Page 5

Kauvras.

Miles bolted, hurtling through the bathing room door within half a second as the scrape of the guards’ boots sounded just outside. “Of course, your Majesty,” one of them said, the door swinging open to reveal Kauvras’ form in the doorway. The Rebel King of Cabillia. My captor.

Parts of him looked so much like his son. So much like Calomyr.Belin.The set of his shoulders, his steady gait. I had to remind myself not to freeze under Kauvras’ sapphire stare.

“My beautiful Petra,” he cooed, his face lighting with an almost boyish joy. It took everything in me not to look toward the bathing room door as he stepped toward me. “Did you sleep well?”

I stayed silent, wide eyed as he stared down at me. I debated telling him about the man hiding in the bathing room, debated using what little sway I may have had over mybetrothedto have Miles thrown in the dungeon. But I kept my mouth shut, thinking only of the note, of the answers only Miles could have as Kauvras continued staring down at me with eyes of molten sapphire.

Somewhere in me, my fire smoldered. Should I let it flare and end Kauvras’ life? It didn’t sound like a bad idea. But something stopped me, something in the way he looked at me.

“Oh, darling, don’t be shy,” he crooned, reaching for my hands. “The Saints finally led you to me.” I recoiled at his touch, my hands going limp in his grasp. “We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.” His eyes shone with something unstable, something unhinged and erratic, but there was something else there, though I couldn’t figure out what. It made my skin crawl and sent a chill up my spine so shuddersome that I had to look away. “Breakfast will arrive for you soon,” he continued, “and your gown soon after. The seamstresses worked on it all night.”

That boyish joy stayed constant on his face. It almost made me feel sorry for him, almost as if that joy were innocence thrown like a threadbare blanket over something rotten and decaying. “Apologies for keeping you in this room. You don’t seem to understand yet that you can’t run from your fate. We’ll be married before nightfall.”

Shit.The candle. I prayed he didn’t look behind me to where the only piece of my possible salvation lay on the bed, the pieces of parchment still folded next to it.Shit shit shit.

“Water,” I blurted. “I’d like water. Please.”Just get out of here.

He nodded. “Of course, my dear. I’ll have some brought to you at once. And I will see you at the altar, my future queen.” He sketched a bow, slipping through the doorway.

I was still frozen in place as one of the guards — unmasked — reached in to shut the door, but not before looking at me and giving me a curt nod.

The note had said that those who guarded my room were my…protectors. Was that nod supposed to mean something?

Silence settled as I rushed to stash the note and candle beneath the pillow. The masked Lieutenant stepped back into the room.

“I hadn’t met him,” he whispered, glancing warily toward the door. “Before yesterday, I’d never even seen him in person. I didn’t know he was the Invisible King’s father. And I didn’t know that he was so…”

“Mad?” I whispered back, my own gaze not breaking from the door. “He’s fuckingmad. And you serve him. Blindly.”

The ram turned to face me. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice grave. “I’m sorry I did this to you.”

The apology bounced off me, the words meaningless in the face of their consequences. All I could do was stare at him. “Did you get your answers?” I whispered.

I had never wished for that stupid fucking mask to be gone more than this moment. He stared at me from behind the metal, something rippling off of him that I couldn’t place. It was thick, weighted with words he hadn’t said, and I knew he wouldn’t.

“Go,” I said flatly.

“Use the candle,” he breathed, “even if it’s…” He swallowed hard, the scar beneath his chin bobbing. “Even if it’s in his chambers.”

My stomach bottomed out at his words, bumps rising on my skin at the thought as he slipped out the door, leaving me in the sickening silence of reality.

? ? ?

Three pieces of fruit. I’d make myself eat at least three pieces of fruit. I stared at the tray of breakfast that had been delivered to my room, trying to work up the nerve to bring the fork to my mouth. I fought down two strawberries and a chunk of melon, but let the eggs go cold. I stared at the mug of water, its surface rippling as I sat motionless.

Think, Petra.Miles told me I could put the candle in the window of Kauvras’ room. But how the hell was I supposed to get it from my room to his without him seeing? I pushed away the plates in front of me, the fruit suddenly souring in my stomach as I considered what today would bring.

A knock on the door split my concentration and two small women entered, one on each end of a rolling rack, a massive garment bag hanging from the bar. “Your Majesty,” one of them said, bowing her head. I snorted at the word, the sound startling the two women. “Your gown.”

I didn’t say anything as they shuffled in, throwing the room’s wooden wardrobe open, hanging and unfurling the massive gown from its bag. I stared at the ruffles, at how similar it looked to the traditional Eserenian Initiation gown I had sewn for myself. I didn’t know where it had been taken after I peeled the bloody, crusted fabric from my body yesterday, but I was glad it was gone.

Except for the fact that it was back in the form of an equally monstrous wedding gown.

The women smoothed the garment, the fabric splayed across the floor as they straightened the train. “Eserenian crystals, from your home,” one of the women said quietly, pointing to the tiny stones affixed to the bodice. “Hand-sewn, your Majesty. Feel free to inspect them yourself. As closely as you wish.” The two women quickly bowed their heads and left me staring as they slipped from the room. I stalked to the bed, pulling the thin pillow back to reveal where I’d hidden the candle and note.

We’ve been waiting a long time for you.I read the words over and over. Was I the only person in the entire fucking world who had never heard of the prophesied Daughter of Katia? And was nobody waiting for the Daughter of Rhedros? I tucked the note back under the pillow, starting for the gown hanging in the wardrobe, the gown that symbolized my fate.