Page 36 of To Wake a Kingdom

“Which is the silver-haired one?” I asked.

“That’s Maida. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” I said, recalling the way he had stared at me, as if he wanted to peel off my skin and savor my organs between his sharp teeth.

“Then Ravalyn is in danger too,” I added.

“Yes, we all are. And you’re right—my father stole your kingdom because there was no one to defend it. But we had no idea you were alive. The stories about the curse of a sleeping princess were a legend. They said people tried to rescue you at first, but after enough time, it seemed impossible any of you were still alive.”

Ronan’s green eyes studied me like I was a puzzle to be cracked. “Many in Ravalyn still believe you’re alive. It’s part of the reason they’re so restless—they think you’re coming back for them.”

That bit of news latched into my hopes, bolstering them like plaster smoothed over decaying walls.“And outside Ravalyn? What about in Estria?”

“I don’t know. Possibly. Why do you ask?”

I shook my head, wondering if the king had believed us dead. If he had come looking, only to meet his end at the point of my dagger.

“Thorne,” he said. It was the first time he’d said my name without a sarcastic ‘Princess’ attached to it. I liked the way it sounded coming from him, like it was shiny and clean, though I was neither of those things. “I’m sorry. On behalf of my father, I’m sorry we took your lands while you slept. If my father had known you were here—”

“What? He would have left them alone? He will give them back now that I’m awake?” My anger swelled, exploding through the thin shield of guilt I wore for what I had done to the king.

“No,” Ronan said, as if realizing an important truth. “Not that.”

“Was—” I caught myself. “Is your father a good man?”

I needed to know. Had it been one act of depravity, borne of a violence the king hadn’t even known he possessed? Or was he a man wholly capable of what he’d done?

Ronan hesitated, and the silence in that momentary pause told me everything I needed to know.

“He is a hard man,” Ronan said, finally. He opened his mouth when footsteps pounded toward the throne room, echoing along the corridor.

Gideon burst into the room, his chest heaving.“Your Highness. Commander. You must come.”

Ronan and I exchanged worried glances as we stood to follow Gideon.

Was it Mare? The creature with the enormous claws? Or some other disaster?

He directed us toward a spiral staircase that wound into the dungeons.

“Gideon, why are you taking us down here?”

The man scrubbed a hand through his graying hair. “It would be better if you see it, Highness. Please follow me.”

Gideon clomped down the staircase, and I followed with Ronan close on my heels. The temperature dropped as we descended, a chill stealing through my clothes. Sconces lit our way, illuminating the velvety darkness. The smell wafted up, and I gagged as shame heated my cheeks. It had never occurred to me there might be people down here, too.

We reached the bottom, and Gideon gestured for us to follow, his face ashen. “This way.” Cells lined the walls, most of them empty. Gideon came to a stop in front of one, and Ronan and I approached, bracing ourselves.

What I saw made the air in my lungs turn sluggish and dense.

A man lay asleep on the floor. One half of him was whole, his face arranged into a peaceful imitation of slumber, while the other half was a decayed mass of bones and rotted bits of faded clothing, like something was eating him alive.

My gorge rose as I clapped my hands over my mouth. “The curse,” I said, the words slinking into the blackness, coating the dungeon with their taint. “It’s receding?”

And the truth of it hit us. Whatever magic had kept the people of the castle preserved in a suspended state for a century was retreating. As I went to explore further, Ronan grabbed me and pulled me against him.

“Don’t.” An arm banded around my waist. “What if you cross the line and you…” We both peered into the shadows of the dim hallway.

“What if I turn to dust?” My voice sounded timid and empty, swallowed by an impermeable silence. I felt him nod. “We have to move everyone.” I spun around, my hands pressed against Ronan’s chest, his arm still around me. “We’ll move them to the throne room. It’s at the center of the castle. They’ll be safer there.”

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