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Eliza placed Rosalie closer to her chest before placing a blanket over both of them. She didn’t speak at first, tending to feed my sister. When she did, her eyes narrowed in Victor’s direction. “You will not tell me where I can or cannot go,” she shot back. “As I told the wet nurse, Rosalie will stay here with a guard. Rosalie will be safe. But I am going. I arranged this meeting,” she leaned forward to make sure he heard her, “And you, husband, will attend as well.” Her voice was honed steel wrapped in silk. “Unless you suddenly have something new to tell me about our son’s disappearance, we’re going.”

Victor’s eyes narrowed, anger and exhaustion in equal measure. “How can you still burn for revenge,” he asked quietly, “when you have a child in your arms? A daughter to nurse, to love, to raise?”

As I watched, I shamefully wondered the same. This grief she carried had enough combustion to destroy herself, a kingdom, and everyone. I could see the determination in her eyes. I knew I couldn’t be replaced, and I knew she’d hurt for a long time, but Rosalie deserved that same fire. If my mother had laid her vengeance down to love my sister fully, I don’t think I would’ve blamed her. It probably would have saved her. Martha lost her first son; she mentioned it to me not often, but enough, I knew he mattered. I didn’t replace him, but I gave her a place to love.

Victor’s hands found her shoulders again. This time, his touch was gentle, thumbs kneading away tension as his tone softened. “If our son were still with us… he wouldn’t want to live beneath a crown of iron. Not when love could have ruled instead.”

Eliza rose, ignoring his efforts. She placed Rosalie carefully in the crib, kissing her as she tucked her to sleep. When she finally turned to face Victor, it was with the poise of a queen. There was only refusal carved in her expression. I could see there was no space left in it to be moved. “I don’t understand,” she said, voice steady, “why you think one child could ever replace another.”

Victor looked devoid of all the joy of moments before. Something tighter was left behind. It was less clear, but it was there. Guilt. He didn’t interrupt; he just listened as his wife continued to manage him.

“Every day that passes, I wonder…” Her gaze dropped for a heartbeat to his hands and then his throat. There was so much in that look that I even stilled in fear. When her eyes lifted back up, they blazed hotter than before. “If you think I won’t find the kidnapper, you’re wrong. And if you think I care that the people fear me…” Her lip curled. “They should have feared me the day they stole my child.”

She glided toward him, skirts whispering around her ankles. Eliza suddenly kissed the side of his cheek when she approached, and when she looked back, I swore her fangs dropped an inch. Her voice dipped again low, as if she were holding it together by force alone. “My firstborn. The only son I’ve ever known. No, Rosalie does not replace the ache in my heart. That’s like asking me to choose my death.”

If her screams had cracked me, this stripped me bare. I didn’t know her, but she knew me. She’d carried me. She was never given the chance to mourn me right. When I thought Mark died, grief had eaten me alive, and I’d cursed the disease in his body. She didn’t even have that. Nowhere to put the rage. No wonder it devoured her.

The air was tight; I could almost feel Eliza’s breath as she whispered, “She only fuels my rage.” She gripped his chin so he could look her directly in the eye. “If anyone ever dared take her from me… Well, my king, this entire kingdom would burn. Be damned anyone who tries to stop me.” Her eyes dragged down Victor’s form, weighing him. “You’re either with me, my love, ruling in this rage. Or you’re burning down with it.”

Victor didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He looked spellbound by the storm of her. “I’ll attend with you,” was all he said.

Before I could learn more, the mist stepped beside me and thrust its hand through my chest. I was yanked back. I was sucked into the wholeness of my body like a vacuum.

Gasping, I awoke in my bed, skin sticky. The room was swamped with heat, and the covers clung to me like a lover. I dragged in a sharp breath of lavender as my eyes darted around the dim space. My mind was scrambled, though my body felt remarkably rested. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what that mist was or what these dreams meant. It had only appeared a few times, but something about it felt connected to this place, to me. I’d ask Kleitos when I saw him again. He’d probably know more about it, and why everything felt so broken. I wondered if he had hurt the way Eliza had done.

Hopefully, Arianna and Bomani got them out in time before patrols came. They had to because I couldn’t lose either of them. There had been so much of it already. Shaking the misery away, my curls tossed in the air. They had escaped from the bun Valentina had made. That was the least of my worries. My hand scrubbed over my face; I stretched, forcing sleep from my limbs.

“Argh,” I groaned mid-yawn.

Even though I wanted the visions to leave, they lingered. What was that dream trying to show me? Was it trying to turn me against Eliza? Or warn me how one lie could trigger a whole chain of tragedy? After seeing her face again, I couldn’t help but love her. Even through her rage, she loved me. She was a flawed woman, but she was a mother.

Rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I forget about the leather bracelet fastened at my wrist. The emerald scraped my cheek, jolting me fully awake. I flinched and held it up to examine the jewel. It looked expensive. I’d have to ask where my mother got it.

Toppling out of bed, I decided I couldn’t afford to dwell. I knew our stay came with a time limit, and I didn’t have much of it left. I dressed in yesterday’s clothes and hurried to the door. When I opened it, Valentina and my mom were already there with the Delatrus Hamish. His rose-colored fist hung mid-knock.

“Well, good morning,” I said with a crooked smile, stepping into the light.

Hamish offered a small smile, his animated features calmer than last night. “I’m glad you’re awake. It’s time for your departure. Dawn is just breaking; come with me.” He motioned me forward out of the chamber and led us down a hall. “My apologies, my father won’t be joining us. He has just retired.”

With a yawn in my throat, I nodded to him. “That’s alright. Please thank Orprus Fionn for his hospitality. I owe him a favor.” And I meant it. I didn’t know what I’d be able to offer his court, but anything I could do for him I would within reason. Valentina and my mother fell in behind us as we climbed the guarded stairwell. Instead of returning to the main city, we veered into a low tunnel, barely any light ahead.

“Of course,” Hamish murmured at my side.

The path narrowed, the air cooling in the hallows. Only a small torch in Hamish’s hand lit our way. He’d plucked it from a sconce before we entered. The stone gave way to damp earth. Our boots sank into softer ground; the walls crept closer, as if the tunnel itself were swallowing us. We climbed through the path in silence. I could feel the elevation steepen beneath our feet. A colder breeze funneled down the passage, knifing past us. The cloak at my shoulder billowed behind in the draft. The ceiling dipped, tightening over my head.

Hamish knelt, pressing the torch into the earth until the flame fell away. “All right, everyone on your knees,” he said. “You’re all a bit tall. You won’t fit otherwise.”

Obeying his order, we all bent down on fours in the cool ground. The path was now pitched in midnight as we crawled through the fresh mud. The way he took us didn’t take long, but my back whined in protest at the position. I was relieved when I saw a blade of pale light cut through from above us.

It didn’t take long to reach that light. The walls were now too close for comfort. My broader shoulders had been scraping against the sides to escape. Hamish slipped out first. I followed, reaching the top of the hole. I didn’t hesitate to bend down behind me to grab Valentina’s hand, then my mother’s, as they stretched up through the gap. I pulled them both easily to the surface.

By the time I straightened, the Delatrus was gone, vanishing like smoke on the wind.

It was like magic the way he disappeared. The gap in the earth also sealed at our feet, leaving brown dirt in its wake. No matter how scary they had seemed, they were truly marvelous. With a smile, I said, “I hope both your nights were peaceful.” I took a moment to take in our surroundings. Wherever we were, it wasn’t where we’d fallen in.

My mother was the first to answer, as she took my hand in her own. “This was the most adventure I’ve had in a lifetime,” my mom beamed, that familiar whimsical glint in her eye. It pulled a chuckle out of me. “But I was worried about both of your fathers…” she added quietly, gaze lifting to the pale sun bleeding through the thick, blue-tinted fog.

The wind tore at her and Valentina’s faces, biting their cheeks. Valentina squeezed her shoulder. “They’ve got this. His Highness Kleitos, Arianna, Bomani… if anyone should be afraid, it’s those poor guards from that morning.” There was unmitigated confidence in her tone as she spoke. “Come. Let’s head home. We’re not far. These woods look familiar.” Valentina turned east and started running.