Aliena had barely caught her breath from yesterday's chaos, being carried across the training grounds by the Crown Prince himself when the next trial appeared, her stepsisters.
She had hoped that after the private archery lesson, the embarrassment would fade. She was wrong.
The moment she stepped onto the main field, Lydia and Helena were already waiting, preening like hawks circling a fledgling prey. Lydia wore silver embroidery on her dark dress, standing tall, chin high, with the faintest glint of calculation in her eyes. Helena, always the more dramatic, was in deep crimson, hands on her hips, lips curved in a smile that could curdle milk.
Aliena let out a soft sigh. Here we go.
Hermia hovered beside her, pale and anxious. "I don't like this… they're going to start something."
Aliena adjusted the bow she had been practicing with and tilted her head. "I think I might survive. Or they'll faint first. We'll see which happens."
The sisters made their move almost immediately.
