Page 78 of House of the Raven
“You trusted a bunch of Romani? Are you insane?”
I hate that I want to rise up to their defense even after what Esmeralda did, yet a part of me does. I still want to believe that people are good:Romani, fae, humans, all of us. Father couldn’t be right. However, it’s not so easy to believe after what happened.
“It was stupid of me, I know,” I say. “I didn’t think they would recognize me, but they did, and… well, they also know I’m… half-fae.”
“You’re what?!”
I nod.
“So…” he speaks carefully, “your mother… she was…”
I nod again. “I’m sorry I never told you. Father made Amira and I promise.”
Jago rubs the back of his head as he stares at the ground in shock. “I’m going to need a lot of time to process this, you littlehalf-batracia.” He gives me a sidelong glance and a smirk.
“Hey!” I punch him. “I hate that word.”
He holds both hands up in apology for the awful joke, but I’m relieved there’s no real judgement in his voice. Why did I ever fear he would think less of me?
“If the council finds out…” He trails off.
“I know, and now that Romani troop knows.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, all right? Who’s going to believe them if they claim such a thing against a Plumanegra princess?”
Maybe, he’s right. “I just don’t understand how they recognized me.”
“Oh, Val. The entire city knows who you are.” His eyes are sad. “You’re like their pet princess. They watch over you, make sure no one bothers you.”
“You knew that?!” Tears waver in my eyes.
He nods gently. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to disillusion you.”
“Fatherwasright,” I say absently. He could see me for the naïve fool that I am.
“About what?”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“What now?”
I keep shakingmy head. I have no idea. All along, I thought that I could hide in Castellina, but as everyone’spet princess, what hope is there of blending in unnoticed?
Pressing a hand over my eyes, I fight back the tears.
“Hey, hey.” Jago pulls my hand away, then wraps me in a hug.
“Maybe I’m deluding myself. Maybe I’m meant to go to Alsur with Don Justo and bury my head in the sand. I can’t go against Amira and the entirety of the Guardia Real.”
“We don’t have to figure it out right now. You need to rest, clean up, eat, then you’ll feel much better. We can find an out-of-the-way inn. There, we can regroup, then you’ll know what to do.”
“Will I?”
“Of course.”
I sigh. “I also need to figure out how to evade River?”
“River? As in the leader of the veilfallen?”
