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ChapterTwenty-Five
The stone floor and walls echoed Vori’s footsteps in an annoying reverb, but she couldn’t stop pacing.Just when she’d fooled herself that she and Perry could make the best of this, could make a life of this—the worst had happened.The throne room seemed like a massive tomb.
“It’s my fault, Majesty.”Mykata’s battered face was streaked with silver blood.“Your consort warned me to stay away from the prisoner.While you were injured.He didn’t feel it would be fair to me or the prisoner.”
He hadn’t mentioned it, but the logic was sound and so very Perry.“He was right.”
“Yes.”The guard looked as if she’d aged ten years in a day.
Vori knew exactly how she felt.“Explain it once more.”Because maybe this time around, it would somehow miraculously have a different ending.Or perhaps Perry could bring back better news.He’d gone to search for Jura.
Mykata shuffled her feet.“Phaedra…I mean Petra, she sent word through the other guards.She wanted to speak to me inside the cell.I figured what harm could she do while locked up?We would just talk.”
“Why would you even consider agreeing?”
“Because despite what she did to Artanya, how she hurt you, under all that, she’s still my baby sister who I mourned for over a decade.When we lost her, she was only seven years old—tiny, fragile, and sweet.During the raids, she would get so scared.I’d play games to distract her, to make her laugh, to make her forget.The night you left, and she followed Artanya…”
“Before Petra went through the goblin glass,” Vori prompted.
“I was supposed to be with them.”The raw words fell like broken glass on the stone floor.“I should have been with them, but I…I was a coward.”
“What happened?”No one could be judged without the full story.Her consort had taught her that.And the night of her mother’s near death, of her father’s final rage, chaos had been the only constant.
“I hid.Artanya told me to come on, and my baby sister was crying for me.But I couldn’t move.I was too afraid.So I hid under a bed and squeezed my eyes shut and prayed no one else found me.”
“Because they would’ve killed you.A royal.”
The guard nodded.“I’m ashamed of how I failed my sisters then, how I failed you today.”
Shame wouldn’t get them anywhere.“Focus on the facts.After you went in the cell today, what happened?”
“Before my sister knocked me out?”
“Yes, before that.”
The captain glanced away.“I’m the best fighter in the realm.I’ve won countless matches.I would’ve fought you for Artanya.”
“And you might’ve won, yes, I know all that.”
“No, when you lose control, you’re unstoppable.”
“Which is a problem in of itself.You saw the devastation of my father’s rages.But Petra still beat me when I chased after her.”She gestured toward her shoulder.It was better but still super sore.“I wouldn’t have captured her without your help.”
“She escaped because of me.”
True, but dwelling on Mykata’s failures wouldn’t solve their current crisis.“Did Petra talk to you?”
“She told me I should’ve done a better job of protecting her, but that I was a kid at the time, so she would spare me.Spare, that’s the word she used.As if she decides who lives or dies.”
“She thinks she does.”
The doors swung open with a sudden whoosh.Perry rushed in.“We have a problem.”
Vori’s head pounded.“We have several problems.”One of which was she’d fallen in love with her consort, who might or might not love her back.“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Petra has the amethysts.Your three, hers, the king’s.The full set for all we know.”
Vori’s heart, her lungs, her everything felt as if a panic-grenade had exploded inside her.Fear set off a chain reaction in her pulse, leaving her legs shaking so badly she fought to remain standing.“Jura?”
