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“You aren’t just going to the Rift, are you?” I pulled his head back toward me with a finger under his chin.

Riven’s body froze against mine.

“I trust you, Riven,” I said earnestly. “If you can’t tell me, or think it’s better that you don’t... I trust you. Need to know, remember?” Of course, when I made that deal with him, I never expected us to be wrapped around each other the way we were.

“Need to know,” Riven echoed softly, his eyes closed as he nodded. We just held each other, Riven stroking my back, until the first notes of birdsong played from the trees. Their harmonies had almost lulled me back to sleep when Riven broke the silence.

“You were a surprise, Keera,” he whispered fiercely. “You were a wonderful, beautiful surprise. I never thought this would happen, but I’m glad it did.” His words were urgent and pressing, his grip on my waist tight.

“I’m glad too,” I answered. I wasn’t one for grand speeches. All I could offer was the truth and hope that would be enough.

He kissed me a final time. I couldn’t shake the feeling of farewell as he did so. I pressed my lips to the space between his brows. He pulled me into the crook of his neck and rubbed my back until I fell asleep. When I woke hours later, he was gone.

The suns had already risen above the tree line before I was packed and readying my horse. I had slept well past dawn, later than I remembered doing in a long time. My body felt refreshed. I was even excited to ride all the way to Mortal’s Landing.

Our plan was working and soon the king—the Crown—would topple.

For the first time ever, I was excited by the prospect of what would follow it.

I hummed to myself as I buckled the saddlebags to my ride. She was grazing on the brush at her feet. I took the time to brush the horse’s mane. We would have to bond over our five-day journey. I slipped her some oats from my pouch, laughing as her tongue tickled my fingers.

I was still wearing Riven’s tunic. His scent lingered on the linen. I pulled up my trousers and tucked it into the waistband. It was much too large for me, but I didn’t care. No one would be seeing me for days anyway.

I lifted a boot into the stirrup but caught a flicker of the mare’s ears. A twig snapped behind me.

I turned but it was too late.

I felt a prick on my arm. When I looked down there was a small red dart sticking out of my skin. My vision began to blur, and my legs gave out.

The last thing I saw before I passed out was someone walking over to me and placing a bag over my head.

IWAS IN A CARRIAGE,thrown in beside stores of food and grain. I could hear people outside riding on horseback. Several voices. Men. I tried to count how many, but my head was cloudy. It was like I was listening to them speak from underwater. My head ached from the strain until I gave up.

I could smell the scent of rosewood, damp earth, and fresh water. The ground beneath the carriage wheels was soft but laced with hard roots and gravel. We were in a wood, but I had no idea which one. I felt like I’d been asleep for weeks. My arms and legs were bound in rope. My back was stiff from laying in the same position as I struggled to sit up.

Something itched on my neck. I reached to scratch it with both of my bound hands. I pulled something out of the skin. A red dart. The same kind that I had used on the Shade at Silstra.

Sleeping draught.

But the dart that pricked me outside that cavern had been in my arm. Whoever had taken me had been keeping me unconscious for days. Maybe longer. I could be anywhere by now.

I fought against my bindings. The tight rope burned my flesh as I rubbed my wrists together trying to loosen the knot. I made no progress other than splitting the skin around my fingers until they bled. I knew my captors could hear me cursing at the ropes, but no one came to sedate me again. I didn’t know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

My body flung forward as the carriage came to a halt. I fell onto my bound wrists with a heavy jerk. Footsteps. Someone was approaching the doors to the carriage. I leaned back on my knees right beside the doors. I lifted my hands above my head, ready to strike.

The doors flew open, white light from the suns blinded me as I launched myself into whoever opened the door. It was a Halfling, only a bit taller than me. I used his shock to my advantage and shoved my elbows into his face. He fell with a scream, and someone knocked me to the ground from behind.

“Don’t hurt her,” a voice called out from nearby.

I froze. Not because the voice scared me, but because I recognized it.

Nikolai.

Someone held my shoulders down as Nikolai walked in front of me. His usual warm demeanor was gone, replaced with a stoic mask I had never seen him wear.

“Keera,” he said with a slight bow. I spat at him. He winced but did not move to strike me. He bit the inside of his cheek when he noticed the raw skin around my fingers and wrists. Nikolai held a hand to me, but I jerked backward. His arm stilled. There was a sadness in his face as he watched me, but I knew it was a lie.

Everything had been a lie.