And Adeline.
Kai’s heart crawled up his lungs, reaching for the mournful echo of her name in his mind.
Safe, Avette had promised him, safe as long as he played his part at her side. But he was failing at that, too. Could not keep himself in check, could not pretend, for any audience, that she did notrepulsehim. Beneath its wrappings and salve, his arm throbbed in agreement; even bound by her magic, Kai had torn his own skin off rather than play her pet, her docile Drowned Prince, for a moment longer. And now he could not say who might pay for that failure.
He would do better. He would have to.
So when the room turned black as the night, and a murmur of voices sounded outside his bedroom door, Kai fought to tame the racing of his heart and the surge of bile it sent up his throat. By the time the door finally creaked open over the splintering of fresh frost, Kai had wrested control of himself, still andimpassive where he sat on the bed and awaited Avette’s cool wrath.
But it was not Avette who entered.
“Hello, Your Majesty,” smiled the young man. “Hungry?”
Recognition jolted him to his feet; a friendly face backlit by the hallway lanterns, a steaming mug in his hand that Kai could smell from across the room.
“It’s just broth,” the man said apologetically. “You might get a sliver of boar in there, but even that’s running low now. Couple of peas, at least.”
He crossed the room and handed Kai the mug, his fingers thawing at once as they curled around the hot ceramic.
“It’s more than I expected,” said Kai. “Thank you.”
The sound of his own voice was a shock; brittle with hunger and hoarse with disuse. He quenched it beneath a sip of broth that quickly turned to a gulp, scalding his throat all the way down.
“Easy,” said the man, and Kai struggled to slow his sips, grunting with effort as he pulled the mug from his lips. It was half empty already, but its warmth had spread through him, some of the numbness ebbing away and clearing his thoughts.
“I know you,” he said finally, and the man nodded.
“Jack,” he offered. “We’ve got … mutual friends. Who should be joining us any moment.”
Kai shot a panicked glance past him into the dim hallway, but Jack just grinned.
“One thing we’re not running short of is wine. Her Majesty very generously bade the kitchens to offer your gard a sup for a jobwell done. Seems he’s overindulged a bit, though. Might be out for a while.”
Drugged.
But for how long?
At a murmur in the hallway, Kai’s heart dropped, but Jack only stepped back and peered calmly out. He shot Kai a smile, slightly tighter this time but no less friendly.
“Enjoy your supper, Your Majesty.”
Then he stepped halfway out the door and paused, just the outline of his back visible in the dim lanternlight.
“Jack,” whispered a man’s voice, soft and slightly hesitant.Gerard, Kai thought, and his sunken heart suddenly pitched at the realisation. Was he here with a message from Adeline?
“All set,” said Jack, more briskly than he’d spoken to Kai. “Benan’s had his wine, you’ve got maybe forty minutes, but I wouldn’t push it. He’s a big lad, might absorb it a little faster—”
“Thank you,” Gerard blurted, then softer again, “Look, Jack, I just wanted to say—”
“Don’t mention it,” said Jack, a touch too brightly. “See you, Pup.”
Then Jack edged out of the doorway, and there was only the sound of Gerard’s low, pained exhale.
“Pup?” said another voice.
Adeline.
Kai’s every muscle locked in place.No. She was not here, Gerard would not have brought her here, he would not have been sostupidas to risk—
