“Locked?” Rebekah arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Roa explained about the attack, the locking of the palace gates, and how Safire wanted to shut the city gates, too, and cancel the Relinquishing, but Dax prevented it. He’d made the decision this morning.
As she explained, her gaze scanned the room, searching for any sign of her sister.
“None of that matters,” Rebekah said, waving it away. “The plan is to go in through the passage. We can bring a small group inside, take control of the palace, then open the gates for the rest of our men.”
“There’s just one problem,” said Roa. “The passage is locked.”
The attention of both Theo and Rebekah snapped to her.
“What?”
Roa looked away from them, her fists still clenched, thinking of that fragile white wing. She’d allied herself to a monster, and there was nothing she could do about it. So long as Essie was a prisoner, she had to keep playing this game. “But I know where the key is,” she whispered, thinking of Dax, shirtless and gleaming with sweat as they sparred in his bedroom two nights past. Of the key hanging around his throat.
It hurt to think of what she must do. But Roa couldn’t afford to be conflicted. Not after what Rebekah had done to Essie. She knew now just how unpredictable Rebekah was. Next time, she would do something far worse.
Rebekah wanted to know everything. So Roa told her about the passage she found connecting her and the king’s rooms and how it led out into the city.
“Which part of the city?”
“Near the blacksmith’s forge in the new quarter.”
“We need that key.”
But Roa needed to know her sister was still alive. “Show me Essie first.”
Rebekah looked to her house guards. “Garnet? Fetch the queen her bird.”
Garnet left and returned with a swinging iron cage, setting it down on the desk before Roa. She leaned in, gripping the bars, staring at the white hawk trembling at the bottom.
Essie...
The left side of her body was bandaged and she kept stretching her wing, as if forgetting she only had one, then falling off balance. Hurting herself more.
“My father cauterized the wound to stop her from bleeding to death.”
How kind,thought Roa bitterly.
Those silver eyes moved from Roa to Theo to Rebekah. As if she no longer recognized her sister among the room full of threats.
“Essie?” Roa suddenly wished she could go back. Wished she’d never come to Firgaard or agreed to help Dax. Wished she’d stayed in the scrublands.
Essie trembled harder. But this time, that silver gaze turned on Roa and stayed there.
I’m going to get you out of there,she thought.I’m going to set you free.
Her sister’s mind remained cold and dark.
“I’m sorry it’s come to this, Roa. But you’re not the only one risking everything. I won’t let you compromise the rest of us. If you want my help saving your sister, you must doexactlyas you’re told. Do you understand?”
Roa understood perfectly. She understood that the scales had tipped. So long as Rebekah had Essie, she could make Roa do whatever she wished.
“You need to get that key tonight.”
Roa glanced up.Tonight?“The Relinquishing doesn’t start until tomorrow.”
“We can’t risk you failing again,” said Rebekah. “Get the key and deliver it to me by midnight.”
