Page 10 of A Court of Truth and Thorns (Royal Scout #2)

VIOLET

V iolet raced through the corridors of the Order’s underground.

Her breath came in ragged, uneven waves, her vision blurring at the edges.

Her limbs caught on the occasional brother or sister who appeared in her path, like clothing tangling in thorns.

She paid them no mind. Coming to the door of Brother Joshua’s office, she leaned her shoulder against the thick wood and shoved.

The unlocked door swung open. The office stood empty. Violet spun on her heels and sprinted away, aiming toward the suites she’d visited only once.

More people appeared in her way now. Voices called her name. Hands reached. She dodged them all. Skidding to a halt before the Messenger’s sacred rooms, she shoved her shoulder against the door the way she had at Brother Joshua’s office.

It was locked. The living crystals studding the doorframe cast gorgeous arcs of color that seemed out of place beneath the ground.

Violet had eyes only for the red. The color of blood and fury.

She banged on the wood with her first. “Open the door!” she shouted, ignoring the pain in her hand. “Open—”

The door opened and Brother Joshua’s disapproving face appeared before her. “What in the Goddess’s name—” he started to say, letting out an oomph as Violet tried and failed to push past him.

“Calm down, one and all,” the Messenger’s deeper voice sounded from within the chamber. “Is that Violet, Joshua? Let my Child inside.”

Joshua obediently rotated aside, giving Violet a direct line to Bishop Bahir.

She walked forward. Behind her, the door shut with a deafening click. The Messenger’s suites looked even bigger than they had last time, the miniature Eye of the Goddess glowing like the sun. The fight that had carried Violet through the corridors like a crazed animal waned.

Bahir stood and extended both hands to her. “What’s happened, Child?” he asked kindly. “Tell me.”

Violet’s mouth was dry, the words refusing to form.

This was the Goddess’s own Messenger standing before her.

She loved him. And he loved her. This was folly.

It had to be. The bishop dealt in love, not death.

He knew nothing about her father’s murder.

The news would shock him, as it had her.

If that whisperer girl’s words were even true.

“My father—” she started, and the Messenger smiled.

“I’m here, Child.”

“No,” she shook her head, “my birth father. King Firehorn. Is he...” Words failed her.

The king’s head sits on a flagpole , Leaf had told her.

But the girl was a whisperer, still tainted by the Dark God’s touch.

She was lying. She had to be lying. “Is my birth father well?” Violet asked finally .

“He is,” Bahir said immediately, guiding Violet to a plush sofa.

Relief flooded Violet’s body. She sagged against Bahir, the tears suddenly breaking free of their well and flowing freely down her face. The rich fabric of Bahir’s long robes soothed her skin. He stroked her hair. Violet struggled for control of her voice. “Can I see him?” she managed finally.

“Easy, easy, Child. I’ve the greatest of news to share with you.” The Messenger’s hand came around her shoulders. “Brother Joshua and I were just discussing it when you joined us so fortuitously.”

Violet closed her eyes, praying for the Goddess’s forgiveness. She should have known Leaf’s lie for what it was at once. But Violet hadn’t; she’d doubted the Goddess’s chosen. She deserved the horrid minutes of panic she’d felt. But the penance was over now.

Violet took a shaking breath. “You’ve news, Father?”

“You know that the Dark God once had a powerful hold on King Firehorn. You’ve known for some time now, sensed it in your blood. You even felt the tipping point of his soul and spoke to me of it. The Goddess guided your hand. Do you remember?”

She nodded warily. “The conversation with the Everett envoy, you mean?”

“That was the tipping point, yes. The greatest of dangers. From that moment on, I worked tirelessly to save Firehorn. The Goddess stays with all of her children, and while there is hope, I fight for each life. I prayed. We all did.” He gestured with an open palm at the other man.

“Brother Joshua held a vigil for King Firehorn’s soul. Was that not good of him?”

Violet spared a quick glance at Joshua and mumbled, “Thank you.” Her muscles tensed again .

Bahir smiled. “The battle for King Firehorn’s soul was a hard one, Child. But I am pleased to tell you that we were victorious in the end. King Firehorn accepted the Goddess into his heart and she welcomed him to her. They are together now.”

Violet blinked through her tears, not quite understanding. “My birth father is with the Goddess?” she repeated.

He smiled again. Nodded. Ice shredded Violet’s heart. Her father was dead; that’s what Bahir meant. And Violet was supposed to celebrate the salvation of his soul instead of mourning the loss of his body.

Dead. Dead. Dead. She’d trusted the Messenger and he’d allowed her father to die.

“How did he die, exactly?” Violet breathed.

“By the Goddess’s hand,” Bahir’s tone chided.

“What more do you need to know?” He sighed.

“I feel your uncertainty, Child; I hear the questions the Dark God seeds in your thoughts. You must fight them, Violet. Do not let evil slip into your heart and darken your eyes now. Use your mind. The sacred knowledge I’ve granted you.

Would you wish for your birth father to suffer in the underworld, or to live in the Goddess’s embrace? Tell me.”

Violet swallowed. “The embrace, of course.”

“And if your birth father wanted to give his life to save his soul and his country, would you tell him to stop?” Bahir demanded. “Would you sabotage his chance at salvation and damn his kingdom to punishment and evil’s triumph? Tell me.”

The ice in Violet’s heart dripped into her veins. “I’d want him happy,” she told the Messenger. “Him and all of Dansil.”

The Messenger smiled. “Of course you would. I know your heart is pure and that the call of the Goddess is strong in you. And so did your birth father. He died for a very important reason—to allow you to bring the Goddess’s love to the people of Dansil.

King Firehorn finally saw that which the Dark God had denied him seeing; he saw you , Violet.

The bright, pure, vibrant girl destined to save all of Dansil. ”

Ice. Violet was ice and snow and cold. She had no feelings. What manner of Goddess put a head on a spike?

Bahir squeezed her shoulder. “You know that you are vital to the Goddess’s work, do you not, my Child?

You know how smart you are? How much your faith matters in the final battle between the Goddess and the Dark God?

” Violet could only nod without thought.

“Of course you do.” The Messenger rose, straightening his robes.

“I think you’ve spent too little time in the sun.

Tomorrow you and I shall go back to the palace.

Brother Joshua will arrange to have your things moved. ”

Violet stiffened. No words came. But no feelings either. That was good.

“You will not be alone,” Bahir promised quickly. “You will never be alone again, my Child. I will stand by your side.”

The words that should have summoned comfort brought only a void. “What about my brother?” her voice asked.

Joshua and Bahir exchanged glances. “I fear the news on that front is not as fortunate,” said Bahir. “Prince William fell into the Dark God’s lure. We have people searching for him as we speak.”

“And then what?”

Bahir frowned. “We will show him the truth, of course. About the Goddess and the Dark God and the coming battle.”

A shiver ran down Violet’s spine, but she wiped the back of her hand across her face and stood. “If the king is with the Goddess and Wil is gone, who sits on Dansil’s throne?” she asked, straightening her dress the way Bahir had straightened his own robes .

“The throne belongs to the Goddess now,” said Bahir. “As her Messenger, I will translate her will for the Dansil people.” A smile. “And you, Child, will take your place by my side, a princess leading the people of Dansil by example and devotion.”