The Forced Lesson
The loud scrape of iron chains woke me from a bad sleep.
My bedchamber door swung open with a loud thud. Cold morning air rushed into the dark room.
Cassian stood in the doorway in his heavy black steel armor. His sword hung low on his belt. His face looked like carved stone in the pale morning light.
"Get up Arianna," Cassian said in a cold flat voice.
I pulled my heavy blanket up to my chin. "Where are you taking me now?"
"You sit in this bed like a blind target," Cassian said, stepping inside the room. "You do not know the court laws. You do not know how Duke Varn plays his mind games."
He reached down and grabbed my grey cloak off the wooden table. He tossed it right onto my lap.
"Put it on," Cassian commanded. "You are going to learn how this court works."
I
