Destroy Him

Chapter Four

to steady herself, while the gentleman before her barely moved.

Ivan looked

Without waiting for a response, she turned and continued down the corridor, her skirts swaying with each step.

Her expression remained sour, and she was still muttering beneath her breath when the words escaped her.

"All gentlemen in Zuzyx must be as cold as the king himself."

Ivan stopped.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes following her retreating figure. His brows drew together at the remark, and for a moment, he considered calling after her. He thought better of it.

The king himself?

He watched her disappear further down the corridor, his expression unreadable.

Who, precisely, was that woman?

He had heard that his bride-to-be had arrived at the palace.

Perhaps she was one of the noble ladies accompanying Princess Giselle.

Whatever her identity, she had certainly made an impression, though not one he was particularly pleased to have received.

With a faint shake of his head, Ivan continued towards his private apartments.

Jasvella, meanwhile, carried on with her journey, entirely oblivious to the identity of the man she had just encountered.

Jasvella sat before her dressing table while Mina attended to her hair.

The morning was relatively quiet, save for the occasional chirping of birds beyond the open windows and the soft rustling of Mina's movements.

Her thoughts, however, were far from quiet. The days that followed had left her thinking on what the next step should be.

She had not forgotten the conversation she had shared with Giselle.

Her sister's confession about Cole Winston, the Duke of Seine, had lingered in her mind.

Neither could she forget the fear in Giselle's voice when she warned her against involving their father.

Jasvella sighed.

There had to be something she could do. Surely, she could not simply watch her sister surrender the man she loved to a marriage she did not desire.

Her gaze drifted towards the window. Then, quite suddenly, an idea occurred to her.

She straightened in her chair.

A slow, mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

"Mina, that shall do for now. Step aside, please."

Mina paused, looking at her mistress through the mirror.

"Is something the matter, Your Highness?"

"Nothing at all," Jasvella replied, rising from her seat. "I wish to see my sister."

Without offering any further explanation, she made her way towards the door.

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Giselle was in her apartments when Jasvella arrived. She was seated near the window, occupied with a book, when her younger sister entered.

"Good morning, Giselle."

Giselle looked up and smiled faintly.

"Good morning, Jasvella. What brings you here so early?"

Jasvella closed the door behind her and approached.

"I have been thinking about you."

"About me?"

"Indeed. And I have come to a conclusion."

Giselle placed her book aside, regarding her sister with curiosity.

"Whatever is it?"

"I have decided that I shall accompany you to Zuzyx."

Giselle blinked in surprise.

"Accompany me?"

"Yes. You cannot expect me to allow you to travel to an unfamiliar kingdom all by yourself."

"But I shall not be alone. Rue will be with me, as will the royal attendants."

"That is hardly the same thing," Jasvella replied, taking a seat. "I am your sister. Surely, you would prefer to have someone familiar beside you."

Giselle considered this. The thought of travelling to a kingdom where she knew so few people had already made her uneasy.

Having Jasvella with her would certainly make the experience less daunting.

"That would be rather comforting," she admitted.

"Then it is settled."

Giselle smiled.

"I suppose it is."

Jasvella returned her smile, concealing the thoughts that lay beneath her seemingly innocent suggestion.

She had no intention of telling Giselle that she planned to seek an audience with Ivan and demand that he put an end to the marriage.