Page 33

Chapter 31

Morgana

T he prisoners’ families have already started returning to the square, searching for their dead around the blood-soaked platform. I can’t bear to watch as a mother cradles the limp body of her son, Liam, a boy I once played with in the fields around the village. I want to go to her, to tell her how sorry I am that I couldn’t save him, but my legs don’t seem to work.

In fact, nothing seems to work. I waver, my muscles sagging under me, until a strong hand takes my arm and leads me away from the platform.

“Ana,” he says. His familiar smell helps bring me back to myself, and I look up into Leon’s eyes, letting them ground me. “You need to hide your face now,” he says, gently tugging my hood back up.

“He got away, Leon,” I say, still dazed. “Sophos, he’s gone.”

“I know,” he says gently. He doesn’t say “I told you so” or remind me that he warned me against using my power for precisely this reason. Instead, he brushes my hair back under my hood, examining me. “You’re going to be okay, Ana.”

“I heard your voice,” I say. “In my head, with the music. How did you do that?”

“That would be Hyllus,” Leon says. “You were too close to Sophos for me to risk breaking up the earth under the platform—you could’ve gotten hurt. But when I saw Sophos using his aesteri power, I asked Hyllus to counteract it with his sensic magic. He can make people hear things that aren’t there, and I knew he was strong enough to block Sophos out. I might have also suggested he give you a little motivation while he was at it.”

I look around, searching for the rest of the unit.

“Are they all okay?” I ask.

Leon frowns, and my stomach drops.

“More or less,” he says.

“What does that mean?”

“Follow me.”

We leave the square, turning down the alleyway we hid in yesterday. The Holmses are there, clutching tight to each other, and the fae are gathered behind them. Stratton and Hyllus are holding a body between them. I let out a cry of alarm when I see it’s Eryx.

“Is he?—?”

“Just unconscious,” Leon assures me. The fae shift, and I see Eryx’s leg has been bound with a makeshift bandage, already streaked scarlet with blood. “I’ve pulled him pretty deep into some peaceful dreams to help him sleep through the pain until we can get him to a healer.”

I nod, relieved, then feel a small hand on my shoulder.

“Hey you” Tira says. Now we finally have a moment when we’re not dodging swords or spells, we pull each other into a hug so tight we’re both struggling for air at the end of it.

“I can’t believe you came back for me,” Tira says, grinning. “I was certain finding out you were a princess would make you too stuck-up to talk to me anymore.”

I laugh. I’m a bit delirious, but nothing makes me happier than to have her teasing me again.

“Well, I did consider not bothering,” I say. “But then I figured if you agreed to call me Your Majestic Loveliness I could find the time to swing by.”

“And your magic?” she asks excitedly. “That’s new.”

My smile slips from my face. “Yes,” I say cautiously, wondering how honest I should be. I don’t think Tira would choose the Temple over me, but a lifetime of teachings can be hard to shake.

“It’s celestial, isn’t it?”

I spin round to face Hale, surprised by his question.

“Yes,” I say. “How did you know?”

“I’ve seen it once before. When I was a boy.” He shakes his head. “It never made sense to me, what they say about it. If the gods are so powerful, how could a human steal from them?”

“Thank you,” I say, humbled by the acceptance Hale is offering me. The rest of his family relaxes too, and I’m warmed by their belief in me. “I wish you could explain that to the Temple,” I say. “We think that bearer, Sophos, has gotten away alive, and he saw me use my magic.”

Tira goes pale.

“Do you think he’ll be back?” Kit asks, looking between Leon and me.

“Your village being chosen for a purge wasn’t a coincidence,” Leon says. “But whatever trap they were laying for Ana failed. They might drop the whole idea now. Enough people have already died that they can claim punishment has been meted out. Other than saving face, what do they have to gain by returning?”

“But that bearer saw me kill the cleric,” Tira says. “The Temple knows I killed one of their own.”

Una’s face crumples. “Then you’re not safe here.”

“It might not be safe for any of us, Mom,” Tira replies, going to hold her. “You fought to protect me, and he saw that too.”

“But I’m the one who actually freed you and attacked him,” I say. “That’s what he’ll remember. There were a lot of people helping their families and neighbors in the fight. I doubt Sophos could keep track of all of them. It’s not like he lives here—he doesn’t know any of you.”

Alastor clears his throat. “It’s possible that once the dust settles, the Temple’s attention will be focused elsewhere. But you’re right, Tira, that the bearer is unlikely to forget you or your crime.”

Una releases a quiet sob, and Tira hugs her tighter.

“It’ll be okay, Mom. We’ll think of something.”

An idea occurs to me then, and I’m speaking before I can even stop to consider it.

“Come with me,” I say, grabbing Tira’s hand. “The Temple will be looking for me too, but we can hide together.”

Tira bites her lip.

“Where would we go?”

“I’m going to find Will Mercer. He’ll help us.”

“Will?” Kit asks.

“He was the head guard at Gallawing,” Una explains. “Before that awful man replaced him.”

I can see on Tira’s face the offer is a lifeline, but a terrifying one. She’s never lived outside Otscold. She’s never been separated from her family.

Una takes a shuddering breath.

“Will is an honorable man,” she says to Tira. “And he’s a soldier. He could keep you safe.”

Tira looks ready to protest, but I cut her off.

“It could just be for a little while, until we know it’s safe for you to come home. And I’ll watch out for her too,” I say to Tira’s parents. “I promise.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Hale says. “I won’t claim to know if your magic is from holy sources, Morgana, but I know today you acted with the will of the gods.” He looks at Tira, tears brightening his eyes. “You should go. But you must be careful, Tira.” At this, he throws a meaningful look at Leon’s unit. The Holmses might trust me, but things are different when it comes to fae.

Tira looks at her family as if she can’t believe they’re even discussing this. I hate to tear her away from them, but selfishly, the idea of having her with me gives me more hope than I’ve had in a long time. Besides, she can’t stay here.

“It doesn’t have to be forever,” I remind her.

“Alright,” Tira says weakly. She stops and composes herself, then nods with more determination. “Alright, I’ll go.”

“We should all go,” Alastor says. “We need to get a head start on anyone who might be looking for us, and poor Eryx here won’t be happy if he loses a leg because we stood around chit-chatting.”

“We’ll need fresh horses,” Leon says to me, giving Alastor a subtle shove away from the Holms family. “The ones we borrowed from that inn by the dock were run ragged trying to get us here before you did anything drastic.”

I picture blasting Sophos off the platform with my solari magic and wonder how much drastic action they really prevented in the end.

“The time we gained traveling by boat will be lost if we continue to dawdle. Help Tira collect what she needs, and I’ll come get you,” he says.

I suppose it would be too much to expect the boat captain to wait for us with all these Temple clerics around here. He wouldn’t want them poking around in his business. We go through more tearful goodbyes at the tavern before we leave Otscold. It occurs to me that I’ve done this all before. The first time I planned to escape the village, I was trying to escape my guards. The second time I left Otscold, I did it as a princess and future queen. And now I’m a criminal. I try not to worry about what might come next.

Twenty minutes later, Leon comes to escort us to the edge of the village, where his unit wait with horses.

“The Temple’s,” he explains when I eye the well-kept animals. “But there was one less than there should’ve been. So now we know for certain Sophos got away.”

The fae mount their animals, and I accept the full-sized horse from Leon with apprehension. Tira, like me, was never taught how to ride. She hangs back nervously, clutching her pack. I’ve always known her to be brave and fierce, so seeing her so uncertain now pains me.

“You can ride with me, Tira,” I offer.

“Bad idea,” Alastor says. “You barely know what you’re doing.”

I glare at him.

“You’re welcome to share my saddle, Miss Tira,” Stratton says. He leans down to offer her his hand and one of his dazzling smiles.

Tira examines his outstretched fingers like they might bite, then cautiously takes them.

“Watch yourself,” I say to Stratton as he lifts Tira up behind him.

He looks offended. “I’m nothing if not a gentleman.”

“It’s not Tira I’m worried about.” I exchange a look with Tira, trying to tease a small smile out of her, and am rewarded with an eye roll.

It’s a start.

We ride east, covering the last stretch of land between us and the border. There’s a chance Sophos has already sent word on to the holy city about what happened, but we’re a long way from Godom and even farther from Elmere. Leon seems confident we’ll reach the border before anyone can catch up to us.

Confident enough that we stop in a town as soon as we’ve put some distance between us and Otscold. Eryx’s leg has started to bleed again, and his darkening bandage unsettles all of us. Alastor promises me “the old man’s had worse,” but they’re all glad when we find an inn and fetch a healer recommended by the owner.

“What’s the verdict?” Damia asks when Leon returns from speaking with the healer. He must’ve lifted his dream magic from Eryx for the healer to examine him, because we’ve been listening to Eryx’s curses from the room next door. Something tells me having enough energy to swear like a sailor is a good sign.

“He needs rest,” Leon says. “But he’ll be able to ride tomorrow. We’ll eat and sleep here tonight.”

The innkeeper brings us food. When we’re done eating, some of the fae immediately bed down to sleep. Tira and I find a spot in the corner and discuss finding Will, curling up just like we used to under the Firesta statue at Gallawing.

“Why wait?” Tira whispers to me. “Can’t we leave for Gullert tonight?” She eyes the fae dotted around us.

“I know they’re intimidating,” I say.

She shakes her head. “It’s not that. It’s just that every minute we spend out on the road I feel like we’re going to get ambushed by cleavers again,” she shudders. “Or someone else who wants our heads.”

“Look, the fae are crossing the border much farther north than they originally planned,” I say. “So we’ll be even closer to Gullert than I thought. It makes sense to stay under their protection until the last possible moment, because once we go north, we’re on our own.”

I reach out to squeeze her hand. “I’m just glad you’re here, safe.”

“Sap,” she throws at me, but squeezes back. Then her face grows serious again. “Honestly, I’m still struggling to believe I got out of there alive.” She pauses, taking a deep breath. “I have to tell you something. Gallawing’s gone.”

“What?” I stare at her.

“It burned down a week ago. They don’t know how the fire started.”

“All of it?” I ask.

She nods.

I try to process the news, but I have no idea how I feel. The manor was my prison, but also the only home I had for twenty-one years. I knew those rooms like they were part of myself. For it to be just wiped out of existence like that…

“There’s something else,” Tira says. “A few days before the fire, a nobleman came to the village. A strange sort of person—very serious looking. He got some food from the tavern, but he didn’t speak to anyone. His carriage went up to the manor, and then he just left the same day. The next thing we knew, Gallawing was up in smoke.”

“Was anyone hurt?” I ask.

“No. Everyone left after you did. There was no need to keep staff anymore.”

“What did the crest look like?”

The question doesn’t come from me. We both turn to look at Leon, who’s seated on the other side of the room but has obviously been eavesdropping on our conversation. A hundred questions filled my head at Tira’s news, but that wasn’t one of them.

“I’m sorry?” I ask.

“The crest on the nobleman’s carriage,” he clarifies. “What did it look like?”

Tira thinks. “It was blue, with a black bird on it, and a cup. The cup was yellow, maybe.”

The description seems vaguely familiar, but I can’t say why.

“Do you know it?” I ask Leon.

“You would’ve seen it at the palace,” he says to me. “Though you spent less time there than I did, so it’s understandable you don’t remember. It’s the Rosier crest.”

I gape. “Rosier as in…?”

“Your aunt’s married name, yes. The nobleman could’ve been her husband Jocor. Did he have dark hair and thick eyebrows?” he asks Tira. She nods.

“But what does that mean?” I ask. I’ve been through too much today for it to make sense. I need him to lay the pieces out for me.

Leon gets up, pacing as he thinks.

“We know the purge was a trap—someone wanted to draw you out to kill or capture you by targeting your hometown and the people in it.”

“It didn’t work though, did it?” Tira says smugly.

“Not the way they intended,” Leon agrees. “I don’t think they expected you to put up such a fight—and they wouldn’t have counted on you having backup because they know that the rumors about our alliance are propaganda.”

I feel Tira giving me a confused look.

“He kidnapped me,” I say. “It’s a long story.”

“And we know someone at the palace likely ordered the purge,” Leon continues. “That’s the only explanation for why Nunias was there. He answers to the Temple, but he’s still officially the palace cleric. Whoever gave him his orders is someone at the palace who was powerful enough to have your guards removed the night they tried to kill you. The same person who murdered your parents.”

“You’re saying Jocor is behind everything ?” I ask.

“I can’t be certain he’s the one in charge, but he’s certainly involved. His presence in Otscold confirms it,” he says.

The evidence is compelling, but something occurs to me.

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “In Hallowbane, Corrin told me someone tried to assassinate Oclanna.”

“They did,” Tira says. “We even heard about it in Otscold.”

“If Jocor wants to be king, killing Oclanna makes no sense. She’s the one with the birthright—it’s not as if he could take the throne without her. Besides, I saw the way Jocor looks at her,” I continue. I remember it so clearly, even a month later. I thought they were a strange pair at the time, but it was like Oclanna was the center of his world. “He loves my aunt, I don’t believe he’d try to murder her.”

Leon shrugs.

“Perhaps the assassination attempt was faked, and she’s in on it. All of this could be her plan, not his, and he’s just her loyal assistant.”

My head spins. She was so kind to me at the palace. Why was that, if she wanted the throne and I was in her way?

“She didn’t know about me,” I say slowly, putting the pieces together. “She thought once she killed my parents, the throne would be hers. But then I popped up.”

“And maybe when you first arrived, she thought she could control you,” Leon says. “A young woman raised in isolation—she assumed you’d be easy to manipulate. Your existence might have ruined her initial plan, but she adapted. She thought she could make you into a puppet, and with you under her thumb, she’d be queen in everything but title.”

His eyes are bright as he works through his theory. “But then you didn’t play by the rules,” he says. “You didn’t execute me even when she encouraged you to. It would’ve played right into her attempt to frame me for your parents’ murders.”

I remember that day, standing in the throne room. Oclanna did seem put out when I said we’d give Leon a trial. Who knew that my parents’ actual murderer was probably standing right next to me?

“And the fae knife used to kill my parents? The sensic magic found in their room?” I ask.

“Both things that can be bought and deployed without a fae present,” Leon says.

I close my eyes, thinking.

“If she is behind this, she’s insane,” I say. “Who would kill her own sister just for power?”

I know what it’s like to feel powerless, to look at those stronger than you and yearn for what they have. But I would never think that power was worth killing for.

“It’s the kind of thing people have done throughout history,” Leon says. “Welcome to royalty, princess.”

I know he’s just trying to get me to see the facts. He wants to give me some idea of what I’m up against. But I’m still reeling from the last forty-eight hours and don’t have the ability to accept all this right now.

“I’m going to bed,” I say abruptly.

“Good idea,” Leon says. “There’s a room next door the pair of you can use. If we set out early tomorrow, we’ll reach the border by nightfall.”

I have to admit to myself, I don’t like how off-handedly he says it. Tomorrow we’ll part ways, likely forever, and he doesn’t sound bothered by it at all. Maybe I have no right to feel let down. After all, Tira and I just discussed our plan to find Will right in front of Leon. But it doesn’t matter how much logic I try to bring to it, it still stings.

Tira picks up on my mood as we clamber into bed.

“What he said really got to you, didn’t it?” she says.

I hesitate. But there’s no point in trying to lie to Tira. When it comes to me, she can always tell.

“Yes, it did actually.”

“I’d be kind of offended too,” she says, pulling up the blanket. “I mean, just because you’re a royal doesn’t mean you want to go around murdering your family. Seeing as people have been accusing you of exactly that recently, you think he’d be a bit more sensitive about it.”

I relax my shoulders, smothering a smile.

“Thanks,” I say. “You’re right.”

I know it’s awful for Tira to be separated from her family, but I’m very glad she’s here with me.

“So it turns out the Nightmare Prince is kind of rude,” she says as we finally settle down to sleep. “Who would’ve thought?”

I have strange, vivid dreams that night. Dreams about being in one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, where there’s strange, exotic plants climbing up every pillar, and every person who walks by is more beautiful than the next. Once I notice their ears are tapered into points, I understand where I must be: the Fae High Court in Filusia. It’s funny, the palace is different from how I’ve imagined it in the past—less forbidding and more ethereal. I bend to smell a flower, appreciating its divine scent and delicate coloring.

“Not as beautiful as you, of course.”

I turn to see Leon, dressed in a gorgeous blue uniform, his eyes sparkling down at me.

“Shall we eat?” he asks, offering me his arm.

I dream of us dining through the night, eating delicious food and tossing back wine—glass after glass—without ever feeling sick. At one point, Leon lifts his cup and proposes a toast.

“To the future,” he says, smiling at me. Something flutters in my chest, and I realize it’s hope.

“To the future,” I repeat, lifting my cup to my lips. The wine is perfect, full-bodied, and sweet. I swallow it down, deliriously happy.

Because a future here means a future with Leon in it.