will not hear of this. You are a princess, not a soldier. You will pack your things, and you will get in that carriage today. I don’t care if Captain Hyde has to chain the doors closed. You will be inside it before the sun goes down.”
Mina wanted to argue, but she knew from the set of her father’s posture, and the angry gleam in his eyes there would be no arguing with him. He wanted her safe and he would do everything he could to ensure it no matter what it cost his people.
Clenching her jaw, Mina exhaled a long breath through her nose. “And who is to stand in my place? Captain Hyde? I don’t think he’ll fill out one of my gowns quite right.”
“I will,” Aria said, clearing her throat.
Mina turned to gape at her. Amid her father’s tirade, she’d almost forgotten the girl was there, huddling by the dormant fireplace.
“What?”
Aira winced and glanced toward the King. “That is what I’ve been kept for, isn’t it? I am her size. Height. Weight. Dress me right, and I am her doppelganger.”
“No,” Mina protested even as her father said, “It would be a service to our kingdom.”
“No,” Mina said again. “You are here because you are my best friend. You’re not some sort of sacrifice!”
“I am a citizen of Distova. You are my princess. It would be an honor to sacrifice myself for you,” Aria said, squaring her thin shoulders. It was the most regal and determined she’d ever been.
Mina shook her head. “You’ve all lost your minds. I won’t let you do this. You can’t.”
“It’s done,” Aria said. “I will have the guards pack your things, you can have breakfast, and then you should be on your way home. Take advantage of what daylight remains.”
“Thank you, Aria.” Her father said, giving the handmaid a nod.
Mina scrubbed her hands over her face. “This is not happening. It’s not. I need to wake up. This is not—”
“WITCH!” Her father bellowed. “Where is my witch?”
