Page 137 of Curse of Darkness
This time, when I take her hands, she squeezes back.
And then she finally nods, clenching her eyes shut as if she can’t even believe herself what she’s about to say. “I’ll help you. Maia help me, but I’ll get this fucking prophecy for you.”
Turning away, she dashes her hand against her left eye. “Now, what do we need to do?”
Thank all the gods. I tug a map from inside the satchel slung over my shoulder and unroll it over a boulder. “First, I owe you this. This is a map of the layout of Hawthorne Castle.” I point to the northern towers. “My mother will be keeping Imerys here. Ostensibly, she’ll be serving as my mother’s lady-in-waiting, but mother will house her here, where the guard can lock her down should there be even the merest hint of trouble.”
Lucere splays the map wide with desperate hands. “Hawthorne Castle is a trap. If I make the slightest move toward regaining my sister, I’ll lose her forever.” She forces the next words past her lips. “I’m no match for Adaia.”
“You don’t have to be.” It’s a dangerous confession. “We all know I’m going to have to face my mother someday soon. Thiago and I have been thinking… maybe it would be best if the meeting occurred on our terms.”
“You’re going toattackHawthorne Castle?”
Thiago argued against trusting Lucere with this information, but I think she’s in too deep now. And if there’s one thing I believe, it’s that Lucere will do anything to rescue her sister.
“We can go to war against Mother,” I tell her. “Our armies against hers. Our magic against hers. Thousands will die, and with two opposing armies coming at our backs, I daresay we’ll lose. Or we can pick the battleground.”
“A two-pronged attack,” Thiago grinds out. “One party can retrieve your sister. The other party will be comprised of me and Vi. We draw her attention while you get your sister out. And we neutralize Adaia while we do it.”
Which would leave us free to turn our attention toward the goblins and the unseelie. Queen Maren is the only hold-out among the Seelie Alliance who supports my mother. With Adaia gone, I cannot see why she wouldn’t join with us to protect the seelie kingdoms. I may even be able to rouse what is left of Asturia to join us.
No seelie fae wants to see the southern kingdoms overrun by the northerners. And the Horned One is a figure of terror; the one we whisper about when we tell children not to stray too far at night.
A common enemy. A common cause. We may just be able to turn the tables on my mother’s plotting.
“When?” A strange light comes into her eyes.
“Get us the prophecy. We’ll tell you the details,” Thiago replies coolly.
Lucere gnaws on her finger as she circles the map. “If it fails….”
“Your sister dies,” he says.
“That isnotinspiring.”
“War is coming, Lucere.” He takes a step toward her, towering over her. “If Adaia wins this bout—if she kills the pair of us—then where does that leave you and your sister? Who else will stand against her? Who else has the strength to stand against her? You will never have another chance for freedom. She will roll over you, and the next thing you know, she’ll be wearing your crown too. So consider this: If you sell us out to Adaia, then you sign your own doom.”
“I amwellaware of that, thank you.”She scowls at Thiago and then rolls up the map. “Now, we have seven hours before we’re all due in Aska. How do I get inside this tower of dreams? Maren’s offered us rooms at court. Perhaps I could slip away and leave Corvin as a decoy, but if I dare take too many guards then I risk being seen.”
And without guards….
The Askan court is dangerous, after all.
“Baylor,” Thiago murmurs to his friend.
Baylor steps forward, tearing off his cloak and unbuckling his sword belt. “You owe me for this.”
The faintest of smiles crosses Thiago’s lips. “I thought you’d enjoy a little breaking and entering. Darkness knows, you’ve spent the past five hundred years being the respectful member of my court. Surely it’s time to have a little fun?” He turns to Lucere. “Baylor will accompany you.”
Both to keep an eye on her and to prevent her from being killed.
Lucere jerks back. “Absolutely not.”
“He will protect you and ensure that—”
“Are youtryingto get me killed?” Lucere gestures to Baylor. “How am I supposed to hide…thisin my party? Everyone knows who the Blackheart is. And who he serves. And he’s not exactly… subtle in feature.”
“Trust me,” Thiago purrs. “Nobody will suspect a thing.”
