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I glance up at the moth.Where?I mouth.

The moth flutters around again, then lands on a section of the forest near the shore of a lake named Gorre.

“Here?” I whisper, pointing to it. “Are you sure?”

It lifts its wings once in assent, the closest way a metallic moth can come to a shrug, I suppose.

“Right,” I mutter.

Now I just need to lose my retinue of guards, get out through one of the gates alone, and ride all the way to Vorgium without a single person noticing.

CHAPTER 24

The next morning, I stalk through the castle halls at a fast clip, dressed warmly in a cloak lined with hidden daggers. An insane idea is blooming in my mind, a plan that may get me killed, but one I can’t let go of. And isn’teveryonein the resistance here risking their lives? Isn’t Meriadec risking his life right now? I’m not waiting around forever, secluded in a giant royal library, while all my allies die.

I glance over my shoulder at the retinue of guards following me and flash them a placid smile. Since I married Talan, the number of guards following me around has nearly quadrupled. Not all of them report to Talan, though. Some are members of the King’s Watch. They are here to report on me more than to protect me.

There are too many of them to mind-control. Even controlling one person feels as if my mind might shatter, and I don’t want to try my chances with more than that. I clench my fists under the heavy weight of my winter cloak, refusing to show the tension in my face.

I’ll have to shake them off the old-fashioned way. Usually, I’d wait until nightfall, then maybe leave through my window, like I did before. But since the night of the flaming arrows,the nighttime patrols have been extra vigilant. And besides, the Vorgium Forest is unfamiliar ground, and I’d rather ride there during daylight.

As I walk closer to the kitchen, the smell of roasting venison reaches my nostrils. I step through wide stone arches into a vast, tiled hall with a towering hearth and catch the eye of a servant.

“Your Highness.” She curtsies.

“I need a slab of venison,” I tell her. “The bigger, the better.”

She blinks. “A slab of venison?”

“That’s what I said.” I speak with the sharp impatience of a royal.

She hurries away. I glance back at one of my guards and roll my eyes, as if sharing my exasperation with him. He frowns in confusion but says nothing.

The server returns with a parcel wrapped in brown paper. The package is slightly damp. “Sorry, I don’t have thicker wrapping.”

“I come from the farms. I’m not squeamish about a bit of deer meat.” I take the packaged meat from her. It’s quite heavy. Good.

When I get outside with the venison, I take the fastest route to the Lost Palace, marching straight out the back gate and onto the winding path.

As soon as my guards realize where I’m going, one hurries to block my way. His cheeks and nose have gone red in the cold, and snowflakes hang in his blond eyebrows. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but the prince isn’t with the dragon anymore. He’s left Brocéliande for the day.”

I frown up at him. “I know that. This is why I’m going. Tarasque is still healing. The king’s favorite dragon needs the finest meat.” I circle around him and keep walking over the snowy path.

“But Your Highness,” he says, striding after me, “only the prince is allowed near the dragon. You mustn’t go there without him. It’s very dangerous.”

“I am the prince’s wife,” I say cooly. “In fact, I rode Tarasque not long ago. She trusts me, and I can certainly give her a snack.”

“Perhaps I should consult with the prince before I allow you to do take such a risk.”

I cock my head. “You want to interrupt the prince’s war efforts in Scotland to ask if his wife can visit his pet?”

His cheeks redden more. “No, I suppose not. But if you go in there, we can’t protect you from assassination attempts.” His voice is rising higher, tinged with panic. “We can’t go near the dragon.”

“Of course you can’t go near the dragon.” I walk faster. “And neither can the assassins. I don’t need your protection while I’m with Tarasque because she’s all the protection I need.”

By this point, we’re a dozen strides from the large structure. The guard grabs my arm, his fingers tightening. “Your Highness.”

I turn slowly and face him. “Do you really need me to remind you what happened the last time a guard laid his hands on me?”