“And the dead halmasti creature in the palace? How much of a toll did that take?”
“After you burnt it to cinders and I dove into the inferno, I managed to carry you to your room, but not much else. I would have slept for days had that not aroused suspicion.”
My face heated at the memory of him carrying me naked from the great hall, in front of everyone.
As if he could read my thoughts he said, “Don’t worry, I put my cloak over you as soon as I found you in the ash.”
“I wasn’t worried,” I admitted, honestly. “I was mostly curious because I’d only ever seen you summon the death creature once. Can you do it again?”
He frowned. “Yes. But right now I don’t want to risk the energy it would take, especially when we are about to enter into a battle.”
We rode to the edge of the pass, the rebels fanning out along the ridge, working to camouflage each other in the hills.
A scout rode up to Kiyan on a metal-legged horse, shouting his name.
“They are heading this way—another two hours or so through the mountains.”
“Reza’s moving faster than we thought.”
“He wasted no time once he had Queen Azari’s crown. He’s been gathering his forces in preparation.”
“He has to find the gate first. And he doesn’t have Yaseema at his disposal anymore.”
Zaye rode alongside us, her face grave. “He’s going to try and drain you of your power. Don’t get close enough to him to have access.”
“He’ll know the taste of my blade soon enough,” muttered Kiyan.
“But perhaps not on this battlefield,” she said. “We still haven’t found a way to take King Rusul’s power from him. So right now, you can’t touch him.”
“If all we do is steal the Queen’s crown, it will be worth it.”
We waited, fanning out, the ambush set.
Soon, the Viceroy rode toward the pass with his soldiers.
I was hidden, but I still flinched upon seeing him, the memory of his magic snapping my bones still fresh. Something dark and heavy sat in my stomach, but I didn’t want to allow my mind to go back to that place.
Kiyan followed my gaze, his mouth going white. “He won’t have the chance to get to you. Not again.”
I smiled at Kiyan, but wasn’t so sure he could keep that promise. If I was going to take back the crown, and find the gate to enter the Mountain, I needed to get relatively close to Reza.
As long as he couldn’t touch me and drain my magic, I was safe. I watched him approaching the pass, my stomach churning with dread, like watching an axe slowly inch nearer to your neck.
He was close enough that I could see the small brown pouch containing my bangles. It was strapped to his iron-legged horse, hanging beside the saddlebag.
Rage then replaced my dread, and suddenly I wanted to run at him screaming, ripping my bag from his horse.
Those don’t belong to you, I wanted to scream at him.They are mine.
But the same could be said for everything the Viceroy had—his outfit, his magic, his crown—everything was stolen from this Court. He had claimed ownership in land, language, property, books, a palace—the very lives of the fae that lived here, as if they were able to be taken.
But today, they were going to get it back.
The rebels waited for Kiyan to give the signal. Down below, I saw Mishah readying the fighters.
The tension was like a loaded rifle, waiting to be discharged. It reminded me of Safiyya, learning to shoot with my father, while I studied beside them, waiting for the exact moment to kill the unsuspecting sandgrouse, my father counting down with her in her ear.
One.
