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“You’re…better.”
She attempted a smile. “A man came down with a healer last night. They gave me medicine, and the healer looked half dead by
the time he was finished with me.”
I handed her the bread and cheese I’d stolen from the kitchen, nodding at Demos as I pressed his bundle through the bars.
He nodded back, falling on the food. Ever since Tibris had worked on his arm, Demos had gained weight, his appetite returning.
Letting myself into Asinia’s cell, I sat in front of her. She looked much, much healthier than I’d ever hoped for. Her eyes were bright, and even as thin as she was, she was sitting up by herself, tearing off a hunk of bread.
“I’m sorry,” we both said, and she laughed. The sound was incredibly out of place down here, but it felt good to hear it from her.
“I thought you were bad at lying.” I attempted a smile. And yet, she’d kept the same secret I had. And neither of us had ever known.
“I never let myself think about it,” she admitted. “It didn’t feel like lying, because in my mind, my power didn’t exist. I’d buried it so deep, I never dared think about it unless I was alone in my bed at night.”
I’d done the same until recently, when I’d finally realized nothing was going to change and I needed to prepare to run.
“What was your plan, Asinia? For the Gifting?”
She gave me a shaky smile. “I figured I’d be executed then. But some part of me thought I could escape to the city, maybe pay someone to replicate the blue mark and disappear. Or get on a ship to someplace new. There are places where we would be safe. I know there are. What were you going to do?”
“I think some part of me always knew I’d run. I’d hoped for a miracle, but I’d known one day I’d have to flee the village. Once they found me, my plan was the same as yours. I was going to get to the city and get on a ship.”
“But you came here instead.”
“The moment I learned you’d been taken, my plans changed.”
“Even if…even if I don’t get out, it means everything that you tried.” “You’re getting out.”
She attempted a smile, but her expression crumpled. “They killed my mother,” she whispered.
I pulled her into my arms. “I know,” I said. “And I swear to you, they’ll pay.”
“And your mother.”
“Yes.” I hadn’t allowed myself to mourn her properly, because I knew if I thought about her too much, if I considered her last moments…
“Pris?”
Her voice was barely a whisper, but I shook my head. “Call me Setella. Tibris is Loukas,” I murmured into her ear. “Don’t say Vicer’s name at all.”
She pulled away, her mouth falling open. “Ti…Loukas is here?”
“Oh yes. He’s the reason you’re alive. He was healing you a little each day, but you kept getting worse. It was…”
“Like your father. Gods, it must have reminded him of…”
Of trying desperately to keep our father alive. Only now he knew it wasn’t because our magic had been sacrificed to the gods. It was all for the king’s greed.
I wanted Sabium dead more than I’d ever wanted anything before. In my quiet moments, I fantasized about it.
“Who was the man who helped me last night?”
I had a feeling I knew. I lowered my voice until it was nothing but a whisper. “What did he look like?”
“I didn’t see him. He stayed hidden, but I could hear the healer murmuring to him.”
My throat tightened, and I took a deep breath. He’d come through for me. Even after I’d left him alone in the king’s chamber.
“His name is Lorian. He’s a mercenary. Don’t worry about him.”
Asinia’s eyes were already growing heavy. “Eat a little more before you sleep.” I pushed the bread toward her.
She took it, absently shoving it into her mouth. Something in my chest relaxed at the sight of her eating. She’d lost so much weight, her dress was gaping on her.
“What day is it?” she asked around her next mouthful.
I knew what she was asking. My heart was being squeezed in my chest. “You’re not going to burn, Asinia. I’m going to get you out of here.”
“Don’t forget about me,” Demos muttered, and I turned to look at him.
He’d pressed himself up against the bars, still listening to our every word. When I frowned at him, he shrugged unrepentantly. He looked better too. Even with the scant amount of food we’d been able to bring him.
“I won’t forget about you,” I said seriously. He stared at me for a long moment, and then he smiled. I had that vague feeling of recognition again.
“I have to get back,” I whispered. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Asinia hugged me, and it was a long time before she finally let go.
Leaving her in that cell when she’d been out of her mind with fever had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. Leaving her there when she was alert, her lower lip trembling…
“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Demos said gruffly.
Asinia firmed her mouth. “I don’t need you to keep an eye on me.”
He ignored her. I nodded my thanks, and she gave me a betrayed look. I didn’t know what exactly had happened between them, but obviously Asinia wasn’t pleased by her neighbor.
I froze time and opened the dungeon door.
The guards were standing, one of them gesturing to the spot on his belt where the keys should be hanging. The other was frowning at him from his place against the wall. I sucked in a sharp breath.
I dropped the keys on the floor behind the guard. Then I memorized the standing guard’s face. He was likely to keep a close eye on those keys now. I could no longer risk visiting Asinia when he was one of the guards on
duty. I cursed myself as I walked back toward my rooms. I’d taken too long in the dungeon. And I couldn’t afford to make mistakes like that.
At the last moment, I headed left instead of right, moving toward Lorian’s rooms. Since he was already irritated with me, I knocked.
He opened the door, grabbed my arm, and hauled me into his room. “Not sneaking in tonight, wildcat?”
Gods, this man annoyed me.
“I came to thank you. For what you did for Asinia. And, ah, sorry for leaving you last night.”
He slowly shook his head. “You’re not sorry.”
“You don’t know that,” I said sullenly. Of course I wasn’t sorry. But I was grateful he’d followed through on his promise.
He just smiled. My lower lip stuck out. “You deserved it.”
His smile widened. And then I was in his arms, pressed against the door. His mouth was so close to mine, tingles of anticipation swept through my body. I watched him, wide-eyed, enraptured, desperate to see what he would do next.
Lorian raised one hand, leaning close and tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. His finger brushed the shell of my ear, and I shivered.
His eyes heated. And he did it again.
I sighed, and he captured the sound with his mouth, his tongue thrusting deep.
His growl was so low, it was more of a rumble, and my nipples hardened. My tongue twined with his until I was clawing at him, dragging him closer. He lifted me in his arms, and I wrapped my legs around him, holding him close. He was hard and thick as he settled between my thighs, rocking against me.
My mind went blank. And I moaned.
He pulled away long enough to curse, and then his huge hand was cradling my head, his lips were pressed against my throat, and his warm breath danced along my skin. He nuzzled a spot on the side of my neck, and I arched.
“You taste so sweet. Will you taste this sweet everywhere?”
The thought of him tasting me there made me groan, and he cursed again, his mouth dragging up my neck until he found my lips once more.
I wanted him. No, I needed him. Now, now, now, now—
The door vibrated against my back. Lorian pulled away, and I buried my hand in his hair in an attempt to pull him back.
Amusement flickered through his eyes. Amusement, and something darker.
“The next time you’re in my arms like this, you’re mine,” he whispered.
More knocking thumped on the door behind me. That was what the sound had been.
I pulled my magic to me, and the knocking instantly cut off.
“Prepare yourself, Prisca,” Lorian said. “Because I’m out of patience.”
I wriggled in Lorian’s arms, ignoring the way my heart thundered at the thought. “Down,” I demanded.
He complied, and I peered up at him. “This was a mistake.”
If I’d thought he’d be annoyed by my declaration, I was wrong. He just gave me a faint smile, opened the door, and pushed me out. I slid past the messenger, who had a piece of parchment in one hand. Rising on tiptoes, I attempted to see just what that parchment said.
“Prisca.”
I sighed and stalked down the hall toward my rooms. And a cold bath.
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The next morning, I woke to a valeo next to my bed. I had no idea how Tibris had smuggled the fruit in to me, but I appreciated it just the same.
I spent the morning by the queen’s side, boredom tugging at me as I counted down the hours until I could escape. Thankfully, breakfast was taken in her chambers, and the other ladies gossiped quietly while the queen looked on. Finally, she dismissed us.
Tibris met me outside, taking my arm. Just two siblings out for a stroll. He’d been granted permission for a single hour of freedom, and only
because he was seen as such a hard worker. My stomach churned at the thought of the long hours he was working while I ate pastries with the queen.
We’d decided to take a roundabout route to Vicer’s, just in case anyone followed us. It was unlikely, but we were taking no chances.
He squeezed my arm gently as we walked out the castle gates. “What’s wrong?”
I sighed. “It’s just… You’re working so hard.”
Tibris gave me an incredulous look. “Pris, I’m working with people like us. People who came from villages to work in the castle. People who’d never imagined how much magic there was here. People who think the gods favor the king’s court and we villagers suffer because we’re simply not worthy.”
I threw up my hands as we rounded a corner. Above us, a woman hung clothes to dry on her balcony while a drunk lay below her in the alley. We were getting closer to the slums.
“You’re making my point.”
Tibris shook his head. “You deal with people who believe—down to their bones—that the gods find them worthier than us. The people who mock us villagers. The people who would stab one another in the back just to get closer to the king. So don’t feel sorry for me, Pris. I’d take a hundred more days of stacking wine bottles cheerfully if it meant I could avoid dealing with the courtiers.”
We both kept our heads down as we walked past a group of guards stationed on the street. According to Vicer, the city guards rotated through various locations each day. But the worst were the random searches. I glanced over at the man who had his arms out while the guards mocked him, searching for anything that could give them an excuse to lock him up.
My body went hot, and I itched to freeze all of the guards and teach them a lesson. “I hate this place.”
Tibris sighed. “I know.”
Even more access to magic couldn’t dull the fact that life in the city was even worse than life in the villages for many people here. I understood now–why Rythos had told me there were those in this city using fae fire right under the king’s nose. It was a small way to rebel, but a rebellion just the same. Sometimes, you had to take your victories where you could find them.
Then I was stumbling as Tibris shoved me into an alley. I opened my mouth, and he held his finger to his lips.
I went still. “What is it?” I mouthed.
He turned his head, and I watched as a group of merchants walked by, likely heading toward the market. Behind them, Madinia followed, a scowl on her face as she squinted into the distance.
Why had she been following us?
After a few moments, we crept out of the alley.
“We have to move quickly in case she circles back around,” Tibris said, his expression hard. We trotted down the street and took the next left. Ahead of us, Madinia continued to walk, clearly scanning the street for us. Was she just curious? Did she want to find something to pass on to the queen? Or had I said something to make her suspicious?
Tibris knocked, and Vicer immediately opened the door, obviously expecting us. He waved us inside, and we followed him into the kitchen. Unfortunately, Margie was nowhere to be seen. Vicer leaned against the wall, hands on his hips.
His expression was serious, his eyes solemn. So different from the village boy I’d once known.
“How’s Asinia?”
I smiled. “She’s doing better.”
Tibris’s mouth twisted. “With a little help from Prisca’s mercenary friend. But she’s still not healthy enough to travel.”
Vicer crossed his arms at the mercenary friend part. “Explain.”
I chafed at the order. Telling Vicer everything I knew about Lorian would only make him more curious. And if Lorian found out, there was no way he would help me.
“I traveled with him. He needed my powers at the city gates, so he kept me alive and then we went our separate ways. I don’t know why he’s at the castle.”
Vicer opened his mouth, but I’d already moved on.
“The man responsible for the carriages,” I said. “Rothnic Boria. Is there any chance he could be bribed?”
Vicer shook his head. “He is one of the king’s most ardent supporters. His magic has made him one of the richest men in the kingdom. He could live anywhere, and yet he stays at court.”
“How do the carriages work?”
“All of the horseless carriages are on loan from the king. While noble families are given permission to borrow them, each month they must be returned to the king and the magic renewed. It’s seen as a status symbol to be allowed to borrow them. A sign of the king’s favor. According to our spies, the royal carriages are all spelled from a single map in the carriage- maker’s study. Another way for the king to keep track of who the courtiers are visiting.”
The carriages wouldn’t work. But I’d figure out another way. I had to. A feral kind of determination settled in my chest.
Vicer was studying my face. “What is it, Pris?”
“It’s not enough to get Asinia and Demos out. I’m going to free them all.”
Vicer gaped at me. Tibris just clenched his teeth. He’d known this was coming. Our discussion about it had been in low, hissed voices, both of us brimming with frustration.
“You can’t,” Vicer said. For the first time, he seemed vaguely shocked.
But something in me had awakened now. Something that needed to see all those prisoners free. Something that screamed for retribution. “Think about it. If I’m getting two people out, we can expand the plan and get them all out.”
“You say it like it’s easy. Like we haven’t been trying for years.”
“Two weeks before Gods Day, the king is holding another ball. According to the queen, some of the village representatives will be staying until Gods Day. Think of the blow it would be for them to witness his entire dungeon escaping. Think of the representatives who would carry that news back to their villages. And think of the people just like us who would have hope for the first time.”
Vicer’s mouth twisted. “You make it sound so simple. What are those people supposed to do when we get them out? Where are they going to go?” I lifted my chin. “I’ve been watching the prisoners. Talking to some of them. The younger children…they mostly don’t survive the dungeon. Most of those who are still alive can pass for twenty-five winters. They get a blue
mark, and they’re free.”
Vicer burst out laughing, holding up his hands. “Well then, in that case, it should all be fine.” The laughter faded from his voice. “Did you miss the part where Tibris told you he was saving for years just to get a blue mark for you?”
I glanced at Tibris. He winced.
“You mentioned there are other options. Now’s the time to start exploring them. I know it’s risky. Tibris and I will do everything we can. But there must be someone who can help.”
Vicer’s expression remained stony. “Even if I could work such a miracle, that person couldn’t handle three hundred prisoners in one night.”
He wasn’t saying it was impossible. A flicker of hope ignited within me, glowing like one of those blue-green stones in the hybrid market. “We get them out of the city. The prisoners will disperse, travel in groups. They’ll know where to go and when, so your contact can reach them all.”
Tibris spoke quietly. “And what about those too young to pass as twenty-five winters?”
“They get the mark anyway. And they receive some kind of charm to make it invisible.” I threw up my hands. “They grow their hair long. They hide for a few years until they can pass. But once they can, they’re free. They can settle somewhere and start a new life.”
Vicer closed his eyes. He wanted it. I knew he did. Yet, Vicer lived here. He understood what was possible and what wasn’t.
But maybe… maybe we all needed a push. Just once. Maybe saving these people was worth everything. I could justify it with the embarrassment it would cause the king, the hope it would give other hybrids… but three hundred lives were enough. That was all the justification I needed.
“I can’t leave those people there to die, Vicer. I don’t have it in me.”
Not Lina, with her solemn eyes. Not Dashiel, who deserved his vengeance. Not Demos, Asinia, or any other prisoner would be left behind. Not while I still drew breath.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “The moment I saw you again, I knew you were going to complicate everything.” Finally, he heaved a sigh. “I’m not agreeing to anything except helping you set it up. If I think it’s too dangerous, I have the right to say no. At any time.”
Victory flashed through me, and I fought to keep my expression blank. “Fine.”
Some of the tension left his shoulders, and he leaned against the wall. “If we could do this…”
I grinned. “Who is in charge of the guards on the city walls?” “The king.”
Tibris nodded, picking up my thought. “Surely there’s someone beneath him who oversees the guards.”
“Patriarch Farrow.”
One of the men most loyal to the king. I sighed. “Who works beneath him?”
Vicer shrugged. “I’ll look into it. But you’re right. If we’re going to get our people out, we need to get them as far from the city as possible and have anyone who agrees to help with the marks meet them elsewhere. I’ll find out who oversees the guards at the city walls.”
I nodded. “One more thing. I need another charm for my eyes. They’re lightening more each day.”
Vicer winced. “The woman we usually buy the charms from had to flee the city. Another was just killed.”
My chest tightened until it was difficult to take a full breath. Without a charm, my eyes were noticeable. It was a risk we couldn’t afford to take.
Tibris went still. “So, we’ll find someone else.”
“The charms are becoming difficult to find. Changing your eye color is the latest trend. Charms are being fixed on to bracelets, rings, earrings…”
“I’m trusting you with my sister,” Tibris hissed. I reached out and squeezed his arm, unused to such a tone from him.
Vicer held up a hand. “I know. Just keep your head down, Pris, and I’ll have a new necklace for you in a few days.”
Not for the first time, I hated the strange color of my eyes.
“We need to go. One of the queen’s other ladies followed us here,” I said. Who knew if she was wandering around, hoping to glimpse us again?
The walk back to the castle was long, but it gave me time to think.
“I know you want to get them out, Pris,” Tibris said when the castle came into view. “But…just think before you do anything that could get you arrested. I…I can’t lose you too.”
Something in my chest wrenched. “I know. I will. We’ll figure it out.
Together.”
He nodded, and I headed to my room, my mind replaying the curiosity in Vicer’s eyes when he learned about Lorian.
I couldn’t blame him. I was curious too.
I knew Lorian wasn’t the Gromalian Prince. He’d slept on the ground next to me. He’d stayed in the kinds of inns only villagers could afford. And he fought like someone who enjoyed it. Not just because he was trained.
And sometimes when he fought, he moved faster than the eye could see. Maybe that was his power.
It would certainly explain a lot.
Lorian must look similar to the real Gromalian prince. But the moment the Gromalian royals learned what was happening, the ruse was up. Lorian and the others were dead. My body turned cold at the thought.
Unless the Gromalian prince was incapacitated. I’d traveled with the mercenaries to the Gromalian border. The fae handed Lorian a vial. It was possible the fae either kidnapped or killed the real prince and Lorian took his place.
In that case, the Gromalians wouldn’t even know their prince was gone, unless someone who knew the prince interacted with Lorian.
I swallowed at the thought of that much brutality. But the fact remained that without Lorian’s help, Asinia could be dead now. I owed him.
And still, I needed to be careful. I didn’t know what his power was…or much of anything about him.
But I knew when he touched me, as he did last night, I felt like I was flying. Guilt coiled in my stomach, and I pushed open the door to my chambers.
Daselis was waiting. “The seamstress will be here soon.” Hello to you too. “The seamstress?”
“The queen said you need a few new dresses. Something fashionable for the balls. You may as well undress now.”
A few minutes later, I was wrapped in a bath sheet, the seamstress casting a critical eye over me. She was an older woman with a slightly hunched back and deep frown lines.
“Drop the sheet.”
Thankfully, Daselis and Erea had made themselves scarce. The seamstress began her measurements. And I turned my attention on the mirror in front of me.
My heart pounded as I met my own eyes. The charm on my necklace was no longer working at all.
“One of the queen’s other ladies had to leave town suddenly before picking up her dresses. I can tailor them for you. I’ll work on hers in the coming weeks.”
I barely hid a wince. Guilt stabbed into me at the thought of the woman who’d rushed back to her village.
“Thank you. What’s your name?”
The seamstress angled her head from where she was measuring my waist. “Telean.”
“I’m Setella.”
She just nodded. When she stepped back, our eyes met.
And the blood slowly drained from her face. “Your eyes are beautiful.” I cleared my throat, glancing away. “Thank you.”
My heart skipped several beats and then began to race. Had she seen one of the pieces of parchment that were likely circulating with my face and description on them. I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.
Any minute now, she would run from the room and alert the guards. I forced myself to meet her gaze. “Please,” I got out.
She just shook her head, leaning over and handing me the bath sheet. “I’m finished.”
Her expression twisted in something that might’ve been grief, and then she was walking out the door.
I did nothing to stop her.
