Page 11 of Curse of Darkness
Theron shakes his head. “It’s not about the money—”
“Then, what?” I push to my feet. “She isnineyears old. An orphan who was exchanged with Amaya at birth. A decoy I never knew about. And my mother will kill her the second she realizes she’s not my daughter.”
“Politically, this makes no sense,” he points out. “You can’t save them all, Your Highness.”
His words ring true.
One child, when hundreds may be starving. One child, when many go missing every year in the forests of Arcaedia, snatched by the monsters that lurk there. One child, when my mother has caused torment to so many others.
One child, when I have a war to plan; two opposing forces threatening to crash down on Evernight’s unprotected flanks; a missing sister; a murderous mother; and a stepbrother who may or may not be here to kill me.
To ask this of him will cost me.
It makes no sense.
And yet, somehow, it makes all the sense in the world.
I couldn’t savehim. For all the power within me, the ability to tap the leylines and rouse the Hallows, there was nothing I could do as Angharad drove that knife through my husband’s heart.
I didn’t get to burn his body.
I didn’t get to say goodbye.
I didn’t get to tell him I loved him one last time….
I couldn’t control any of it.
I can control this. I cantry. May’s just a little girl, forced into a murderous game between two rival kingdoms. My mother took my daughter from my arms when she was born and stole my memories of her. I never had a chance to rock Amaya to sleep or hold her when she was upset.
But I can stop this.
I can rescue May.
The little girl who saved my daughter’s life.
“Please,” I whisper, and that single word nearly breaks me.
Queens do not beg.
Theron’s expression hardens. “I want access to the royal treasury. If I’m going to take this risk then I intend to be suitably rewarded.”
“You may have anything you may carry with both hands on a single visit,” I reply, even as the exhale of relief sends me sinking back onto the throne.
He will do it. He will rescue her.
This one thing I can do right.
The silence stretches out.
Dark lashes flicker over his eyes. “I expected you to ask for your mother’s head. But you’re not going to ask for that, are you?”
“I wouldn’t throw your life away on a reckless gamble.”
“You never know… I might be able to kill her.”
“No.” The word comes quietly. “No, you wouldn’t be able to kill her. My mother has spent her entire life seeing threats in shadows. She expects an assassin. She’s made… provisions for one. You would be able to get close enough. You would see a path open for you—but what you would not realize is that she allows such openings, because shewantssomeone to play their hand. And then you would die painfully, because my mother is vicious and merciless. No. All I ask is that you rescue May and bring her here, where she may be safe.”
Theron laughs under his breath. “I keep misreading you. The queens I have known would not shed a single tear for a little girl who’s merely a pawn. They would think you weak for this moment of mercy.”
