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“Why do this now?” I ask Einar quietly when the others are conversing. “When the people may never even know?”
“They will know, as soon as we return, together.” He says the words with all the confidence of a king who refuses to be denied.
“How can you be so sure of that, knowing what we’re up against?”
“Because I’m sure of us, of you.” He bends his head to mine, whispering against my lips, “After all, the queen is the most powerful piece on the board.”
Epilogue
Aika
Ican still hear the revelry through the barred hole in the wall they call a window. All of those poor, unsuspecting bastards are playing right into her hands, and they haven’t the slightest clue.
A rat skitters across the floor, making his way toward the last piece of stale bread on my plate.
“Oh, no you don’t. Get out of here!” I hiss, kicking my foot at him.
The thing barely flinches, just stares at me with its beady eyes and a silent promise to return.
I shove the hard bread into the pocket of my shirt. Who knows when they’ll deign to bring me food again? I can’t afford to waste a crumb on a plump, greedy rodent.
Groaning, I press the heels of my hands to my eyes.
I have to find a way out of here.
A grunt comes from the corner of the room near the doorway, and I sit up straighter. There are a handful of other prisoners in the castle dungeons, but this is coming from the hall.
Another grunt follows, then the sound of fabric skidding down the stone wall and the clinking of metal.
Keys?
Seconds later, a cloaked figure stands in front of my cell. She may be hidden in the shadows, but I would know her anywhere.
“Bloody hell.” I tsk, warring between laughing and hurling my fist toward her face. “I knew you weren’t dead.”
My sister slides the hood off her head and examines the keys in the wan light of the dungeon.
“You really couldn’t manage to stay out of trouble in the handful of months I was gone?” Her golden eyes flit up to me, and I make a show of flouncing onto the lice-ridden mattress.
“Well, since you were busy playing dead and driving our dearmothermad with grief, I’ve been a little busy.”
Zaina lets out a whoosh of air.
“So I see.” She finally locates the correct key and unlocks my cell.
The metal door grates on its hinges before I leap up to my feet, wincing from the bruises that the guards were kind enough to give me.
She pauses, her amber gaze boring into mine.
“Dare I even ask how you landed yourself in a dungeon?”
“Could you possibly save your high-handed attitude forafterwe escape the castle?”
Zaina stiffens, her eyebrow quirking.
“Would you rather I leave you here, then?”
“Nope.” I push past her, peeking around the corner to make sure no other guards are nearby. “I’m far too busy to relax in these royal suites, but thank you.”
She huffs. “Indeed.”
“Speaking of being busy...I do hope you plan to stop by and visit ourbrothernow that you’re back. Maybe the sight of you returned from the dead will finally do thetosserin.”
I feel, more than see, the air leave her lungs as she clenches my arm in her fist. Her eyes are wide with panic, and it’s rare enough to make me pause.
“What do you mean, ourbrother?” She hisses. “Damian is dead.”
I take a moment to assess her, the hard set of her mouth, the whites of her knuckles, her ragged breaths.She really doesn’t know.
“No.” I shake my head. “He’s scarred and even more disgusting than usual, but I can assure you, Damian is very much alive.”
