Page 82 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

“You.” Charis drew in a deep breath. “You aren’t going to like what I’m about to say.”

Holland’s eyebrow rose. “If you think the impostor is enough to stop me if I . . . Wait. Why would the impostor need to stop me from doing anything? Aren’t we on the same side?” He glared at Tal. “Don’t make me regret being your friend.”

“This isn’t about Tal.” Charis kept her tone gentle, though the ice within her wanted to cut something to ribbons. “It’s about Ferris.”

“That little weasel?” Holland snorted. “What’s he done now?”

“I overheard him call Mason by the name Bartho when they were arguing in the bakery last night.”

Holland frowned. “Bartho? Who’s that? It sounds familiar, but I can’t—”

“It’s the man who hired the assassins that came after Charis.” Reuben’s voice shimmered with violence. “Tal is going to have to stop me as well, Your Majesty, because if Bartho is working for the Everlys, that makes them—”

“Dead,” Holland said flatly. “They’re on borrowed time; they just don’t know it. Reuben, let’s go.”

Tal pivoted, using his body to block the door as Reuben and Holland advanced.

“Out of the way,” Holland said. “I’d hate to have to hurt you.”

“I, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind at all. Stand aside.” Reuben lifted his curtain rod like it was a sword.

“I felt the same when I first heard about it, but you need to listen to Charis before doing anything.” Tal sounded calm, but his cheeks were flushed. “Trust me, when it comes time to destroy the Everlys, I’m going to be first in line.”

Charis unclasped her hands. “We have to be strategic. The Everlys have protection. Lady Channing confessed to setting the assassination attempts in motion—”

“Which means the Everlys were working with her. Yes, I’ve got the gist of things, Charis.” Holland’s voice rose. “What I don’t understand is why we’re hesitating to drop them where they stand.” He turned on Tal. “You of all people ought to be ready to kill them for what they did to Charis. I’m usually happily oblivious to how other people feel, but even I can tell that you love her.”

“I’m more than ready,” Tal said, anger sparking in his eyes. “But Charis has good reasons to wait.”

Reuben looked to Charis, his already-pale face losing any trace of color. “Your Majesty, Lady Channing also confessed to working with the Rakuuna. That means the Everlys are working with them, too.”

“Yes, which complicates things.” Charis stepped closer to Holland as his eyes widened and his hands curled into fists.

“Nalani.” Holland’s voice shook. “They know where she is. They know where the rebellion is headquartered, and they know about the message, and—I have to leave. I need to get to Solvang.”

He turned to find Tal still blocking the door. “Get out of my way, or I’ll go right through you.”

Charis moved to Holland’s side. “I warned Rames to get everyone out the instant we left, so we can hope they’re all safe—”

“Nalani isn’t safe.” Holland met Charis’s gaze. “She’s not a fighter. Not with weapons, at least. She doesn’t stand a chance if they find her, and now we’ve told them exactly where to look. If we contain the Everlys before they deliver the message—”

“It’s too late,” Charis said gently. “Holland, it’s too late, and you know it. We gave her location to Ferris yesterday morning. I’m sure some Rakuuna were sent to Solvang before lunch was served. The palloren won’t reach her in time. There’s nothing we can do to save her from being taken.”

It was an awful truth, and it had kept her up most of the night, sick with fear.

“No.” Holland whirled and plowed straight into Tal. Tal deflected the first punch, absorbed the second, and then spun Holland into the wall.

“Stop,” Tal said quietly. “You can’t get to your sister before the monsters do. Charis has a plan that ends in the deaths of those who deserve it, but she needs your help.”

“Let me go!” Holland shoved at Tal, but then Reuben was there, wrestling Holland’s free arm while Tal pivoted, flowed into the third rathma, and drove Holland to his knees.

Charis crouched in front of him and gripped his shoulders. “I’m scared, too. I want her safe. I want them dead. But if we aren’t careful, the Everlys will decide it’s too risky to keep you, Nalani, and me alive long enough to frame us for the invasion. They want the throne. If they think for one minute that we know the truth, we’re all dead. Do you see that? I need you with me, Holland, or we are all dead.”

He held her gaze, his dark eyes desperate. “I’m supposed to keep her safe. She’s my sister.”

“You can keep her safe by helping me.” Charis prayed she was speaking the truth. She had very little leverage now that Nalani would no longer be in Solvang to coordinate. Surely someone else there would take up the job in her absence. Unless Charis’s allies decided Calera was a lost cause and instead divided the moriarthy dust among themselves in case the Rakuuna came for their kingdom next.

Holland closed his eyes, his jaw clenched tight, and then drew in a breath. “Fine.” His eyes opened. “What’s your plan?”

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