Page 50 of Echoes of the Raven
I nod. “That, and she wants me to talk to Esmeralda and Gaspar. She thinks they can help us find the veilfallen’s new hiding place.”
Jago makes a sound in the back of his throat that expresses doubt. “The veilfallen are going to be more cautious than ever. I doubt even the Romani can help us find them this time.”
“I agree, but I’ll talk to them regardless. I haven’t had a chance to thank them for helping me, so…”
He nods. “Do you want me to ask them to come here?”
“Yes, that would be great. In the meantime, I’ll attempt to mitigate the damages however I can.”
“Good luck with that.” He sounds as skeptical as I feel. “I’ll go find Gaspar and Esmeralda right away.”
“Thank you, Jago.”
He waves a hand to let me know there’s no reason to thank him, but he has no idea. I would be lost without him.
Once in my bedchamber, it only takes me a moment to change out of my dress and replace it with a comfortable outfit. After that, I rush across the east wing and make it to the center area in record time. I must make another attempt to return Amira’s key.
There are no guards in front of her study’s door. A good sign. I knock. No answer. I knock once more, louder this time. Still nothing. I exhale in relief.
Looking right and left, I try the knob. The door is locked. But that’s not a problem—not with Amira’s key hanging around my neck. Pulling the chain over my head, I quickly key the lock and slip into the room. I breathe slowly, trying to calm my nerves. Everything is tidy, tidier than when this was Father’s domain. A pang of sadness assaults me as I imagine him stroking his beard. I push the image away and march toward the heavy cabinet.
Swiftly, I open the drawer and make the switch. I ensure Amira’s key rests perfectly in its velvet-lined box, then hang my own key around my neck—its weight instantly feeling right and reassuring me. Amira may still find out what I did, but at least a casual peek into the cabinet won’t send her running to the vault.
The sound of steps outside the door sends me into a panic. My eyes rove around, trying to find a hiding place, but that’s only my first instinct. Hiding would be ridiculous. Instead, I throw myself into a corner armchair, my posture slumped to make it appear as if I’ve been waiting in boredom for some time.
When Renata opens the door, using her key, she blinks at me in surprise. My sister pushes past her adviser and also stops in her tracks.
She frowns. “What are you doing here?” She glances at Renata. “Didn’t you lock the door?”
“I… I thought I did, Your Majesty.” Renata stares at the floor, her eyes moving from side to side as she searches her memories. She seems uncertain, which helps my case.
I let out a huge yawn and straighten. “I’m sorry I let myself in. You know social gatherings exhaust me. It was nice and quiet here. Just what I needed.”
Amira appears unsure for a moment, then seems to push her concern aside and walks to the desk.
Straightening and stretching like a lazy cat, I say, “Um, I came to tell you that I talked to Jago about enlisting the Romani to help us. He’s trying to contact them as we speak.”
“Good,” she replies, barely acknowledging me. Clearly, this isn’t one of the most prominent items on her list of worries.
I stand and approach her desk. “Is there something else I can help you with?”
“There isn’t,” she assures me, barely sparing a glance my way.
“Are you sure? I could—”
“You already made it clear you disagree with my plan to relocate the fae, so unless you have changed your mind, I assure you there’s nothing you can help me with.”
“Amira, perhaps you should reconsider. There are—”
“I don’t need another lecture, sister. There’s nothing you can say that will make me change my mind. So please leave. I have important things to do.”
I lower my head and take a few steps back. “I’m sorry. I will let you know if I learn anything from the Romani.”
She only grunts in response, and as I close the door behind me, I can’t help but wonder about the path ahead of her. What comes to mind looks nothing like what I used to imagine before Father died. I always envisioned her as a fair queen, happily married to a good man,and mother to a few bright kids, who would promise an even brighter future. Now, I see none of those things.
Instead, I perceive darkness and unrest. I picture her as a bitter woman, always distrustful, even of those who love her most and have her best interest at heart. I want nothing more than to take this burden off her shoulders, want to erase the possibility of that gloomy future, and I only see one way to do it—the same one that occurred to me in the dungeons and has been plaguing me every moment of the day.
Gods, but what if I’m wrong? What if I make things worse and my actions only guarantee the bleak future I’ve imagined?
