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“The king is not yet present,” one informed me. “He has instructed the ceremony wait.”

I swallowed hard. What could he possibly have to do that was more important than this? Had he realized I was too strong with Torvo by my side? Was he putting a stop to it? He hadn’t drawn from my magic as often since we’d returned from the Imrati, and I’d attributed it to him wanting me healthier to bear an heir. But what if he was using Torvo instead somehow? Was my prince in danger?

Blood rushed to my head, and I swayed at the top of the steps. Carefully, I backed away, groping for the support of the wall behind me. Suddenly, the dress was too heavy, the corset stifling as I gasped for breath. The world began to spin.

Leaning against the rough stones, I hurried back up the many stairs toward my room. Guards’ eyes narrowed in confusion as I passed. I barely noticed and didn’t care. All I saw was Torvo’s beautiful face contorted in a pain I knew intimately. Father had ruined everything I’d ever cared about. I suspected he’d caused my mother’s death. He’d ultimately been the reason I had to pull Nyah back inside, and now—how could I not have known? I’d let myself care too much, too fast. If he hurt Torvo, it would be my own fault. I had to get to him.

Pushing away the fear that tried to claw its way up my stomach, I focused on that one thought alone. I had to stop my father.

Nyah! I screamed into my mind. She would know what to do. I made it back to my rooms somehow, sending the door shut behind me with a gust of wind so strong it would have knocked over anyone in the way. I sank to the floor before the fire I kept roaring in my hearth at all times, then retreated into my mind to find her.

“What’s happening?” Nyah asked, rushing toward me through a maze of darkened hallways that resembled the castle interior, but far narrower and more menacing. They seemed to angle inward as they rose from the ground, swallowing us in darkness save for the flickering green flames of the torches. Vaguely, I understood that I’d created this oppressive atmosphere in my own mind despite my promises that Nyah had control. My runaway emotions were taking over.

I collapsed into my sister’s arms, and she held me, stroking my hair, which here in my mind was no longer woven into a rigid piece of metal but was loose and wild like my feelings.

“I think he took Torvo,” I got out between sobs. “He said the wedding is delayed until he arrives.”

“What makes you think he has Torvo?” she asked, pulling back and holding me at arm’s length to see my face.

My mouth opened and closed like a fish. I couldn’t find the words to explain my feelings. But she shook me, startling me out of it.

“Focus, Rune. If you think he needs saving, you need to get it together like yesterday, not fall apart on me. Not disappear.”

“I know!” I sank to the ground along with her, her hands still gripping my arms painfully. “I’m trying.”

“Try harder. I’m not the only one depending on you.” Nyah’s voice was ice, and her touch was rock. The shock of the way she was suddenly treating me had me blinking away my tears and confusion. I quieted to sniffles and tiny gasps.

“Okay,” I said. “I…I panicked. He always takes away anything good. It’s hard to believe he’d let me be happy. And what else could be keeping him from this? It seemed as important to him as it was to me. Maybe for the first time in my life, Father’s wishes aligned with my own.”

Nyah’s grip and eyes softened, and she released me. “Whatever he’s up to, it’s not good.”

I nodded my agreement, then stared down at where my fingers twisted my beautiful skirts. “Like I told you, we were plotting to leave and take Rivven with us. I worry he’s found out about our plan somehow.”

Nyah didn’t react the way I expected at this news. She barely reacted at all. I wondered when she’d become so hardened. But that was what I needed now, wasn’t it? I needed her strength if I was going to save my future husband.

“You have to take over again,” I pleaded, grasping her hands in mine. “I need you to figure this out. To save him or do whatever it takes to make sure I can marry Torvo. Please.”

Nyah did react this time. Her eyes widened in surprise. “You want me to take over your body again? How will you know when to take it back?”

“I…I trust you to give me control again when you’re ready.”

Nyah froze so still I thought she’d turned into a statue for a moment. Then she stood suddenly, face set in determination. “I accept. You can trust me, Rune. I hope you know that now.”

“I do,” I admitted. “And I’d do anything to fix this.”

Fourteen

Rivven

Blood drizzled from my mouth to the ground as I hung limply against the wall of the interrogation chamber. Only the restraints around my wrists held me up at this point. Rufus’s fist mashed into my jaw again, this time dislocating it with a painful crack. My vision went blank for a moment, and all I was aware of was the buzzing in my head. And the pain. Always the pain.

Hands grabbed my long, matted hair and yanked my head back until my skull connected with the stone behind me, and the world came back into view, doubled. Two versions of the man who’d reached third on my kill list in the last month wavered before me, morphing into one and then back to two again.

I smiled, letting the blood flow over my busted bottom lip to coat his armor. I wondered absently how much was left inside of me. Torvo had been nice enough to bring me a potion, but it had all the effect of a few sips of water. Not that I wasn’t grateful for any amount of water…

“Stay awake, fucker,” he growled. “You can’t answer my questions if you black out.”

He hadn’t even asked any questions this time. I suspected he just wanted a punching bag.