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Rain glistened in Lark’s short hair. A few drops shone on his stark face. He’d only said a few words as Razak, but they’d been enough to witness the layers of his lies at work. His voice had been different, and now, he sat differently. Tight, upright. His face seemed different too, leaner somehow, although perhaps that was my imagination. His eyes had lost their mischievous gleam and turned viciously cold. He was a master magician, his performance stunning. If I didn’t know he was my Lark, I’d have been fooled.
“I wish we did not have to do this,” he said, his soft briefly softening, shattering the lie.
“A few days. Find the crown, and then we leave. Nobody is going to challenge us in a few days.”
It would take at least that for word to reach Justice of Razak’s apparent return. Nobody was going to challenge Lark as Razak. They wouldn’t dare.
“With luck, I’ll keep you in his room,” he said. “You’ll be safe there.”
He hadn’t looked at me, perhaps afraid to. “You don’t need to keep me safe,” I reminded him.
His eyes flashed a warning, sharp with Razak’s cruelty, then softened. “Please, don’t fight me on this.”
I reached out with my cuffed hands to grip his knee, the only part of him I could reach without shifting seats. I’d do what he asked. He knew this world, better than I ever could. But I’d also protect him, and if the lie became too much, damn the crown; we’d walk away, and keep on walking, to the ends of all four courts if we had to.
The clop of horses’ hooves slowed and the carriage drew to a halt.
Lark eyed the closed carriage door. The carriage rocked as the driver climbed down.
Lark didn’t move.
“If the driver opens the door, we’re safe. If a guard opens it, then we’re about to be arrested.”
I took my hand back and stared at the door. We were safe. Zayan did not exist here. Only Razak and his prisoner, the Prince—King—of Love.
We would succeed. We had to, and that was all there was to it.
The door jerked open, and the driver bowed low. “The tower, my prince.”
Lark hesitated a beat, blinked, and stepped down. A nearby aide handed him an umbrella.
“Come along,Arin.” He snarled my name and didn’t deign to look behind him as I stumbled out.
An enormous fan of black steps rose up to huge glass doors, opening into a building that was so high, it seemed to bend above us and then vanish in the clouds.
I’d never seen monuments built into the sky. Light blazed from its countless windows. However was it constructed? To its right and left, there were more of the same design, although not as tall. Rain patted against my face as I tipped back to admire them.
The blow to my face whipped my head around. Fire flushed across my cheek and tears sprang to my eyes. I staggered, almost fell. Hands clamped around my arms like more shackles and rattled me on the spot. Lark’s sneer filled my vision. “Did I not give you an order, prince?!”
My mouth fell open, words all gone.
“Move!”
He threw me at the steps. I sprawled against the jagged stone risers. Then his grip was on my arm again, dragging me upright, alongside him. His fingers dug in, and my side burned, my face throbbed. The assault had come too fast, too hard. I hadn’t been prepared.
The doorman stared, his face impassive.
“Open the door,” Lark growled.
The man lurched from his spot and grabbed the door. “My apologies, my prince. We were not expecting your return and I—”
“Where are my advisors?”
The man gaped. “I don’t… I—”
“I’m surrounded by fools.” He hauled me through the doorway into a huge double-height foyer. A sparkling chandelier hung high above us. Encrusted with amethysts, it fractured its own light and cast purple shards about the cavernous space. “Inform the court of my return,” his voice boomed, filling the foyer and the ears of everyone who turned to watch.
We climbed a staircase sweeping to a second-floor galleried landing. I’d managed to find my balance and was led along like a dog on a leash. People stopped and stared. This was clearly unusual, even for Razak. Were they fooled? Did they see their prince and his prisoner? Was it enough?
