Opening her doors, Roa found Celeste, Tati, and Saba looking expectantly back at her from the other side.
“Please, Queen Roa, if you could hurry... we’re already quite late.”
They took her to Dax’s rooms. His four guards stood outside the door, chins up, morions gleaming. They nodded to Roa’s guards as Celeste led the queen inside, and then to the door of Dax’s salon. “We’ll be right outside this door. Call for us if you need anything.”
Roa nodded, stepping inside.
Safire sprawled out on a low-lying sofa, tossing an elegant throwing knife in the air and catching it, over and over while she talked. Jas sat across from platters full of food, pouringtea for everyone. He would be here for just a few more days, helping Dax plan for the Relinquishing. Lirabel stood near the window, her eyes clouded as she gripped one of her arrows in both hands, bending it as if she intended to break it in half. Roa waited for thesnap, but it never came.
As Roa sat down next to Dax, her shoulder bumped his bad one and he winced. Roa withdrew, thinking of his knife wound. She shouldn’t have pushed him so hard last night.
When she looked up to ask him how he was feeling, the words halted on her tongue.
He looked... different.
His hair had been cut. His curls were no longer so wild or tangled. And no hint of any stubble remained on his cheeks.
He shaved,she thought.
The sight of it made her realize she’d been getting used to his disheveled state.
Dax’s gaze flickered across her face.
“What is it?” he said, looking down at himself and straightening.
Roa frowned at his smooth cheeks. “Nothing.”
Dax reached one hand to rub his jaw.
“You don’t like it.”
Roa looked immediately away. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Dax smiled a little, then leaned back, planting his hand behind her. Leaning in, he whispered against her shoulder, “Good to know.”
At the brush of his lips, Roa felt something inside her start to unravel.
What am I doing?
She couldn’t let herself unravel. She had a task to perform.
But the more she tried to focus on her purpose, the more her thoughts trailed back to Dax. To the memory of him lying beneath her last night, content to be at her mercy.
By finding Rebekah the way in, Roa was betraying not only him but all of Firgaard—proving they were right to mistrust her. And by plotting to take his life...
Roa wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold.
Who will I be when all of this is over?
No. She couldn’t afford to think like that. She needed to think of Essie. Of the ache growing inside her ever since she turned her back on Baron Silva’s home, leaving her sister behind. Alone. Imprisoned in that cage. Surrounded by enemies.
Who will I be when this is over? I’ll be the girl who sets my sister free.
“Roa?” interrupted Jas, lifting the teapot. “Tea?”
Roa jerked forward, away from Dax, nodding. Jas filled a cup and passed it to her.
“It’s decided, then.” Safire sat up and stretched her neck. “We’re closing the gates to the city. Beginning today, no one is allowed in or out of Firgaard.”
