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She hesitated but cleared her throat. “My name is Thora.”

We stared at each other for a long, awkward moment. But we didn’t have time for awkwardness. Perhaps we could skip that part.

“I would like to apologize,” I said. “I’m the reason you’re here. I wish I could tell you I had a noble reason for stealing you from your life. But the truth is, I used you as a pawn. I needed Rekja to distrust his father, and I knew he would suspect Eryndan of either hiding or killing you.”

Thora’s mouth thinned, but something flickered in her eyes. “I’ve never heard royalty apologize before.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Not even Rekja?”

She smiled, but it was sad. “No, not even Rekja. The truth is, the rumors of our relationship had already begun to make their way through the palace. Someone close to the prince had been blackmailing me. They learned Rekja was in love with me and then made it clear if I didn’t cooperate, I would be killed. When you had me kidnapped, I assumed my life was ending.”

I winced. “You must have been terrified. I’m sorry.”

Her smile turned genuine. “You should likelyapologize to the fae you sent. I almost killed two of them.”

I couldn’t help but grin. I liked this woman.

“I need to speak to Rekja,” I said. Already, I was using Thora again. But I had no other choice. “We have to work together if both of our kingdoms are going to survive.”

It was Thora’s turn to wince. “When he learns you were the one responsible for taking me…you’ll be lucky if he doesn’t attempt to kill you, Your Majesty. There’s no way you will be allowed within a thousand footspans of the castle.”

She frowned at Lorian.

A predatory gleam had slid into his eyes at her mention of my potential death, and I squeezed his arm.

“Call me Prisca,” I corrected absently. I could see her point. If someone took Lorian from me and then wanted to have aconversation…

“I may be able to help,” Daharak said from where she leaned against a mast nearby. She lifted her hand, and a familiar silver coin appeared in her palm.

The coin represented a favor owed to her by the Gromalian king. “I thought you used that when you helped Lorian and me get through the city.”

She smirked. “Since you were so sneaky and we used the cove to get you into Gromalia, I didn’t need to use it.”

“But Eryndan is dead.”

Thora shook her head, a smile playing around her mouth. “The coins—and the favors owed—pass from father to son. Rekja wouldn’t risk his honor being questioned, especially so soon after his father’s death. If you use the coin, he will see you. But he won’t be inThobirea. He hates that city. Loathes the castle.”

I thought of his father’s castle and the way Rekja had been forced to be a puppet for Eryndan. I couldn’t blame him for hating the place. “Where will he be?”

“Sorlithia.”

Lorian sighed. “A coastal city on the border between Eprotha and Gromalia,” he told me. “So far, we’ve done everything we can to avoid it.”

“He’ll be there,” Thora insisted. “I’ll attempt to convince him you helped us, but that coin will only get you in front of him. It won’t make him cooperate.”

We had no choice. We needed Rekja, and it wasn’t as if he was going to meet us anywhere else.

“Then that’s where we need to go.”

MADINIA

I had never been particularly good at persuading people to do what I wanted them to do.

Personally, I excelled at blackmail, manipulation, and sly coercion.

Unfortunately, those skills weren’t going to make these people leave Stillcrest’s camp and move toward safety. So, along with Vicer, I had begun my campaign to convince each and every man, woman, and child to leave this place before it was too late.

So far, I was having mixed results.