Page 89 of Of Kings and Thieves

The crowd seemed to hold its breath as tension filled the air.

Pride and admiration for Col swelled within me. I wished I could touch him, draw from his strength. But all I could do was look on.

“Or would it please you?” Col pressed, pinning The Harrow with his question.

The Harrow’s lip curled in a sneer. Moredanea watched me, her large golden eyes glittering with vicious delight. I suppressed a shudder. She would like nothing more to torture me as a way to punish Col.

“Sign it, Your Highness,” Moredanea said, “or do you care so little for those you claim to love?”

“Enough!” Col snapped, fiery anger flaring through the darkness. Our eyes met, and I saw my own fierce resolve reflected back. “Your threats are wasted on us, Moredanea. We won’t be your puppets.”

“Bold words, little prince,” she laughed, trailing her fingers along his throne like a stalking predator. “But are you ready for the consequences?”

“Whatever it takes,” Col fired back.

“Then brace yourself. Because this is just the start. You will learn, just like your weak father, exactly how little power you hold here.”

I bit my lip until I drew blood. Watching Col’s face turn from fire to ice made me want to cheer, but I held back. Moredanea was trying to unnerve him, but she had made a fatal error.

The cold bite of a knife at my throat shattered my thoughts. My breathing hitched, and I froze.

I didn’t dare swallow and fought to hide the trembling in my body. Moredanea was looking at me with satisfaction. I was going to die. I braced myself, muscles wired, mind racing with images of Col, Laney, Flint, the Ironguard.

My eyes found Col’s, seeking calm there rather than face the frozen death at my neck. I wished I could tell him I loved him—words I’d never spoken.

A whisper reached me, so soft it barely registered. “Don’t react.”

Killian’s voice. The rapid change from fear to relief left me trembling, and I fought to keep the relief off my face.

“Laney is safe,” he murmured against my ear.

The news was a shock, but since I was already fighting my warring emotions, I clamped down on any reaction, determined not to draw attention. Moredanea was watching me closely, no doubt imagining my blood spilling all over the floor.

I took a breath and let it sink in as my thoughts spun wildly. Love for my sister, relief, gratitude toward Killian. The emotions stole my breath. The weight of the world lifted from my shoulders.

Something in Col’s expression shifted, hazel eyes meeting mine. He sensed the change in me, read the glimmer of hope now burning within. Our bond felt almost tangible in that moment, an invisible tether linking us despite the surrounding chaos, though the rings were not connected.

Risking a tiny smile, I let it play across my lips, a wordless promise that everything would be okay. His response was subtle, the barest nod before he looked away. But it was enough. We didn’t need the rings to communicate, after all. Our bond went beyond words.

“I will not sign your decree!” Col’s voice rang out, defiant and strong.

“You’ve lost your mind,” The Harrow sneered. “Your people will suffer for this insolence.”

“Better to suffer than live under your tyranny,” Col fired back, hazel eyes blazing. “The people of Iron Deep know that.”

“Witness your king’s folly!” The Harrow shouted to the crowd. “See how he values his pride over your lives!”

“Better pride than to be your puppet,” Col snarled.

In the commotion, I barely felt Killian’s knife leave my throat. I sighed in relief as he melted back into the shadows, but the swift retreat was puzzling. I didn’t dare glance at Moredanea for fear of drawing attention to myself.

The room buzzed with gossip and fear. Those around me were eyeing the doors, as if they wanted to make a hasty escape before the bloodshed started.

Without warning, the castle vibrated, sending a buzzing sensation into my legs. My gaze darted to Col, who was still scowling at The Harrow. Murmurs whipped around the room as people shifted around looking at the floor.

The Harrow and Moredanea exchanged a look, and then the castle shuddered again, this time with more force. People near the windows began shouting, and the press of the crowd pushed me away from the dais. Dust rained down from the ceiling.

And then, as if something in the castle had broken free, the floor gave a mighty heave.

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