Kazia drifts through the rest of the day in a daze. Aliza summons him at noon—with a herald instead of blood magic, like a normalfucking person. She heals his back, which is nice because it barely hurts. Then Kazia’s true torment begins:
Pretending not to hate Aliza’s first attempts at the two-clan bells.
In her ever-amateur hands, the stacks of jangling bells are enough to make Kazia miss the harp. Even worse, his thoughts keep straying to the linen closet looming behind him.
When she finally releases him, Kazia returns to his chambers and sleeps for three hours. When he wakes, he doesn’t feel so cold and untethered. Court dinner isn’t for another hour. Maybe he’ll attend. Insult a few courtiers. Force Imrik to look at him.
First, Kazia opens the towering rat cage. Butterfly scurries for the open door, as usual. Kazia scoops him up, and the soft, warm lump steadies his heartbeat as he fishes out the message box. The slight difference in weight reveals the new letter even before Kazia takes it to the table and opens it.
Another letter from Vana. Another charming anecdote about life on Tavoc. Another awkward, formal hope that Kazia is doing well.
Kazia holds Butterfly up to his cheek. The rat wiggles, then settles.
Vana achieved what Kazia wants now. Escape. He made it look so fucking easy. Ask Marek to fly him and his bodyguard south. Take the ship waiting for him. Sail away.
And Vana is a mage, of course. So is Daromir. They’re powerful enough to protect themselves and each other. Their value doesn’t come from their own pain.
It probably wasn’t easy. There was the whole Hound attack and everything—which Kazia warned Daromir about because he likes disrupting Imrik’s plans. Not because he cares about Vana or anything.
So, not easy. Kazia still can’t imagine simply asking Marek to fly him somewhere. Marek would refuse, or worse, ask questions. Still worse, get Sei to ask questions instead.
Kazia can’t imagine asking Vana for help, either. Even though Vana told him to, during that last game of aerie.
‘If you ever need help and it’s in my power, you can call on me.’
Bullshit.
Kazia can’t imagine askinganyonefor help. Except, for some stupid reason, Lucien Vaire.
Closing his eyes, Kazia presses Butterfly against his other cheek. A cold, whiskery nose pokes his eyelid.
“Good rat,” Kazia whispers, then moves Butterfly to his shoulder. Butterfly sits contentedly as Kazia rereads the letter. Then Kazia rips the letter in two and feeds one half to the fire.
Kazia takes the other half to the desk in his bedroom. He scrawls a single line on the blank back of the parchment. After the ink dries, he shuts it in the box.
Hello, Vana—what the fuck is your problem?
?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lucien
Lucien’s getting good at differentiating knocks at his cell. This morning’s single sharp kick announces Drasgard Salarin before she calls out, “Away from the door.”
“You got it,” Lucien calls back from his bed. Extinguishing the floating flames he’s been playing with, he sits up. He swings his legs to the floor but stays put. Salarin doesn’t like sudden movements, and Lucien doesn’t blame her.
She enters the room, eyes on Lucien and hand on her sword like usual. Unlike usual, she closes the door behind her.
“Need something, Captain?” Lucien asks. He sets his hands on the bedspread, in plain sight.
Avoiding a fight would be preferable. Salarin is a mage, though not a strong one, and Lucien doesn’t know what type. Even minor magic, combined with a sword and a good head for combat, would be difficult to defend against without revealing Lucien’s unbound power.
If he dropped his helpless act, though, it would be easy. Escape plans keep him calm. He’d shove a fireball downSalarin’s throat first, so she couldn’t scream for help. Then take her sword. If he covered his hair, his servant’s livery could get him far through less-traveled passageways.
“I have nothing personal against you,” Salarin says instead of striking—though the grim set to her expression casts doubt on her words. “My family hails from Nirava, and Silaisans aren’t much on our mind there. That’s been good news for you, because I don’t have any motivation beyond following His Highness’s orders.”
“I’m sure Kazia appreciates your loyalty,” Lucien says—and realizes his mistake when Salarin’s scowl deepens.
