The Stakes Between Us

Chapter Six

I didn't feel in control of my body as Adora helped me into the dress Claude had sent me. I felt numb. Anxious. What in the world was Claude thinking? Would he really announce our engagement at a funeral? There was no way, right?

A rough squeeze from Adora pulling at the corset of the dress left me momentarily breathless. Nadir had been right— I wouldn't have been able to put this dress on alone. It basically was a second skin. While luxurious and obviously royal, it felt too inappropriate to wear to a funeral. And although it had a high collar, the neckline dipped too low to feel respectful. Especially considering how the corset managed to make my barely-there cleavage way too noticeable. "Isn't this a bit much?" I asked Adora as she finished adjusting the corset. "I think I need something a bit more modest."

"I think it's fine," she said, laying my hair down carefully. "Your roots are showing."

"Can't really do anything about that, can I?" I muttered.

"I'll bring something next time."

"I don't know if that's necessary. I only dyed my hair to go against my father, so is there really a point now?" I asked, pulling at the fading pink strands of my hair. Why had I even done that? Did I need to get back at my father that badly? Now I just looked like some stupid human with pink hair. Now there was no point in keeping dyeing it.

Adora's expression fell. "I think it suits you, though, Cleo."

"I'll ask Claude what I should do," I said, making her eyebrows rise. "Because, you know, I'm not in charge of my life anymore."

"Cleo."

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. "This makes no sense. Why would he dress me up to show me off at a funeral? I don't get it. It's so disrespectful! People died!"

"I didn't say he was announcing the engagement," Adora corrected gently. "I think it's more of a subtle hint toward the future. Or maybe to give you a little more protection."

"How so?"

"No one would dare raise a hand against the royal family. Or anyone associated with them."

I hesitated. Was that possible? Was this some weird way of Claude wanting to protect me? Why?

I wanted to have a conversation with him. I wanted him to answer my questions. I wanted to know... to know if he was someone I could still trust or someone I needed to get away from. Why would he force me to marry him? It didn't sound like him. I didn't want to believe he would do that to me.

But I would have never believed he'd arrest me, either.

I let Adora curl my hair and put make-up over my dark eyebags, but looking in the mirror after, I still looked like a disaster. My skin was unbelievably dry, making the coverup look flaked, and my eyebags were still a deep purple and obvious. I didn't suit the elegant dress I'd been put in. Pale and a little gaunt from lack of nutrients, I looked more like a walking corpse than any kind of future queen they wanted to dress me up as.