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“Tell them you were spared by Solok himself and the Fae King wants you left alive. That should keep you safe.” And what would happen to Ember then? Would she become the Whitehall’s slave?
That future wouldn’t be any better than her past.
“What about you?” Ember flung the barracks door open, the scent of body odor hit me full in the face. “Come with me. We’ll stay ahead of the soldiers if we move fast. The Fae can’t know these lands like we do.”
“Wedon’t know them, Ember. We’ve heard stories, is all. I’ve never been off the castle grounds and neither have you. If you leave right now, you have a chance.”
Because Solok would never keep his word.
If he lied about the ward, he’d never keep my best friend alive.
“I’m not leaving you behind. Either we both go or we both stay.” Ember’s movements were as jerky as mine while we pawed through the piles of clothes. “Come with me, Anaria, staying here…they will kill you, like the others.”
All these dresses were too big.
“That…might not be true. Solok said…I was the tithe. He’s taking me back to the Fae King.” Ember gaped and I abandoned that pile for the one beside it. “Right before he slaughtered Berenger. And Estienne, and four others.”
She’d stopped moving altogether, her mouth hanging open as she looked me over, her eyes narrowing. “They weren’t at the party.”
“No, they were in the garden. With me.” I dug faster, ignoring the heat blazing in my face, the searing pain from being whipped, the helpless rage from Berenger’s knee forcing my legs apart, Estienne fondling my most private parts.
“Did they ever…” I met Ember’s wide eyes, then shook my head. “Never mind. It hardly matters, now that they’re dead.”
“Yes, they did.” Ember hissed venomously as horror took away anything else I might have said.
“And if they tried to hurt you, too…I’m glad they’re dead.” For a long moment we looked at each other, then she rocked back on her heels and handed me one of her dresses. “Here. This will fit.”
I pushed the dress away. “I’m not taking anything of yours.” I nodded to her pallet. “Pack what you can carry to Whitehall’s, you won’t be coming back.”
She just shook her head; something like determination written on her face. “Solok is truly taking you to Caladrius, to be showered in riches and magic?” A light kindled deep in her eyes.
“Things have to better there, don’t they?” She asked slowly. “I mean,anywhereis better than here.”
“Everything Solok said is a lie, Em. I don’t know what awaits me in Caladrius, but I assure you, it’s not riches and magic.” I didn’t have time to delve into everything, I just wanted my friend safe.
“Youhaveto go to Whitehall.” I urged, panic rising at that stubborn, determined look on her face. I grasped her arms and shook her. “Right now.”
“I won’t go to Whitehall, and I won’t spread the word of what happened. I’m going with you to Caladrius.”
“No.” I shook her again, trying to erase that dreamy look from her face. “There is nothing good waiting for me there. And I’m not dragging you someplace even worse than here. Please, you have to listen. You’re my only friend. Please don’t make me watch you die.”
We were running out of time.
I picked up the nearest dress, sniffed the oily water in the pitcher, dipped in a dirty rag and began laving off the blood and dirt, gravel clattering to the floor with every swipe.
“Gods, Anaria, are those from Berenger?” I nodded, bracing my shaking hand on the table, trying to reach the whip marks.
“Here. Let me help you.” Ember said gently, then carefully squeezed the cloth over my back, the open wounds screaming when the water hit them. “That’s the best I can do. If they get infected…”
“That’s a problem for tomorrow, if we’re still alive.”
I dropped a threadbare dress over my head, big enough to cover the lashes and bruises, though the ragged hem hung past my knees. While Ember packed a ratty satchel, I found a pair of usable slippers and wrapped a scarf around my hair.
“Good idea.” Ember nodded approvingly. “We need to blend in.”
All Descendants—and slaves—were golden skinned, with dark-hued eyes and dark hair. I stood out from them like the moon from the night sky. My white hair was an oddity, my pale green eyes another.
“Weare not blending in.” I said firmly. “You will head to the Whitehall’s; I’ll keep Solok busy.” I wasn’t giving that monster a reason to hunt Ember down, not when she’d barely survived the Scything. I shook my head, reeling in disbelief.
