“It’s real,” says the man in front of me. “It hasn’t faded or peeled.”
Soren sucks in a sharp breath, and the lantern shakes. “You mean?—”
“The council needs to know about this, and Evelyn will want to see her.” The shorter man finally looks away, glancing over his shoulder, and I exhale a sigh of relief. “Do it.”
My brows furrow. Even though these men are speaking in the common tongue, I barely understand what they’re talking about. Who is this Evelyn, and what council will want to know? What has the man commanded Soren to do?
Soren places the lantern on the ground, but he doesn’t come any closer.
“Yes, sir.” He extends his hands at his sides, his cloak riding up.
Questions rise on my tongue, but they jumble together as Soren murmurs under his breath. Several things seem to happen at once.
Orange sparks similar to the ones I produced beneath Rose Palace dance above Soren’s pale hands. I curse the suns as a faint orange glow comes from somewhere beneath his cloak.
The shorter man frowns and stares at my Mark, his expression unnervingly serious.
A flash of brilliant light explodes, illuminating the pale grey walls. A heartbeat later, my skin tingles. Heaviness floods my body, pushing me down as if a hundred blankets are dropped on me at once.
I try to stay awake, but it’s impossible. I’m dragged into darkness.
The last thing I hear is the other man telling Soren to prepare the council for me. And then there is nothing at all.
16
ANOTHER BAD DAY
WREN
“The Blessed is waking.” The words come from behind me, sounding oddly distant.
I groan. My mind and body feel separate, untethered from each other. With each unsteady beat of my heart, my awareness trickles in, and I come back to myself in bits and pieces.
My head is pounding again. My throat is still a dry desert, crying out for moisture. And my mouth...
Suns take me.
A fucking gag is in my mouth, absorbing the pitiful mewling sounds crawling out of my aching throat. I move to pull off the gag, but I can’t, because my hands are tied and bound behind my back.
Every new discovery is worse than the last.
My vision is the final sense to return to me as my eyes open. And when they do, my heart plummets. If I weren’t gagged, a flurry of curses would slip from my lips. As it is, they race through my mind.
Two dozen people are scattered through the cavernous space, mostly men, although there are a few women. Each one is armed, and they’re all glaring atme.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat. What did I do to deserve their hatred?
The cell was downright awful, but maybe... maybe it was better than this?
Several warriors—because that’s what they are—have wilted roses tattooed on their necks and hands. Some are as pale as the moons, others are tanned, and a few have ebony skin that reminds me of Yvette, my sister-in-law.
My stomach twists. If the last few days are any sign, I’ll never see my family again. Gabriel was right in sending my sisters away—the suns only know what would’ve happened to them if they’d been here with us. Hedran would’ve probably killed them—if we even made it out of the capital. It’s better that they’re far, far away from me.
Forcing painful thoughts of my family away, I return my attention to the warriors. All of them, including the women, are wearing tunics and tight, form-fitting pants. Each carries a minimum of two visible weapons, and I’m sure there are more I can’t see.
A woman with bright turquoise hair hanging in a braid over her right shoulder is scowling at me as though I murdered her favorite pet. I shrink back, grateful she’s on the other side of the room.
Turning my attention away from the hateful woman, I take in my surroundings. The walls are made of dark grey stone, and there’s a peculiar crimson shimmer to them as if someone scooped up handfuls of red sand and stuck it to the walls. There is no natural light, no windows at all.
