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Chapter Thirty-Three
Zaina
“Iwant to tell Aika tomorrow night,” I announce when Einar returns from dinner with the king.
I haven’t stopped thinking about my sister since I trailed her and Remy to her room above the bar.
Einar massages the bridge of his nose, letting out a sigh. “I still don’t think the fact that she’s burning buildings full of people is evidence enough that we can trust her.”
“Buildings full of people who work for Madame,” I clarify, my hands tightening around my teacup.
“Or people who crossed her,” he argues, setting his crown on the table before sitting on the chair adjacent to mine. “We don’t know.”
“You didn’t see Aika at that fire.” I shake my head. “That wasn’t just a job for Madame. Besides, we agreed that arson isn’t her style. It’s too obvious.”
“We made an assumption when we had no stake in this, and now you want to risk absolutely everything on a hunch.” A muscle ticks in Einar’s jaw, the only evidence of his frustration.
“Do you have a better plan?” I try and fail to keep sarcasm out of my tone.
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow at the ball, drop a few hints and see how she reacts.”
It isn’t the worst idea, giving ourselves an extra day to be sure we’re doing the right thing. It wouldn’t be unreasonable at all, except…
“So, your plan is to, what, use your wealth of insight on a woman you’ve met exactly one time to gauge her reactions?”
His face darkens, because he knows where I’m going with this, but I forge ahead anyway.
“You don’t know my sister, and you can’t read her.” My tone is insistent. “Sands, Idoknow her, and I can barely read her, but it’s better than nothing.”
“You are not going to the masquerade,” he says flatly.
I bristle.“Your permission is neither sought nor required, Einar. Besides, what happened to,I’m sure of you?”
I echo his words from the night of my coronation when he told me he believed we could defeat Madame.
“I am sure of you,” Einar growls, leaning forward in his seat. “But our entire line of play depends on you staying dead. If Ulla discovers you’re alive, you’re risking everything we’re trying to do and everyone we’re trying to protect.”
“Even Madame won’t be able to recognize me in a masquerade mask in a dimly lit ballroom with paint on my face.”Probably.“I’ve been trained to do this, to stick to the shadows and remain unseen in a crowd. Aren’t you the one always telling me she’s only human?”
“And what if you’re wrong?” he pushes, rising to his feet now. “What if she does recognize you?”
“We could drown ourselves in what-ifs.”
Einar raises his eyebrows, as cognizant as I am of the way I’ve avoided answering his question. I try again.
“We need Aika on our side.”
“I am aware of that, but have you forgotten you took an oath to protect all of Jokith? You can’t do that if you’re dead.”
“I hardly think a ball is a life-or-death situation.”
“Everything that involves Ulla is a life-or-death situation, and it’s not like this would be the first time you hurled yourself head-first into danger. There’s no spring to save you here, Zaina.” He’s barely gritting out his words through clenched teeth.
“Is that why you made me Queen?” I tilt my head in disbelief. “To stay my hand?”
His expression hardens and his jaw clenches several times before he responds.
“Of course not, but I certainly won’t complain if it necessitates you to see past the handful of things you deign to consider important.”
