AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Explanations would do no good. Solia was thinking only in terms of death, not love.
But she was acting out of love.
“Everything I have done,” Solia said. “I have done for you. But if I must choose between protecting your legacy and your life, I will defend your life at any cost. Even if I must take the throne myself.”
“No, don’t you dare. Don’t imagine this is the next sacrifice you must make for my sake.”
“I have done harder things for you, Pup.”
“Then do the hardest thing of all,” Cassia challenged her. “Tell the Empress no.”
“Tell Her Imperial Majesty no? After she has handed me a sword, a treasury, and a plot to take over a kingdom. Do you realize what you’re suggesting?”
“Yes. I am suggesting the greatest heresy of all: that you put happiness ahead of duty. Don’t be a general or a queen. Be my sister. Imagine it, Soli. No more politics. No more sacrifices. Just you and me and the chance to make up for all the time we lost. We can have that.”
In answer to this, the appeal to her sister’s heart Tendo had failed to make, the appeal only Pup could make, Solia’s face did not soften with love. Her eyes did not fill with longing. If anything, she only looked harder. Heat emanated off her in waves.
That was how Cassia knew there was hope of changing Solia’s mind.
Cassia recognized that anger. She had felt the same bitterness when she had believed she could never have the life she wanted. Until the Hesperines had proved to her that it was within her grasp.
“Come home to Orthros with me,” Cassia said. “Let me show you what it can be like. You can have any life you want. Be with anyone you love.”
“There is no time. In little more than a month, the Council of Free Lords will vote to revoke their mandate from King Lucis. When that happens, a queen must be in position, ready to claim their favor.”
Cassia tried a different argument. She would play along with Solia’s plan if she must, long enough to get her to Orthros. “What role are the Hesperines to play as you take over Tenebra with the Empire’s support? We can help you. You need to negotiate with our Queens.”
Solia’s eyes narrowed.
Cassia raised a brow at her. “Can you refute this?”
“No. But I’m afraid I’ll have to send a representative to Orthros to settle that. I must go to Tenebra.”
“After all these years…” Cassia shook her head. “You’re going to leave me?”
“Not if you come with me.”
Cassia swallowed. “But I must go back to Orthros.”
They faced each other under the tree as they had the night of their reunion, in the very same stalemate, despite the weight of the crown resting on a different head.
Cassia had failed.
After everything they had been through trying to save each other, she was losing her sister.
She thought desperately for another strategy, anything to throw her sister a rope to save her from this fate.
In the dreadful silence between them, a voice called across the orchard, “Cassia!”
She could scarcely believe her ears. “Zoe?”
Cassia turned toward the sound to see a small form darting toward her at immortal speed. The purple blur ran into Cassia and clung to her.
Cassia went down on her knees and threw her arms around Zoe. The suckling was skinny and tense and wrapped in the softest silk. She felt so real. She felt so dear. “Oh, how I missed you.”
Zoe’s breath came in gasps between her words. “You said we would see each other again after your journey, and you were right!”
Cassia hid her tears in Zoe’s hair, smelling her sweet betony-and-rimelace scent. “Zoe flower. I’m so happy to see you.”
