Castles in Their Bones (Castles in Their Bones #1)

Sophronia

keeps an eye on the clock as night bleeds into morning, which gently fades into noon. Their execution isn’t set until sundown the next day; while isn’t keen to cut too close to that deadline, she needs to give Violie enough time to reach the rendezvous point, as far from the palace as they dared. She tells Leopold the plan she and Violie came up with, simple as it is: when the clock strikes three, she will unbind her wrists and break her bracelet, wishing for her and Leopold to be transported to a cave on the far side of the Amivel Woods, where Violie will be waiting for them.

Like Violie, Leopold wasn’t sure the wish would be strong enough to accomplish that, but she assured them both that it would.

The clock is only a few breaths from three o’clock when the door opens and Ansel enters. He appears to have changed into fresh clothes, but doesn’t think he’s slept. There are dark circles under his eyes that weren’t there last night. He glances between the two of them and runs a hand through his hair. He doesn’t seem to know what to say, which is fine since has a question for him and it will be the only chance for her to get an answer.

“When did my mother recruit you, Ansel?” she asks.

Ansel blinks in surprise. “Queen Eugenia reached out to me after Leopold declared war—”

interrupts him with a laugh. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I just expected my mother would hire a better liar. You were talking with Violie at the speech, and then you just happened to rescue the prince from the same crowd of rioters you’re now leading? Contrary to what my mother might believe, I’m not an idiot.”

Ansel looks at her for a long moment, then seems to make a decision. “Well, you’ll be dead soon, so where’s the harm?” he says, coming to sit in the armchair across from and Leopold. “Yes, fine, I’ve been in contact with your mother for a year and a half. The fishing boat story was true enough, but I did go onshore once, when we were docked in Friv. Got into a bit of trouble at a tavern, cheated at cards, got into a fight. One of the men had a nasty right hook and when I came to, I was in one of the tavern rooms, and an empyrea was there offering to heal me with stardust.”

“Nigellus,” says. Of course her mother’s lapdog was involved.

Ansel shrugs. “Didn’t ask who he was and didn’t care. But he knew me—knew my name, my position on the boat, knew of my family in Kavelle.”

“Don’t tell me he offered to heal a sick family member for you, too,” says, remembering Violie’s story.

Ansel laughs. “No, I’m a simple sort—he just offered me money. All he wanted me to do was return to Kavelle and begin stoking anger against the aristocrats. It wasn’t even hard after King Carlisle died.” He turns to Leopold. “You were very easy to hate, you know,” he adds conversationally.

Leopold winces but doesn’t reply, so Ansel continues.

“I didn’t even realize your mother was involved until Violie sought me out. Then you arrived, Queen Sophie, and everything came together.”

“Until it didn’t,” says. “Until I went against my mother’s plans.”

For a moment, Ansel stares at her blankly; then he bursts into laughter. “Oh, maybe you aren’t as smart as you think you are,” he says. “You followed your mother’s plan perfectly.”

It’s ’s turn to be shocked to silence, the wheels of her mind spinning as she tries to make sense of that.

“No, I refused to push Leopold into war, I even tried to rebuild Temarin—”

“You behaved exactly as she thought you would,” Ansel interrupts. “All of it. The only surprise, really, was Eugenia, and that was an unexpected boon. But this”—he pauses to gesture around the room—“this was always your mother’s plan—a palace besieged by rebels, dead aristocrats, a beheaded king and queen, chaos around every corner. Her troops will arrive by the end of the week and their path will be clear. Thanks to you,” he adds.

Her mother wants her dead— knew this already, she told Leopold as much last night—but she thought it was because had failed her. She thought her mother’s anger toward her was her own fault, like always. There is something strangely freeing in knowing it has nothing to do with her at all.

The clock behind Ansel chimes three, but he ignores it. and Leopold exchange a glance, and she gives a quick nod. It’s time. She twists her wrists at the right angle, with enough force, to break the bindings. Before Ansel has the chance to react, she grabs the bracelet around her wrist and throws it on the floor, positioning it under the heel of her boot.

“I’m sorry,” she tells Leopold, who frowns in confusion.

It’s strong enough to save a life, her mother told her and her sisters when she gave them the bracelets. A life. Not two, as has led Leopold and Violie to believe.

She crushes the wish beneath her heel.

“I wish Leopold were with Violie, far away from here.”

For an instant, time moves like honey. Ansel lunges toward Leopold, Leopold steps toward . Then, as quick as a blink, Leopold is gone and Ansel is grabbing nothing but air. When he realizes, he whirls toward with fury in his eyes.

“What did you do?” he yells.

’s smile is brittle. “Something my mother didn’t plan for,” she says.