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I hastened, but then a guard came from a room, separating me from Evette and Lottie.

“You!” the guard shouted, raising a crossbow.

I fell back and leapt into a side room. Slamming the door behind me, I dove over tables and around furniture.

I reached a door on the other side and skidded into the hall.

A smoky haze floated through the castle, and I coughed.

I hunched, trying to sink below the smoke and covered my mouth.

Without any idea of where to go, I jogged down the hall. Passing an open door, I—

A force slammed into my side and sent me sprawling against the wall. The guard raised a blade and stabbed. I thrust my head sideways, dodging the attack. Her blade bounced off the stone, but she raised it again. Thwack! Warm droplets spattered me, and the guard ceased fighting.

An arrow stuck through her throat.

Blood gurgled in the guard’s mouth, it poured around the arrow and down her neck. She groaned and fell aside.

At the end of the hall, Lottie lowered her bow.

The guard’s blood broke against my boots, sending a quiver of ravenous mania through me. Delicious, life-giving blood. I knelt, wanting so much to drink, to eat—

“Rook!” Lottie waved me forward. “Don’t be weird!”

With great effort and a pained shout, I shook away the desire. Wiping blood and smoke from my eyes, I ran toward Lottie and coughed out, “Your mother?”

“Ahead, scouting the exit.” Lottie wrapped a cloth over her nose and took off. I started after her, but a hand tangled in my hair. The castle spun as I was turned roughly to face my attacker. At once, I noticed two things: a swath of red hair and a cold blade at my throat.

“You’re uglier than I remember,” Ruven snarled.

“If not my looks”—I choked against the blade—“I wonder how else I might have tempted our mutual friend?” I cast my eyes down. Ruven shoved me against a door, sending up a loud bang! The sword dug into my neck, suffocating me.

The sound of a rope growing taut snapped as Lottie drew her bow and pressed the arrow against Ruven’s temple. “Don’t make me do this,” she said.

“Why am I not surprised you’d align with him?” Ruven replied, never taking his eyes off me. A chorus of boots scuffed down the hall.

The guards were coming.

Urgency sprung within me. I struggled against the sword and sputtered, “Run!” to Lottie.

“I’m not leaving without you, you twat.” To Ruven she said, “I will put this arrow in your head, I swear it.”

Shouting carried through the castle as the guards approached. Could I disarm Ruven? I might be able to get away, but I’d likely be maimed in the process. I’d never escape, and I’d only slow Lottie down. Individual voices stood out from the rising shouts.

“Kill him the moment you see him!”

“Kill them all on sight!”

“Not the new girl—keep her alive.”

Hearing those final words, Ruven’s eyelids fluttered. Though rage shook him, he lowered his sword. My relief was short, as Ruven leaned over and opened the door supporting me. He put a hand on my chest and pushed me. I backpedaled and fell into a table.

“Oy!” Lottie cried. “What the—” Ruven managed to get Lottie’s bow, and she too was thrown into the room. The door banged shut. It didn’t take long to discover there were no other doors in the parlour.

Our escape had failed.

Lottie snatched a decanter from a side table.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Holding the neck of the decanter, Lottie covered her good eye and smashed the bottle against the stone.

Running back to the door, she brandished the jagged bottle at me.

“I can take at least six of them. More if I have to,” she said in a hushed voice.

“What about you?” Lottie didn’t wait for my response; she pressed her ear against the door.

In the hall, the crashing footfalls ceased, and voices picked up.

“Any sign of the beast?” someone asked.

After a considerable silence, Ruven replied, “Not yet.”

A disappointed voice said, “You need to evacuate.”

Ruven’s response was a soft, “Aye.”

Ear pressed to the door, Lottie mouthed, ‘They’re leaving.’ Lottie hurried back as the door swung in.

Ruven stepped aside and indicated for us to exit. “I’d suggest haste.” He handed Lottie her bow.

“Thank you,” she whispered with more gratitude than one might expect from a returned weapon. Ruven only offered a grim nod. “Goodbye Ruven.” Lottie didn’t wait to see the lacklustre wave Ruven parted with. She took off down the hall. I started after her—

“You’re a selfish bastard.”

I halted and stared at Ruven. He turned and walked away. Watching his back, I was met with the vision of Liliwen, safe in a farmhouse somewhere, with a happy, red-headed baby in her lap. As I turned to join Lottie, I couldn’t seem to shake the guilt that settled in my weary bones.

Hustling through a doorway, Lottie’s head whipped frantically as we approached the great hall. The massive doors were hardly visible through the smoke. Evette appeared from a servant’s door farther down, running toward us.

“They’ve blocked the kitchen,” she panted. “They’re coming.”

“What do we do?” Lottie snarled.

“Secret exit.” Evette dragged us toward the great hall. “Through here and out the back.” She leaned on the doors, trying to push them open. Lottie joined her, throwing all her weight into it. I bent over them, pushing with everything I had.

The doors creaked open.

Evette peered over her shoulder. She grabbed my shirt and yanked me down.

I choked, “Wha—” as an arrow struck the wooden door.

Guards spilled into the hall, all coming quickly toward us.

Lottie squeezed through the opening, and I ushered Evette through.

Sucking in my chest, I slid in after them.

A grey wall met me, the smoke thick and heavy.

I heaved myself against the great doors, closing them as guards slammed into the other side.

“Come on!” Lottie cried, disappearing into the grey expanse.

“Go!” I shouted, halting Lottie. The image of the guard, with an arrow through the throat, flashed through my mind. If the queen hadn’t planned on executing Lottie for jailbreaking, she certainly would now.

Now, she was a murderer.

I knew, in my heart, Lili would want me to do anything in my power to protect Lottie. Waving, I cried, “Get out!” The doors behind me jostled open. I turned, slamming them closed.

“Rook!”

The sound of her voice.

“Lili?” Through the haze, I barely made out Lili, running to Lottie and Evette. Soot smeared her face, like the girls returning from the mines in the evenings. Her hair, so often tied back, was strewn about, singed and smoking in some places.

She was breathtaking.

Lili pulled Evette and Lottie, encouraging them to head down the great hall, toward the hidden passage. Speaking quickly, Lili said, “She knew—Queen Aenor suspected something; we have to get out.” Starting toward me, Lili beckoned. “Rook, let’s go!”

Don’t do it.

If I let go of the door, guards would pour in and overtake us. “I can’t!” I strained against the weight. Shouts rose on the other side, something about ‘the second story entrance.’ Our time was running out.

“The way is clear; we can all make it!” Lili cried. “Come on!”

Against my better judgement, I abandoned my spot. As I sprinted away, the door blew open, and shouts filled the hall. I ignored them; crossing the distance between us, I ran to Lili’s outstretched hand. Smoke swirled as a blur whizzed by.

Lili stilled.

Brows furrowed in a pained grimace. Lili’s hand dropped to her stomach…

and curled around the arrow stuck there.

Everything around me, which had been moving with frightful speed, halted.

Hundreds of footfalls hammered the cobblestones as guards poured in.

Someone knocked my legs, and I slammed into the floor.

Hands came from all directions, holding me in place.

More guards surged by; they parted around Lili like water parting around rocks in a stream.

She was a threat no more.

Evette and Lottie were overtaken and forced to their knees.

Lili stared at me, lost and confused. I thought I’d known agony—I was a fool. No amount of despair could have readied me for this.

The first person I’d cared for in decades collapsed.

Someone tried to gag me. I threw my head forward and shattered their nose.

“Please!” I begged. “I’ll do anything you want!

I’ll return to my cell. Just help her!” Ignoring my pleas, more guards piled on, crushing me.

Lying forgotten on the floor, Lili struggled to breathe.

Seeing that arrow, phantom pain flared in my side, where the bolt had struck me.

I wanted to do anything— anything —to take that pain away from her.

And destroy who dared strike her down.

“Agh!” I tore from my captors. A guard clung to my arm.

I punched them, snapping their head back.

When I was halfway to Lili, a guard caught my leg, and I tripped.

I fell but managed to free myself. Crawling the last few feet, I slipped my arm beneath Lili and drew her to me.

Lili’s eyes lulled, barely seeing me. “Liliwen,” I whimpered.

“I’ve got you.” Drips of water fell down Lili’s chest, and I was aware, distantly, that I was crying. “I’m so sorry!”

I wish I’d never come into your life!

“It’s okay,” Lili murmured, caressing my cheek.

“You deserve so much better than this.” I wept, resting my forehead against hers.

I held tight, so that no one, not even death, might rip her away.

“Please,” I begged. “Please stay with me.” Breathing deep, I tried to be one with her for as long as I could.

Muskiness crinkled my nose. Lili no longer smelled of lavender and lemon, but the same, strange odour that accompanied Lottie. Realization struck me like lightning.

Liliwen smiled.

CRACK!

The fingers holding my face snapped and broke.