“Not nothing,” said Seraphine, her eyes glittering in the dim light. “If Cressida could be compromised—if she lost Soren’s support, or were weakened in some other way—it would be easier to draw out dissidents.”
Rune remembered Gideon’s plan: to hunt down and kill the last living Roseblood. It would be a serious blow to Cressida.
“You could dispose of me.”
Seraphine made a face. “That’s not what I meant.”
But it would work.
“I could tell Soren the truth: Cressida is planning to kill me and therefore has no intention of letting me become his wife.”
The problem was, she hadn’t seen Soren since she and Gideon escaped aboard theArcadia. She knew he was on the island; Cressida had requested he take his soldiers and do a sweep of the countryside surrounding the city, setting up encampments there to ensure the Blood Guard didn’t hit them with a surprise attack.
Rune suspected he didn’t know his fiancée was here,imprisoned. That Cressida had made him believe Rune was still kidnapped by witch hunters.
“Cressida would only retaliate,” said Seraphine, forcing Rune to recall the whip. The lashes. The blood.
Sweat beaded her hairline. Her chains clinked in her lap as she shifted uncomfortably.
“A better plan would be to destroy Elowyn and Analise’s bodies.”
“Except no one knows where they are,” said Rune.
It was one of Cressida’s tightly guarded secrets.
“A spell like that needs constant renewal. Cressida’s been away from the island for months; she needs to either replenish it or finally resurrect them. I believe she’ll go to them soon. And when she does, she’ll take you with her.”
Rune nodded. She knew her days were numbered. Cressida wanted her sisters at her side, and Rune was the key to raising them back to life.
She would have tried to escape before now, but the restraints, the spells, the constant watch of her guards made it impossible.
“Soren is due back any day. When he returns, I’ll tell him the truth.”
If I’m still alive.
Once the prince learned Cressida intended to kill Rune, he would get her to safety.
“And if she’s keeping him away to prevent exactly that?” asked Seraphine.
Rune looked to the windows, blackened by the night. She felt close to despairing. Of course that was why Cressida sent him away.
“We can’t wait for Soren,” said Seraphine.
“Do you have a better plan?” Rune lifted her restraints in the air to demonstrate her prisoner status. “I’m always exactlywhere she wants me to be. She has two witches following my every move, not to mention spells locking me into my rooms.”
“Actually,” said Seraphine, “Idohave a better plan.”
CHANDELIERS TWINKLED OVERHEAD ASservants uncorked bottles of wine and poured them into goblets. The banquet hall was awash in golden light as Cressida’s court laughed and gossiped at tables, waiting for the show trials to start.
Every evening at dinner, Cressida’s enemies were brought before her to beg for their lives.
As Rune glanced around the lavish room, she found witches dressed in finery, eating off gold-rimmed plates. As if Cressida had already won. As if she’d nevernotbeen queen.
Was it really this easy? Or is this an elaborate show?
If the Blood Guard rallied and came marching in tomorrow, would they stand a chance against her? Or would they be defeated?
Rune didn’t want to find out. Her hands fidgeted in her lap as she waited for the sign from Seraphine, ready to set their plan in motion. She tried not to think about the price of getting caught. All she had to do was touch the scars marring her back.
