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As the others disappeared through a dense wall of juniper, we ran to catch up. Lyra and I popped out into a hidden gardening corner with an array of discarded tools scattered around a large shed. Huddled in the center of the cobblestone, we all seemed to take a collective breath.
Liam was trembling, and I rested my hand on his shoulder and pulled him into me. “It’s okay,” I breathed. “It will be okay.”
Lyra looked at Ada. “What the hell happened in there?”
I ran my free hand through my hair, grappling with how very, very wrong this was. I knew something had been bothering Del, and now I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d known Maylar was close and had said nothing. Had Garath known? Were they aware she wasn’t really the princess? I had no idea if there was any truth to it, but my gut told me Del wasn’t completely surprised by Maylar’s claims.
“So, Delisn’tthe princess?” Lyra clarified.
Ada paced. “I—I don’t know,” she said shakily. I knew she was as well-trained to fight as Del was, but dressed in her black and silver procession gown, Ada looked more like a maiden than a warrior. “I mean, yes, Del’s the princess. But—” She shook her head. “I don’t know what’s happening. I should’ve stayed in there with Garath and Hills—”
“Why?” Callon said softly, his eyes locking with hers. “So you could be locked in the tower with her?” He spoke quietly, his gaze shifting to Liam as he shook his head. “You know Del would want you to stay with the prince.”
The rising moon illuminated the tears in Liam’s eyes. “My mother—”
“Will be fine,” I promised, bending down to him. “We’ll make sure of it.” I peered into his wide, worried gaze. Aptly, Nyx flew over the garden walls, landing deftly on Liam’s shoulder. “I saw where the guards took her,” I told him. “She is not hurt, and you know Garath won’t let anything happen to her.Iwon’t let anything happen.” I gently squeezed his shoulders.
Liam searched my face for certainty, or perhaps it was for a sliver of doubt. Whatever he found, he seemed to relax ever so slightly. But I could feel his confusion and fear as much as I could see it on his crumpled face, and I looked at Lyra. Her hands rested on her hips as she paced, each step coiled with battle-ready adrenaline.
When she met my gaze, I nodded to my son. “Hey, Liam, why don’t you sit with Lyra for a minute, okay? Let me talk with Ada and Callon, and we’ll get it sorted.”
Liam hesitated, his chin trembling until, finally, he straightened a little, nodded, and let Lyra guide him to a stack of burlap sacks against the shed.
I turned to Ada and Callon, and he inhaled a deep breath. “Maylar seems...fun,” he muttered. “I guess we don’t need Stone anymore.”
“We might,” I told him and looked at Ada. “Will Garath know where to—”
I heard the rush of footsteps, and my head snapped to Lyra. “Hills and Garath,” she supplied, and I realized Garath had likely used Nyx to find us.
Before I could ask Lyra if anyone else was with them, Garath and Hills rushed into the clearing. Alone. I’d never been happier to see Del’s guard, and Liam wasted no time running into Garath’s arms. The sight was endearing, even if it stung a little.
“They’re taking her to the tower,” I told them, knowing Garath had already left the throne room when Nolan turned on her.
He glared toward the castle as Lyra came to collect Liam again. “I would expect nothing less from Maylar.” Garath’s jaw clenched, and he shook his head. He was the epitome of calm, but I knew his mind and heart were racing. They had to be. Del wasn’t at his side. He could not protect her like this.
“What don’t we know?” I demanded. My focus, accusatory as it was, shifted between him and Hills. “Was that guy for real?”
Garath was expressionless, which meant he knew exactly what was going on. He knew the truth about Del. And by the lack of surprise on Hills’s face, she did too.
Ada gasped. “You both knew?” she whispered. I wasn’t sure if it was only shock in her voice or if there was hurt too.
“Only recently. Del has had little time to process it.” Hills shook her head, vehement, and held up her hand. “But none of that matters now. We need to get Del out of that tower. Nolan and Reyes are just pawns in this. There’s no telling what schemes Maylar still has to play.” Breath ragged, she looked from Garath to me. “And whatever Del thought she was protecting by agreeing to marry Nolan is for naught,” she said more quietly.
Garath nodded, but my hands fisted at my sides. Once again, Del was willing to sacrifice herself—to marry another monster—for a kingdom I wasn’t sure deserved her.
“Del’s the princess of Corvo. No matter her bloodline, the people love her. She’s far too dangerous for them to keep her alive.”
“Lucky for us,” Hills offered, “I saw the way Nolan was looking at her. It will take some convincing on Maylar’s part to kill her, which buys us a little time.”
“Very little,” Garath echoed.
I glanced over at Liam as Lyra did her best to distract him, chatting about his raven and how she’d never had an animal friend of her own.
“Which is why we need to get into the tower,” Ada said, and as her lips pursed, I could tell a plan was forming. “Garath knows it inside and out, and if I can get in, I can amplify Del’s Ability so that she can sneak out the same way she used to sneakin.”
I nodded, glad they had a plan because I felt lost and useless when it came to the inner workings of the castle. “I don’t know the tower, but I have a way out of the city. If you can get Del, I can get her and Liam away from this place,” I told them.
“How?” Garath asked, and I wasn’t sure if it was distrust in his voice as much as fear.
