Page 95 of In the Ravenous Dark
A woman steps into view on the other side of the magical window, followed by a coterie of attendants, and, stunningly, a pair of white tigers at her flanks. Her hair is spun gold, her skin a dark, metallic bronze underneath an endlessly long bloodline that even drops down both cheeks like red tears. Her eyes are entirely white to match her flowing gown. She’s just as impressive as the city behind her, with a towering white wooden crown, rising and curling at the ends like an elaborate tree complete with dangling diamond and emerald leaves.
“And may I present my mother,” Alldan continues, “Kytharae, Queen of Skyllea.”
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, so I bow my head. Japha goes a little deeper—maybe they’re more used to royalty than I am. Delphia curtsies.
Ivrilos, mostly unseen, stands unmoving, staring at the white tigers. His face is avidly alight. When he notices my attention, he blinks, looking almost embarrassed. “I haven’t seen one of those since I was a boy, and it was a poor, starved creature. Brought to the arena to fight, back when they used to do such things. They haven’t been hauled across the blight in ages.” He smiles wistfully. “I wanted to free it.”
He looks so much like that boy that my heart breaks. How far he is from his past, and yet he’s still that child somewhere deepinside. And it makes me realize: Ivrilos may be protecting me, but for the first time, I want to protecthim.
If the Skylleans don’t execute me first.
“Greetings,” the queen says, without nodding back. But she smiles radiantly at the princess. “Delphia has agreed to foster with us in Lyridan, in the absence of her mother, our beloved Cylla.”
Japha blinks at her in surprise. Obviously, Delphia didn’t mention it to them first. And yet sheisof an age to make her own decisions. She’s only slightly younger than me, even if at times her timidity and her innocence make her seem far younger. But I still can’t help but think that since the Skylleans don’t have Lydea within their grasp, they’re already looking toward the next heir to the throne.
“We all miss our auntie Cylla,” Japha says, “but Iamcurious how Delphia’s father might feel about this.”
“I’m not,” the queen says bluntly. “He sent her to a place of death to be forgotten. To die young.”
And then I realize: They don’t know. No one knows who—what—the king truly is. Kadreus, the revenant. Ivrilos wasn’t able to tell them, and no one other than the two of us witnessed what happened.
I’m not sure how to bring it up as Japha continues, lifting both hands, “I also think Skyllea is a better place for my cousin, mind you. It’s just that certain kings in certain cities might view smuggling the princess out of the city as a royal kidnapping and an act of war.” They glance off into the portal, at the troops assembling far below. “Though it looks like you’re preparing for that eventuality.”
War.It’s a distant, terrible thought—that might soon be too close and real for comfort.
The queen disregards Japha, turning to me. “So this is she. Is she sane?”
Alldan opens his mouth, but I beat him to it. “As sane as anyone here.”
“I knew your father,” the queen says, her white eyes seeming to look everywhere and nowhere at once. “Silvean came from a family of famous scholars. I wonder, did you inherit his wit?”
“I’m not sure. But I did inherit this.” I lift my arm, my plum sleeve sliding away to reveal my bloodline. “He left me clues that would bring me to Skyllea. To you. But now I’m wondering at the intelligence ofthat.”
“He did not know what you would become. Had he, perhaps he would have directed you elsewhere.”
“Well, now I’m here, which is still in Thanopolis last I checked. Alldan wouldn’t tell me what you want with me. Hopefully you can. Your Majesty,” I add belatedly.
She tilts her head at me. “Show me what you truly are.”
I stare at her. Does she want me to do tricks?
Japha leans over and whispers out of the corner of their mouth, “You might want to show off your shadow puppet.”
“He’s not apuppet,” I grumble, but I look at Ivrilos. He reaches for my hand with a half smile.
As soon as he takes it, several people gasp at the strange appearance of a dead man in their midst. More Skylleans from the delegation have gathered at the entrance to the courtyard behind me to watch the show.
Ivrilos nods at the queen, but she ignores him. “So it’s true,” she says. “You have a bond that transcends even your death.”
Delphia’s silver eyes fly to me in shock. “But I thought you weren’t truly dead?”
I smile sadly at her, shrugging.
The queen, it seems, requires more. “What else can you do?”
“I can still wield blood magic, if that’s what you’re asking,” I say, squeezing Ivrilos’s hand tighter, “with my father’s bloodline at my disposal. And I believe I can use death magic as well, though I haven’t tried.”
“Try.”
