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There was no way Solok named me.
It might haveseemedthe king hinted at the possibility, but the more times I replayed their conversation in my head, the more ridiculous it became. I was only eighteen—Solok hadn’t set foot in Varitus for a hundred years—and wouldn’t, for another hundred.
Thank the gods.
Horror shivered through me, every time I recalled that night. Evangeline never claimed her magic. Would never see her nineteenth birthday, never get married, never have children. How I’d envied her that night, in her glittering gown and her jeweled slippers.
Now I didn’t envy her at all.
As far as my name…no, I’d turned an innocent exchange into something it wasn’t. But we had to find a way out of this place. And soon.
“I have an idea. Let’s go back to the bakery with the croissants.” Ember slipped into her dress.
“We’ll go through the kitchens.” I practically shouted across the room. “I think that way’s shorter.” I fully expected the same two young guards to be posted there this morning, ready to divert us in another direction.
But we had a plan for them, too.
“Good idea.” Ember said just as loudly as she braided her hair. “I want to get there before the line gets too long.”
We’d nearly reached the hallway by the kitchen when the guards stepped into our path, armor glinting. “I apologize, my ladies, but you will have to go around front, this way is closed.” The first one glanced to Em, wariness in his dark eyes. “Allow us to escort you to the main exit.”
“But this is the shortest way.” Ember whined, setting her hands on her hips with a frown, playing the brat perfectly. “We were told to enjoy the Citadelle. I’m notenjoyinghaving to walk forever just to get breakfast.”
I hid my smile behind my hand.
The guard flushed.
Chances were, he didn’t understand why he was blocking the path of two young girls who hardly seemed worth the effort. The brilliant thing about this large of a household—no one knew why they did anything. Word came down through various channels and by the time instructions reached you, you didn’t know where the chain of command started, only that the instructions made no sense.
“Look.” I glanced behind me. “We are starving and the door isright there.” I pointed to the exit just over his shoulder. “We won’t say anything to anyone, we just want to get there before they run out.
“We’ll bring you back croissants.” I smiled hopefully. “Two apiece.”
The guard brightened. “From the Westend Baker?”
“The very one. Two apiece, we’ll be back quick as a wink.”
After a short debate, the other guard grumbled, but let us through. We’d barely made it three steps when Ember tripped and fell onto the flagstone floor, clutching her ankle.
“Oh, my gods, I can’t believe you.” I slid my hands beneath her armpits and helped her to her feet, grimacing at the guards.
“She’s always been impossibly clumsy.”
I waved before we emerged onto the street and five minutes passed before Ember could speak. “I saw bare feet under the crack in the door. And lots of blood.” She whispered. “And the smell…there is something terrible happening in those rooms.”
I’d smelled the same coppery tang.
Even with the collar dampening down my senses, there was a certain sharpness to the world these days. AFaesharpness, when it came to sight, smell, hearing.
Those rooms stank of hopelessness.
“Prisoners of the king, perhaps, waiting for trial?” I wondered quietly.
“Or his enemies, who won’t get sent anywhere except an early grave.” Ember slid me a sideways glance and I nodded grimly, hooking my arm through hers as we hurried for the bakery.
Ravenshade Castle had its share of horrors, and given the Caladrian Faeate people, I expected this place was far worse, once you dug beneath its glittering surface.
Not that I was surprised. All aristocrats were the same, respectable on the outside, but when no one was looking, the monsters came out to play.
