“Help me,” she whispered, her voice sweet, gentle and heavily accented. “Don’t let him touch me anymore.”
My hands formed fists in the fabric of her dress and I helped her to her feet.
“I won’t,” I promised her. “No one is going to hurt you. Let me help you back to the dining room.”
She looked up into my eyes, and when she did, something passed between us, a promise of something we could have together, an electric current awakening right under my skin. I was so desperate to have more of it, to pursue this strange electricity tying me to her, but I stopped myself in my tracks, my thoughts going back to Amber.
It could have so easily been her.
As I helped Eva back to the dining room, my thoughts were dominated with images of Amber being hurt like this. Cornered like an animal, forced into submission by a taller, stronger man who could make her do anything he wanted.
Eva and I reached the dining room, and as soon as we walked into it, the quiet murmur of the conversation escalated into loud exclamations, shocked gasps and questions fired at us as the women surrounded us.
“What happened?” Freya cried out as she helped Eva to a chair. “What on earth happened?”
And then my mother was there, and I felt the rage from before returning.
“Leave her alone,” I roared at the Queen, who had already started fussing around Eva. “Just let her fucking breathe, she’s had the scare of her life.”
My mother gave me a surprised look and I was disgusted with myself when I realized she was afraid of me. I didn’t want her fear. I just wanted some respect from the woman who was supposed to want the best for me.
I scanned the crowd of girls, my eyes settling on Amber’s petite form and drinking in her curves. Thank fuck she was safe. I didn’t know what I’d do if something had happened to her.
I shifted my attention back to Eva as Chloe, one of the younger girls, rushed over with a glass of water, offering it to her friend. Eva took long, thirsty gulps of the cool liquid, and I was relieved to find the color returning to her face.
My mother approached me again, firing off questions.
“What happened? Where did you find her? Did she wander off with someone? Did she faint?”
“What happened?” I repeated. “She was fucking assaulted, that’s what happened.”
“Olivier!” My mother gasped as she turned to face me, her expression scandalized. “Well, that’s just impossible. Who in their right mind would try to hurt one of the women? No, I refuse to believe that happened.”
“You refused to believe it?” I stood in front of her, towering over her small but regal form, and she flinched as if I’d struck her. “It happened, right under your nose, too. I suggest you keep a better eye on your royal subjects around the girls, because I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt them.”
“Olivier, calm down,” she begged me, but my rage knew no bounds and as we faced off, she seemed to sense my animosity, taking a careful step back. “It was an accident, I’m sure. Nobody would dare to touch the girls, especially with the both of us so close by.”
“I saw it with my own eyes,” I got out through gritted teeth, fully aware that we now had the attention of every woman in the room, even Eva, who was still struggling to catch her breath. “I saw a man covering her mouth and feeling her up.”
The Queen chuckled nervously, waving her hand in the air. “Nonsense, Olivier. Now please don’t cause a panic. I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding.”
All I felt was anger. A red mist descended over my vision and I seethed at my mother.
“Believe what you want,” I growled at her. “Your attempts to cover up the truth won’t hide what really happened.”
I walked over to the girl, pressing my fingers to her wrist and feeling her pulse. Her eyes found mine, and I felt it again – the current between us, the thought that we could have something special, if only I hadn’t fallen for a woman that looked so much like her.
“Are you feeling alright?” I asked her, my voice rough with barely held-back anger. “Is there anything I can do?”
“N-No,” she stuttered. “I just want to get back to my room.”
“Of course,” I said, removing my hand from hers. Her pulse was starting to slow down to a normal rate. “Eva, did you see who attacked you?”
She shook her head and I cursed inwardly. “No. It was a man… someone taller, with dark hair. But he was hidden in the shadows… I couldn’t make out his face.”
“Do you think you’d recognize him if you saw him again?” I asked gently, and she raised those pretty eyes to mine.
“Maybe,” she whispered.
I nodded, getting up and shooting Freya a look. The ice blonde was still standing next to Eva, her eyes filled with compassion I wouldn’t have credited her with.
“Can you get Eva back to her room?” I asked, and she responded with a quick nod. “Make sure she’s settled in and okay.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” she said, curtsying and helping Eva to her feet. The other girls watched in a trance while the two girls walked out of the room.
I turned back to my mother and said, “Let’s cut this dinner short. I’m going to try and find the bastard who did this.”
Even though I knew there wasn’t much hope of recognizing the man whom I’d only seen in the shadows, I wanted to get to the bottom of it all. I would find the sick bastard who’d tried to hurt Eva if it was the last thing I did.
“Olivier, don’t be silly,” my mother laughed. “We have to carry on with dinner, of course. We’re only on the second course.”
“Are you serious?” I raised my eyebrows at her. “We can’t keep going after what happened. I think everyone’s too shaken up, and I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she waved her hand dismissively. “Just a spoiled girl making a big deal about something slightly unfortunate.”
I glared at her, fighting the urge to drive my fist through the wall.
“Mother,” I said icily. “The dinner is over.”
She pouted and opened her mouth to speak again but I’d had enough.
“Everyone out.”
My voice came out in the lowest of growls, and my mother had the good sense to take a step back at the sound of pure fury flowing out of my mouth.
“Olivier, please…” she laughed nervously, looking around at the women gathered around us.
“Out. Fucking. NOW!” My voice was booming in the now deathly quiet room, and a second later, sounds of shuffling and terrified whispers filled the room. One by one, the girls left the dining hall, with my mother one of the first disappearing while muttering something to herself.
With only a few girls left, my gaze fixated on Amber. Her hair was let down, long and silky as opposed to Eva’s bouncy curls. Only a few moments ago, I thought it was her who was in trouble. And what was stopping someone from hurting her? Just like all the other girls, she was easy fucking prey.
She walked up hurriedly, her eyes never meeting mine as she attempted to walk out of the room. Her friend Zara rushed out a second before her, but when Amber tried to walk out, I stepped in her way, making her brush against me.