Page 120 of Rise of the Vicious Princess

They’d crossed the sitting room and were halfway to the garden door when the Rakuuna with braids and bloodstained lips exploded into the hall and raced for them, moving with impossible speed.

“Go.” Tal hefted his sword and turned to meet the incoming threat. “Charis, go!”

And leave the boy she loved? She’d rather die.

“Get to the stables,” she yelled to the staff. When Reuben ran to put himself between her and the Rakuuna, she screamed, “No! Get them to the stables.”

“Then you go too,” Reuben said, backing up until he stood at her other side, his sword dripping blood.

She tucked Hildy into the front of her jacket and hefted her sword.

The Rakuuna stopped a short distance away and opened her mouth. Charis, Tal, and Reuben braced for an attack, but instead, the creature spoke in a high, lilting voice that scraped down Charis’s spine like a razor.

“We only want one of you.”

Reuben stepped forward. “Take me.”

The Rakuuna hissed. “We need the royalty.”

“You aren’t taking the princess,” Tal said flatly.

There was a commotion behind them, and then Grim came rushing through the garden door, an ax in each hand. “Your Highness, get behind me,” he yelled.

“Grim, go back!” Tal snapped. “Get the staff to the stables. Get Charis out of here.”

“We don’t want the girl,” the Rakuuna said, her eyes on Tal.

Charis glared at the creature. Was this the one who’d killed Father? Who’d torn Charis’s world to pieces? She would find Charis to be every inch the princess her mother had trained her to be. There would be no sign of weakness. No quarter given. A predator only respected another predator.

Lifting her chin, Charis said with icy rage, “You want to speak to royalty. I’m the princess of Calera. Cease this invasion, and we can discuss your terms.”

The Rakuuna ignored her and crept closer to Tal. He shifted his body to keep his sword between the creature and Charis.

“Your Highness, move!” Grim yelled, brandishing his axes.

“No, Grim,” Tal said. “Do as I say. Get Charis and the others to safety.”

Charis froze, looking from Tal to Grim. The groomsman’s entire focus was Tal. He hadn’t looked at her once. “Tal?”

“Percival Talin Penbyrn,” the Rakuuna purred. “Your father has something we want. You’re going to make sure he gives it to us.”

“Percival?” Charis whispered as everything she thought she knew slid sideways and re-formed into something monstrous. Something agonizing.

He’d known the seven rathmas. He’d understood how Alaric thought. He’d made sure to spend time with Grim each week, and she’d never bothered trying to eavesdrop on their conversations. And Vahn . . . no wonder he’d known so much about her. No wonder he’d laughed when she’d said she’d hate to have any detail overlooked.

His brother had been the spy at her side for months.

“Charis,” Tal said quietly. “This is what I wanted to tell you.”

“No.” How could her heart still beat rapidly in her chest when he’d just carved it out and left it for dead?

She stumbled back a step. Her bones felt like glass, brittle and frail. Her lungs ached, her breath scraping against the sudden tightness in her throat like a sword.

“It’s complicated, but—”

“It’s actually very simple.” Her voice was as hollow as the abyss that had opened within her. “You betrayed me. You lied. All of it was a lie.”

“No.” He whipped his head toward her. “I came here under a lie, but my time with you was the truth.”

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