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Tanwen’s fingers slipped on her shears, her grip clammy as she concentrated on clipping each stem of jadüri. Not even the beauty overtaking the greenhouse could distract her from her task. And the beauty was indeed luminous.

The large glass ceiling was propped open, allowing silvery and golden beams of moonlight to spill in and over the ethereal blooms. Jadüri petals were parted, emanating a vibrant blue glow as if they were absorbing the very essence of Maja and Parvi themselves. The night was early, warm, and blessed with the full glowing eyes of the twin High Gods.

Perfect for an evening of palace revelry.

Tanwen, however, felt no sense of celebration coursing through her veins.

She felt only nerves and a slip of nausea.

Tanwen forced her hands not to tremble as she delicately clipped free the jadüri flowers from their plot. They’d be used to make her docüra for that evening’s celebration—and more.

Today marked the day of Princess Azla’s prewedding festivities, and simultaneously, it was the day of Tanwen and her family’s planned escape and, evidently, when the king would be poisoned.

It was perhaps too much to anticipate.

Tanwen paused in her work to wipe a slip of sweat from her brow. The heat of the room was making her feel lightheaded, though her anxiety didn’t help her feel grounded either.

Tanwen may have been warned what the princess intended to do this evening, but she did not know exactly when she was going to do it. And that uncertainty, amid the anticipation of everything else she had to get right, was leaving her rather overwhelmed and agitated.

“Are you all right?” asked Huw, who stood a few paces down her row.

“I’m tired,” Tanwen admitted as she gently laid another of the jadüri blooms into her basket.

“You’re too young to be tired,” Huw countered.

Tanwen cut him a glance. “You and I are the same age, and you complain practically every morning that it is too early to be awake.”

“That is because I don’t go to bed as early as you, elda Tanwen.”

“Maybe if you did, the morning bell wouldn’t offend you as much.”

“ Or ,” Huw argued, “I’d end up like you, still tired in the prime years of life.”

“That logic makes absolutely no sense,” said Tanwen, rolling her eyes. “It’s a good thing an atenté is judged on their looks over their intelligence, or you’d be out of a job, my friend.”

“Is that a jest, little fawn?” Huw raised his brows, fighting a grin. “And here I thought you had permanently lost your sense of humor. I’m glad to see there’s still an ember of your wit alive.”

“Well,” began Tanwen, a slip of annoyance entering her tone, “I apologize if life lately has left me unamused.”

A thick silence fell between them, and despite the truth of her words, Tanwen regretted them.

Huw was only trying to help.

He was always trying to help.

“I’m sorry,” said Tanwen. “Tonight’s event has me on edge. I didn’t mean—”

“I understand.” Huw lifted a placating hand. “You only lost your friend a few days ago.”

Her friend.

Eli.

Tanwen resisted shifting under the reminder.

Despite still grieving Eli, Tanwen was desperate to compartmentalize his loss. She’d certainly be losing a lot more after tonight.

Despite all she had endured on Galia, she would miss Huw. With Eli she had lost one friend, and soon she would lose Huw too.

And Zolya, an intrusive voice whispered.

Tanwen swallowed past the rising grief working up her throat.

She had tried not to think about her and Zolya since their night together.

Which was, of course, impossible.

When Tanwen was not consumed with thoughts of her escape, she was consumed with thoughts of him. His touch, his taste, the way he had held her all night, as if she were a dandelion seed and he feared she might scatter the moment he let go.

Zolya was the rarest soul she had ever met, and he wanted her, was helping her, despite how it went against his loyalties to the crown. He wanted to atone for his actions toward her and her family, be a ruler who could change the centuries-old prejudice poisoning Cādra.

And Tanwen loved him desperately for it.

Ilustra was cruel in fating them together.

Only for them to be forever apart.

For this time tomorrow, if Tanwen was lucky, she and her family would be far from Galia, hiding under the protection of the Low Gods.

Tanwen pressed her lips together, forcing down her swirl of emotions. How horrible that her success tonight also meant the breaking of her heart.

Tanwen turned back to the glowing buds, her anxiousness forever churning as she worked. She needed to stop moping and concentrate on what needed to be done.

The final piece of her plan rested on gathering six extra jadüri for the mixture that would power their wings, another task fraught with risk.

In the distance, a bell chimed; their shift had come to an end.

Methodically, Tanwen gathered her tools before making her way toward the exit.

Concealed within the bottom of her basket lay the extra jadüri, carefully hidden in a secret compartment she had crafted herself. Tanwen’s pulse quickened as she approached the checkpoint, where the guards stood inspecting each basket.

Her clothes grew suffocating as she waited anxiously.

“ Gods , it’s so hot in here,” muttered Tanwen, attempting to fan herself with her hand.

“Well, it is a hothouse,” reasoned Huw.

“Still, it feels worse than usual.”

Huw eyed her with concern, but their line moving forward redrew their attention.

Tanwen faced an awaiting kidet.

As she held her breath, she presented her basket for inspection. The guard fingered through her jadüri, brows furrowed in concentration as he counted. He felt along the sides of her basket as Tanwen’s heart hammered in her chest.

And then he was handing back her basket and, with a quick gesture, waving her past.

Once outside, Tanwen exhaled deeply, relief flooding her.

Tanwen fought to steady her trembling hands.

She had done it!

Her smile felt inappropriately wide.

“You weren’t kidding,” said Huw as he reclaimed his spot by her side, eyeing her grin. “You really must have needed out of that greenhouse.”

“You have no idea,” she muttered.

With the extra jadüri safely concealed, Tanwen had what she needed to make the mixture for their wings.

A step closer to freedom.

Though her elation was short lived.

The daunting task of navigating the evening’s events lay ahead.

Tanwen still had to survive tonight.

And leave behind the man she loved.