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“She’s dead, Calamity! She loved you and would want to do this if it meant keeping you safe.” He pushes up from his seat and begins pacing beside my bed.
Tears spill from my eyes, rolling in streams down my cheeks. I know he’s right. Meg is gone and has been for awhile now. She’d have done anything to buy my freedom, but after everything she’s been through, she deserves peace. She didn’t get it in this life. She should get it in what comes after.
“Look at me,” Asmo says, crouching down at the edge of my bed. “I wouldn’t do this if there was another way. The king believing you’re dead is the only thing that could get you out of this cell with both our lives intact. It allows me to be here, so when vengeance comes for him, he’ll die, and it allows you to live.”
I lift my chin, clenching my jaw to keep my lower lip from trembling. “You trust this man? This friend of yours?”
“I wouldn’t be giving the most precious thing in my life to him if I didn’t.” His eyes never leave mine as he cups my face. “It doesn’t matter what blood runs through your veins, you’re my daughter—Meg’s daughter. Let us make sure you get the life you deserve.”
Dropping my gaze, the tears stream faster than ever. My voice is barely a whisper when I speak again. For a moment, I’m not sure I even say the word out loud. “Okay…”
His lips pull at one corner, and he lifts just enough to kiss my forehead. “Okay… We don't have much time. As soon as you feel strong enough, you need to pack anything you want to take with you. I'll be back at nightfall."
“Nightfall? You said the execution isn’t until the end of the week.” My spine straightens as the panic takes hold. That’s not enough time.
“You’ve been asleep for days. We had a week. Your execution is scheduled for tomorrow.”
Asmo grabs a canvas sack off the shelf and holds it out to me. My fingers tremble as I take it. Heart hammering, the enormity of it all threatens to crush me.
"Thank you… for everything," I whisper, my voice raw with emotion.
"We’ll get through this.” His eyes meet mine before he slips through the barred door. “I’ll see you soon.”
With those parting words, Asmo leaves the cell, locking it behind him. Alone once more, I clutch the sack tightly, determination running through my veins like fire. Tonight, I'll leave this place and create a new future – one where I am no longer a pawn in my father’s twisted game.
Chapter 4
Calamity
My heart races as I clutch the dark canvas bag to my chest. It’s filled with my most treasured possessions, but even that’s not much. My charcoals and sketchbook made the cut, since my drawings keep me close to Meg, and the book of fables Asmo hand-penned for me. Otherwise, I limited my things to essentials only.
"Are you ready?" Asmo asks, his voice gentle yet urgent.
I nod, swallowing hard. "As I'll ever be."
He reaches into his pocket, retrieving a necklace with a red crystal pendant. It’s small and feminine, with the chain thinner than most modern jewelry. It’s the kind of intricacy reserved for those of high status, especially with the way the crystal is wrapped. The edges of the stone are kept raw, allowing the magic to remain within.
"This was Meg's," he says quietly. "The day she was imprisoned, she tried to hide it, but one of the guards saw her. I held onto it and planned to give it to her as a gift on the day she was freed, but that never came." He hands it to me, fingers trembling slightly. "I think she'd want you to have it."
My breath catches as I accept the necklace, feeling its power vibrate against my skin. "Thank you." My voice comes out quieter than I meant for it to as I fasten the clip behind my neck, letting the pendant rest over my heart.
Asmo offers a sad smile, and there's a vulnerability in his eyes that I've rarely seen before. "I wish things could be different, but this is the only way to keep you safe."
I know he's right. It still doesn't make it any easier to leave him behind. My chest aches with the thought of never seeing him again, but I have to be strong, for both of us.
Asmo’s gaze locks onto mine with unwavering intensity. "I need you to understand that after tonight, you can’t return to Solaria. Not ever. If the king ever discovers you're alive, all of this will be for nothing."
The weight of his words settles on my chest and my throat tightens as I blink back the tears threatening to overflow. "I won’t." Those two simple words feel like shards of glass scraping against my vocal cords, but I force them out. This is life or death.
Asmo's arms encircle me in a tight hug, and for a moment, I let myself be enveloped by the warmth and security they provide. "You're the strongest woman I know. If anyone can make it through this, it's you."
"I don’t know how to do this without you… I've never even been outside the castle grounds.” I breathe him in, hoping this isn’t the last time I’ll get to hear his voice or hug him.
"You're more ready than you think. And I've made sure someone will be there to protect you." He hesitates, as if considering his next words carefully. "Loric may not seem like it at first, but he's honorable. He'll ensure you're safe."
A thousand questions bubble up inside me, but I swallow them down, knowing now isn't the time. Stepping back, I peer up at him, silently letting him know I’m ready.
"Take my hands," Asmo says, his voice steady and reassuring. Placing my hands in his, a blinding white light engulfs us, drowning out the world until it fades into deep green trees.
