Page 75 of Of Songs and Silence

“My king,” I say as evenly as possible, trying to buy us some time. “What has happened?”

Another dark chuckle echoes from the shadows, along with the sound of a chain scraping lightly against the floors.

I can sense the king, his looming presence lurking closer by the second, but I can’t see him yet. Straining my senses, I feel two others, as well, the faint whisper of consciousness. The crimson water is hiding them well.

There’s a rippling in the water. Cepheus glides forward like a shadow, an omen of death. His expression is entirely too satisfied.

And in his hand is a chain.

A small anchor is attached to the bottom, keeping whatever is attached to it from floating away. My fist tightens around my trident, but I don’t dare make a move—not when I don’t know what he’s playing at, or how I’m going to get Melodi to safety.

“Apparently,” Cepheus finally answers, casting a disdainful glance at Lani’s corpse. “There was a coup planned for later this very day.”

Melodi stiffens beside me, but her shields are firmly in place as he continues.

“You’ll be relieved to know my men found the traitors before any damage could be done.” His deep purple eyes finally lock onto mine. “They took care of it while you were busy…protectingmy granddaughter.”

My pulse drums a furious beat in my temples. He knows. We knew he would sense the bond, but it’s more than that. He isn’t surprised.

More than that, he knows I was involved with the rebels. He knows, and he’s playing a game.

“The honor was mine,” I reply carefully.

I need to get us out of here, but I need to find Kane first and that means stalling for time. “I know who she is to you—what she means to the people. I will do everything I can to keep her alive and safe.”

A long pause weighs down the room. Cepheus’ eyes narrow, his grin going feral.

“Good,” he says. “You can imagine my surprise when my top commander hadn’t heard a single word about this rebellion. But I suppose that can be forgiven, considering your recent change in position.”

He glides forward another step, the chain scraping against the floor behind him. I still can’t see what he’s dragging, and I’m not sure I want to.

My eyes drift instead to Lani’s corpse.

Her body is easily the most damaged. Her limbs are shattered in multiple places, her jaw broken, her clothes ripped. The king stares at her with something like a sick, twisted satisfaction. I have no doubt he did this to her, himself. That he enjoyed it.

By the looks of it, she’s been dead for hours. They all have. Hours…while I was distracted.

Kala squeezes my hand and I feel the reassurance through our bond.

Not your fault.

Isn’t it though?

She squeezes my hand again, but this time, it’s a spike of panic through the bond.

Kane,she whispers his name, her eyes fixed on the king, or rather, on the place just behind him. He is finally close enough that we can see what it is he’s been dragging.

Another body, attached to another chain floating in the water just behind him.

My cousin.

Rage and panic swim through my veins, choking out all rational thought.

I need to know if he’s still alive. His skin is pale, and his nose is broken, bruises already forming under his eyes. His arms are bound and twisted in a way that tells me they are surely broken as well.

Yet, if I listen carefully, I can hear the faint sound of a ragged heartbeat. The king looks up at Kane, then back at me, his grin stretching even wider.

“This one assures me you had nothing to do with it, but I know how people lie to protect the ones they love.”

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