Avette gave a soft click of her tongue, one placating hand on his meaty forearm. Adeline barely had time to dry heave at the heatthat passed between them before the queen’s long fingers were clicking in her direction.
“Gard, bring my cousins to His Majesty’s rooms as promised.”
Adeline was at once on her feet, yanking Marry up behind her before Avette could spare them a glance—or Goddess forbid, change her mind. It was a little horrifying to find herself grateful for Benan in that moment. He held Avette’s attention as Ger ushered them out the door, his voice dropping to an oily, intimate hush.
“You are so very beneficial.”
“Benevolent,” Avette corrected.
Her hand stroking up his arm was the last thing Adeline saw before the door saved her the sight. Not a word passed between the three of them as they clipped through the frozen hallways, putting as much distance as they could manage between themselves and the queen. The sisters walked hand-in-hand, Marry’s fingers a vice around Adeline’s, her sniffles harsh on the still, winter air. It was not until they’d reached the bottom of the tower stairs that Mareda drew up and reached for Ger’s shirt sleeve.
He turned, twitching and distracted.
“Imogen,” she half-whispered, then swallowed, visibly steeling herself with a swift swipe at the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Was she conscious?”
Ger’s eyes widened. “Oh shit, no—I meanyes,sorry. She’s with the Healers, but they didn’t say any of that.”
“What?” Mareda said flatly.
Ger winced. “She’s fine. I just said that to buy some time.”
Relief moved through Marry, but not so swiftly that Ade missed the moment it gave way to disbelief, and then to rage. She sidestepped between them both, grabbing at each of their wrists before Marry could land more than a glare.
“Let’s go see her, then. Come on.”
But Ger resisted her tugging, his weight pulling her back. The set of his golden brows, when she turned, was far too solemn for her liking.
“I need to bring you to Kai,” he said quietly.
“He’ll understand if I take a quick detour—”
Adeline cut herself off at the look on her friend’s face, unease swallowing her words and sinking through her throat. Ger just shook his head, wordless as they stared at each other. It was Marry who broke the silent spell, a gentle hand at Adeline’s back to urge her forward.
“Go,” she said, then with another gentle shove, “I’ll give Imogen your regards, justgo.”
Adeline couldn’t recall if Ger had said a word to her on the hurried walk to Kai’s rooms. If he had, she hadn’t taken it in, didn’t know anything but the dread sitting heavy in her stomach. Ger opened the door and glanced fervently back down the corridor, one hand up to stop Adeline’s approach.
“Ade, it’s bad,” he whispered. “If anyone finds him like this—”
“Likewhat?”
As if in answer, a brittle gasp from inside the room cut between them. Ger’s eyes squeezed shut beneath a pained wince—and Adeline’s blood ran cold. She slipped past her friend and into the room, freezing just a half step past the door. It was dark in here,the frost much thicker than in most of the palace. She could feel the cold ridges through the soles of her shoes, her eyes straining to find the source of those stuttering breaths that clouded the air.
But there he was.
Seated on the floor like a broken doll, long legs stretched out before him and his head resting on the mattress above him. He stared blankly up at the ceiling, eyelids thick and half-closed.
“Kai?”
He didn’t respond, barely moved, but for the twitch of his hands at his sides. In one of them, he clutched her conch shell in a white-knuckled grip; in the other, a crumpled piece of paper. Adeline’s pulse thundered in her own ears, but all she could hear was the uneven shudder of Kai’s breath as she sank to her knees and reached for his hand. Without looking around, he let her unfurl his fingers; pry loose the scrap of paper. It was Alun’s writing, but the letters were craggy and uneven, the ink smudged and waterstained, the words still so carefully chosen that it took Adeline several readings before her gut finally twisted itself in a knot.
He got the others out,it read.He remains with the Mother.
For a moment, she could say nothing at all, but the pained gust of her breath seemed enough to stir him.
“Do you know,” said Kai, “that little voice we all have in our heads? Our conscience, my father used to say. Mine always sounded like Os. Always.”
His voice was flat; as distant as the gaze that remained fixed on the frozen ceiling.
