Page 49 of Echoes of the Raven
As I stop in front of her, my face feels cold, drained entirely of blood. “What is it?” I ask, nearly out of breath.
“There has been an attack on the Biblioteca de la Reina. The veilfallen are claiming responsibility.”
There is no time for relief. This is nearly as bad as Amira figuring out that I took The Eldrystone from her. Despite the attack on the catacombs, it seems there are enough veilfallen left to still create chaos. This won’t help the fae’s cause. My sister will interpret this assault as further justification for her plan.
And the Biblioteca de la Reina? I know I shouldn’t care about the location, but I worked hard alongside Father to make the project a reality in honor of my mother. As I imagine the possible damage my chest grows tight.
It takes me a moment to gather my thoughts and wonder why Amira felt the need to interrupt the party to tell me this. I doubt it was only to make me aware of the disturbing news.
“I need your help with your Romani friends,” she says.
I blink in confusion. “Why?”
“For years, our spies failed to find the veilfallen’s hiding place, but your friends accomplished it in only a few days. I want to use all the resources at my disposal in order to eradicate this threat once and for all. Please, enlist their help. They will be compensated generously, of course. That’s all they care about anyway, right?”
I shake my head. “You shouldn’t say things like that, Amira.”
“Things like what?” She raises an eyebrow in challenge. “The truth, you mean?”
“You’re the queen, and those areyourpeople. I don’t remember Father ever—”
She raises a hand to quiet me. The gesture is imperious and demeaning. “I’m not Father and don’t ever try to draw comparisons again.” She turns to leave, then looks over her shoulder. “I will always fall short.”
I walk back toward the party, head down as my thoughts race. My legs propel me forward, and I’m barely aware of entering the room. As I step inside, everyone grows quiet and stares at me. I search for Jago. He winces, looking sympathetic as if I’ve suffered some sort of injury.
My gaze immediately flicks to Don Justo. He’s looking satisfied, pleased with himself even. From the way everyone is peering at me, I have a feeling he just dragged my name through the dirt.
I try to muster the energy to care, but it would be easier to get Sara Plumanegra to eat dessert with her salad fork.
“He told them that Uncle Simón practically forced him into accepting your hand in marriage,” Jago explains as we walk back to my bedchamber at the end of the gathering. “Said that from the moment he met you, he knew it wouldn’t work out, that he couldn’t stand your foul mouth, and he wants to marry a lady not a… manlike hellion.”
I huff and roll my eyes.
“Sara stood by his side the entire time,” Jago says. “She was nodding so hard I thought her head would fall off. I was extremely disappointed when it didn’t.”
“Oh, well. I doubt anyone thought he was delivering some sort of obscure news. No one in their right mind has ever seen me as marriage material.”
“That’s the spirit.” He punches my shoulder. “It’s what I’ve always said anyway.”
I glare at him.
“I mean… that marriage is a troublesome scheme. Not for smart people like you and me.”
“Ah-ha, sure.” I shake my head and sigh.
“I told you Sara would be all over Don Justo.” He sounds pleased.
“An alliance between those two is the worst thing that can happen. I’ve thought about it, and I don’t like it.”
“I don’t entirely disagree, but it was an easy way to get him off your back, which is what you wanted. Sara will probably find out that Don Justo hates poetry readings, and it will be the tragic end of their romance.”
I laugh. “I hope you’re right. Anyway, at the moment, we have bigger problems.”
He frowns. “We do?”
“Whatever’s left of the veilfallen must’ve reorganized because they just attacked the Biblioteca de la Reina.”
“Oh, shit. So that’s why Amira came to fetch you? To tell you that?”
