I carefully extracted myself from Wolfe, sucking in a sharp breath when I moved my sore shoulder to sit upright.I readjusted the blanket someone had placed over us, tucking it around Wolfe’s compact form.
‘You’re awake?’Atlas came and sat next to me on the ground.Finn also appeared and sat with us.He gave Ania a wary look.I was tempted to tell Finn that she might look like her sister, but Ania was nothing like Bethel.
‘Can someone please tell me what’s going on?’I looked between Atlas and Ania to see who would give me the answers I needed.
‘Knights attacked Murus in the middle of the night,’ Atlas began.
‘King Hared’s?’I asked, shocked.
‘Yes, hundreds of them.The night before Lord Warwick was to leave.’
‘Lord Warwick?’I knew the answer, but I had to ask.
‘Dead.’The harshness of Ania’s voice cut me to the bone.We all waited for her to continue.‘They came during the night.There was an explosion, and the whole fortress shook.I went to Wolfe and took him to Father’s chambers.Father told us to hide under the bed, but they found us.’Ania gripped the handle of her knife and stared into the fire once more.
‘There were too many, and they cut him down before us.’She looked at her brother’s sleeping form.‘Wolfe tried to stop them from hurting Father.’Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
I touched the top of the brave boy’s head.We shared something now – Wolfe, Ania and I.
‘They wanted to kill us too,’ Ania rasped, her tears finally falling.
‘You stopped them.’Atlas looked at her proudly.‘She drove that blade right into the man who killed Lord Warwick.’
‘Yousaved us, Atlas.You found us,’ she cried softly.
Atlas went to her, holding her to him.Both were lost in the memory of what they had shared.
‘Webber?Meg?’I asked.
Atlas shook his head sadly.‘There was a fire.They were trying to get the horses out when the stables collapsed.’
I covered my face with my hands, trying to keep a hold on my emotions, but all I could think about was Webber and Meg’s deep love for one another as grief tore through me.When I dropped my hands to my lap, I saw Atlas’s eyes mirroring my pain.
‘Why would King Hared do this?He must have sent troops before we even arrived in Capita.Bethel was on her way to marry Goodwin, so he would have his legitimate heir.Wasn’t that all he needed?’
‘Wolfe and Ania would always be a threat to Goodwin’s reign, even if Lord Warwick had no intention of helping them make a claim,’ said Atlas.
‘Their claim to the throne is much stronger now,’ I realised out loud.
‘What do you mean?’Atlas frowned.
‘I killed Goodwin.The king has no heir.’
They all paused to take that in.
‘Bethel?’Ania asked.
Finn shot me a pitying look.Now, after everything she’d been through, I had to tell Ania the truth about her sister.
‘I’m sorry, but Bethel betrayed us.’
I began telling them everything we encountered in Capita.From the hanged women at the gate, to the king’s obsession with finding and stopping anyone from taking his throne – including the Cursed One.How the plan to rescue the queen failed, leaving Cillian trapped in the dungeon.Bethel betraying us to Goodwin, and how I ended him.
Atlas showed no surprise at my revelation, suggesting Torgrin had informed him of my Cursed status.Ania’s eyes widened, but she remained quiet.
Finally, I admitted I had left Torgrin behind to rescue Cillian alone.
‘You did the right thing, Caris,’ Atlas said firmly from across the fire.‘Give him more time.There are soldiers out searching everywhere.Torgrin and Cillian could be lying low right now, just as we are.’
