He reached to touch her.
Roa flinched away.
“Her father is the most influential man in Firgaard,” he said. “She can help us, Roa. She’s offered to give us everything we want.”
“Help us?” Roa’s heart started to beat again—wildly now.“Her?”
Roa started to rise. She couldn’t sit here and listen to this. She wanted out of this room.
Theo grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. She looked to his hand, gripping her hard, keeping her down. His golden eyes pleaded. “Roa, please. Just listen.”
Roa turned to face Rebekah, her body coiled. The stuffed hawk peered down from the walls, its lifeless eyes staring into Roa. Making her hair stand on end.
“If you’re going to do this, you’ll need protection,” said Rebekah. “My father and I have powerful friends in the court, on the council, and in the army. All I have to do is say the word, and every one of them will support you.”
“The army is loyal to Safire,” said Roa.
Rebekah smiled. “Not as loyal as she thinks.”
Roa thought of Sirin, then. Of how easily her guard had nearly disposed of her.
“I can give you what you wantmost,” said Rebekah.
Roa scowled. “And what’s that?”
“This.” Rebekah reached for the dagger in her sash. Her slender hands slid the weapon from its sheath and held it aloft. The blade glowed faintly. Like silver-white moonlight. Roacould feel the strange hum of it from where she sat across the desk.
“I believe your people call it the... Skyweaver’s knife?”
Roa swallowed, staring as Rebekah sheathed the blade that could save Essie, tucking it back into her sash.
Exactly how much had Theo told her?
“You and I are more alike than you think, Roa. We see further than those around us. We understand what needs to be done—that sometimes sacrifices must be made in the pursuit of a greater good.”
Roa’s whole being cried out against this. She didn’t want to be anything like this cold and calculating creature.
“Dax is a fickle, incompetent king. He betrayed me, too. And he’s as much a danger to Firgaard as he is useless to the plight of your people. I may not like the idea of a scrublander sitting on the throne, but if I must choose, I preferyouto him.”
Me as a puppet queen,Roa knew.
“If you want to remove him, you need more than a few scrublanders with pointy sticks to do it.” Rebekah laughed.
Roa bristled. If she needed any reason not to enter into a bargain with Rebekah, it was this. Rebekah would never see Roa or her people as equals.
“I can help you. Iwantto help you. All I ask in return for the knife is that you involve me in the planning.”
Why?thought Roa, glancing at the dagger, then up to Rebekah’s face.What did Dax do to make you hate him this much?
She could still deny any plot against Dax. It was Theo’s word against hers. But the moment Roa let this girl in, Rebekah would have what she needed to accuse the queen of treason.
If she accepted Rebekah’s terms, if she let her in on their plans, Roa would be completely at her mercy.
“I can’t involve you in a plot I’m not a part of any more than I can give you information I don’t have,” said Roa. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my husband will be wondering where I am.”
Roa knew where the Skyweaver’s knife was now. She would find another way to obtain it.
She moved to leave. Rebekah’s guards stepped in front of the door, blocking her way.
