Page 47

Chapter 47

Laude

Beatriz wasn’t going to leave me behind so easily, and she even smiled when I tripped over my dress in my rush to make it down the stairs behind her.

“We’re looking for Minerva so we can take a portal to Himzo.” Beatriz pulled her shoulders back and tipped her head to the side enough for me to understand she was inviting me.

Minerva was waiting by herself in the atrium when Zichri approached her. She nodded at his question—the atrium was too noisy to hear over the whispering servants and the maids rushing, like lizards finding a snack.

“Follow me.” Beatriz opened the ballroom door to the huge space with windows pouring in afternoon light.

With the wave of Minerva’s hand, she stirred the air until it rippled and sparked with light. Zichri wove his fingers into Beatriz’s behind us, but I could tell we’d have to go first to wherever we were headed.

Jaime clung to my hand as we marched through Minerva’s portal. We arrived in the middle of the Himzo palace’s entrance hall with startled servants clutching their chests near the main entrance. Jaime waved, and their startled expressions calmed while they caught their breath.

Zichri and Beatriz came through next, appearing from thin air. The romantic side of me imagined beautiful little children—but perhaps not so covered in muck—running around their feet. The nest of hair on Beatriz’s head and the wide hands-breadth of mud caked to the bottom of her green dress would never have been allowed by Queen Cottia if it hadn’t been an emergency.

Minerva broke through into Himzo Palace’s main entrance and closed her portal with one hand motion.

“Find Papá and Prince Agustín.” Zichri kissed Beatriz’s knuckles and pointed to Minerva. “Girls, stay together.” He gestured to Jaime, and they were off like two arrows searching for a target.

Guilt clutched my stomach because even though Prince Hugo had turned out to be a scoundrel, Zichri had still loved him. And even though the poison had been meant for Whyzer Patro, I could never tell him that I had killed his brother.

“Laude.” Beatriz looped her arm through mine. “It’s not your fault.”

Now, I could feel this strange pouring of energy from my heart. Beatriz no longer had any sense of compunction against using her gift, which I liked and hated all at once.

“Don’t give me that look.” Beatriz pursed her lips with a smug expression that I knew for what it was. She hated anyone seeing anything but a perfect exterior, and she was nervous. “You used the poison, didn’t you?”

“Ai-yi-yi, Princess Beatriz, you’ve caught me.” I watched Minerva stride in our direction.

“We saw the aftermath, and I could think of no other reason for you to keep me away.” She cupped her hand over her mouth as if to keep a secret. “Minerva’s coming.”

I tried to keep my eyes from rolling to the ceiling. Minerva winced but continued to stroll toward us with more tentative steps. She obviously had seen the whisper between Beatriz and me.

“Congratulations.” Minerva’s weak smile made the girl look even more tired than I felt.

“Thank you.” Beatriz said coolly. “I hate all this waiting around. Is there a way we can help?”

Minerva’s chin fell. “No, but—”

“Take us to the others. I think the three of us could be formidable opponents should the need arise.”

“But—”

“I can imagine Zichri wants you to keep us safe.” Beatriz’s tone did not waver. “Take us. Please.”

My toes wiggled in my shoes with excitement. This Beatriz was always more fun, and she did have a point about us having the ability to add protection because I was a fireball now and no one could stop talking about Beatriz stalling an entire army with her thoughts.

Minerva took our wrists, and we yanked across space into a dark passage with faded light. A noise echoed through the corridor. I’d never been there before. Should we have stayed in the brightly lit downstairs where we could dance to our victory? We could celebrate that we had survived.

“Wait here.” Minerva rushed ahead.

Beatriz swooped me into her arms and gave me a tight squeeze. “Dear friend, this might not be the time to ask, but I was thinking that perhaps we could do a double wedding.”

I yanked back, needing to see her face. She couldn’t be serious. But the expression plastered on her lifted chin had no hint of a joke.

One of her eyebrows rose in question, looking so very much like her mamá. “I have a feeling we’ll both be queens and it might be the last time we’re able to spend so much time together.”

The hollowness of her words struck me with force. This wasn’t a happy declaration of our friendship but a last hurrah to our time together. I’d planned to slip away in the night, unnoticed, but that would not be an option now.

Minerva came out of the room and something about her slumped shoulders and drooping eyes was like a splinter in my chest. “Come in.”

Here Beatriz and I were talking weddings while something dreadful was taking place just around the corner.

With a final squeeze, Beatriz stepped back and tiptoed into the room before us with heavy shadows. Weeping and tears poured from multiple people within the room. Even Minerva, who hovered outside the door, had streams of tears pouring down her cheeks.

Someone had died, and I hadn’t a clue or the ability to ask questions.

Jaime moved around a giant four-poster bed at catching sight of me. He strode toward me, eyes coated in a sheen of unshed tears. When he covered the gap between us, he put his arms over my and Beatriz’s shoulders. “We’re too late. The king died yesterday, and the prince today.”