Page 86 of Hollow Court

Somewhere between court dinners and afternoon teas and even short reprieves under a star-strewn sky, we all seemed to be waiting for the next disaster to strike.

And yet, I was still wholly unprepared when Anna brought an envelope in with my afternoon tea. My fingers trembled as I flipped it over to reveal a crimson wax seal in the shape of a ram’s head.

Swallowing hard, I unfurled the letter, my pulse racing.

First, my eyes landed on the date.

It had been penned the morning that my wedding was supposed to have taken place.

Had they canceled it? Postponed it? Had Alexei been waiting at the end of an aisle that I would never walk down, his brittle pride assuring him that I would turn up in the eleventh hour?

The room swam in my vision, dizziness settling over me.

Dread only further pooled in my stomach when I beheld my uncle’s familiar slanted cursive, quashing any residual hope that the letter was from my parents. And I knew by the lack of endearment with the salutation that I wouldn’t like what he had to say.

Galina,

I trust that this letter finds you well. I can only imagine that it does, since I haven’t heard from you in some time. This is not the behavior that has been instilled in you, the behavior of a clan wife or a Socairan.

I assume I have at least instilled you with enough loyalty to know that your arrangement with the Lochlannian is not valid without my approval, which I have not granted.

Despite your exploitation of the loophole you found, I will ensure that Lochlann understands that as well.

One way or another, you will be returning.

It’s time for you to fulfill your duties to your duke, your parents, your clan, and your betrothed. Your real betrothed.

You are rather fortunate Lord Alexei is still determined to have you as his wife. He has asked for leniency on your behalf, and I have graciously agreed to see our agreement through rather than remove you from the clan.

Do not take for granted this generosity that is being bestowed upon you. I trust we will see you soon.

Your Devoted Uncle,

Sir Mikhail

With trembling fingers,I placed the letter back on the nightstand. I wasn’t sure what the worst part was, the reminder of how badly Alexei wanted to own me, or how clear it was that my own uncle would never take my side.

Or the guilt that tugged at my insides when I read words like loyalty and duty and knew that I was failing at both.

I mentally calculated the time it would take to get home.

Davin had said he had other options. He didn’t need me here.

Perhaps I had built this up in my head. Perhaps it wasn’t as bad as I remembered it.

Had I overreacted?

Maybe Alexei would have gotten better, in time.

Maybe my departure had only served to make our inevitable relationship worse.

If I didn’t go back to him, would he come here and drag me back, twice as angry as he would be if I returned to him on my own? Did I want to risk that?

A light knock at the door pulled me forcibly from my thoughts. I didn’t recognize the pattern, but Anna must have because she didn’t look remotely surprised to see Jocelyn on the other side of the door.

“I can see to Lady Galina’s hair this evening,” the princess said, a polite dismissal in her tone.

Anna nodded, her concerned gaze going between me and the letter before she excused herself.