Page 49 of Dance of Kings and Thieves

“It is impressive,” Ari said to Luca, “the way you use illusion. I’d guess you have a bit of fae in your blood. Bleeding realistic.”

Luca kept his eyes closed, holding the illusion of a dead Valen on the floor of the longhouse, but managed to shrug as if it didn’t matter.

The real Valen leaned over his knees, rubbing his throat. I understood the phantom pain of death in his illusions. As if the memory of the killing blow remained.

Kase lifted his gaze to the smoke hole. “Are you ready?”

He wasn’t speaking to Oskar. I met his gaze and nodded. Lynx dropped a rope through the hole. Part of our arrangement with Hob was to remove Inge from the minds of her brothers. After this, he feared they’d mark her, they’d find her and kill her.

She’d be a stranger to them, and truly be free.

With careful movements, I scaled the rope, the others from the rooftop behind me.

Kase stepped to my side. We didn’t touch. Together we’d determined the fewer people from the Black Palace knew we were vowed, the better.

“How close do you need to get?” Kase asked me softly.

“Only close enough to touch the head. I’ll take it from him first.” I pointed at Edvard. “Perhaps I’ll take a bit more while I’m in there. Make him forget how to piss straight.”

Raum chuckled. “Ah, lovey, I do enjoy when you speak so cruelly.”

“Break him,” Hob snarled from the back corner. Inge had remained silent throughout the entire moment, but Hob still looked ready to murder.

Raum and Kase each took a side, holding Edvard in his chair. Inge’s brother roared his frustration, but with a strike to the back of the head from the notch on Hob’s knife, he went quiet.

I dragged a finger down his cheek, reveling in the way he stiffened. Slowly, I leaned close to his ear and whispered, “You tormented your sister. Abused her. Soon, you will not even remember her name.”

I gave Inge a swift glance. Tears were on her cheeks, a purple bruise was forming where Edvard had struck her, but she nodded.

Edvard glared at me. “I’d like to see you try to take my thoughts.”

“I intend to.” My finger pressed against Edvard’s damp forehead. Instead of pulling away from me, the skydguard leaned into my touch, almost sneering.

If I had more sense, I might’ve taken it as a signal things were not right.

No smoke and ash rose in my head. All that came was sharp, searing pain.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

THE NIGHTRENDER

My heart fellto the pit of my stomach. Malin crumpled to the floor and a rush of panic shot through my blood.

Raum moved fast. He had one arm wrapped around Edvard’s neck, a knife to his throat while I dove for Malin. Her body was limp when I took her in my arms.

“Malin!” I shook her shoulders. Panic thickened in my throat. I couldn’t catch a deep breath.

No. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. None of this was how it was supposed to be. With frenzied swipes, I brushed her hair off her face. It’d gone back to her red.

“Malin. Wake up. You better wake up.” I buried my face against her neck, kissing her skin, clinging to her like I wanted to claw my way inside her and force her lungs to take a damn breath.

Only part of me was aware Edvard had tried to escape. I hardly cared when he thrashed and kicked. I didn’t care that Valen and the others slid down the rope, and the king nearly sliced Oskar’s fingers off when he slammed an axe in front of his face before the bastard could scramble out the door.

I didn’t care that at the sight of the king, alive and well, the two brothers knew we’d tricked them. All that mattered was Malin.

“Kase, her eyes are open.” Elise dug her fingernails into my shoulder.

My head shot up. Malin stared back at me. She wasn’t moving, wasn’t speaking.