Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
Hanna
In the morning, I followed Dare down the hall, seeking breakfast. The goddess seemed further away again, and at any rate, both the Shadow Weaver and I shared an intense interest in breakfast pastries.
Dare paused at an open set of windows overlooking the courtyard.
Below, Thorne was playing with Matthis and Teren, who were both armed with toy swords and attacked him together; Thorne looked ridiculous with his enormous body and the short little wooden sword, and the sight brought a smile to my face.
The boys were delighted. Fearless. Happy in a way that only children could be. Dare put his arm around me as we watched.
Thorne disarmed Teren with a slick move, but then dropped his sword and caught Teren mid-charge. Swung him around. Set him down gently. Ruffled his hair.
“He’d be a good father someday.” Dare studied the scene below. “When this is over. When we’ve won. When we have peace.”
“Peace,” I echoed, and Dare turned to me as if he heard a world of skepticism in that word.
“We’re going to have a beautiful life when we survive this,” he said, sounding desperate for me to believe it. “You and me and Kaelan and Thorne. Maybe children of our own someday. Maybe just peace and quiet and time to heal. Whatever you wish. But we’ll have it, Hanna. I promise.”
I looked at him. At the hope in his eyes. At the love that hadn’t diminished despite everything I’d done and what I might become.
“I know,” I said, because that was what he needed to hear.
But I wasn’t sure I could remember much of the day before, before Dare closed the door to our bedroom; it felt as if I’d come awake then.
There seemed to be gaps in my memory, replaced by the whispers of prayers, by flashes of things I had seen in my sleep.
Even with my men sleeping on either side of me.
Was it a memory of the goddess—the dream-like flickers I’d scene of women lighting candles with their hands cupped to protect the flame, of bits of weaving and bread and milk fed to guttering flames as they whispered prayers?
Or was that the reality somewhere?
Lord Mercant’s steward rushed through the corridors with the kind of speed that meant emergency. Dare and I traded a look, then followed him to where Lord Mercant sat in the dining room.
Kaelan appeared from the study, already alert. Thorne came in from the courtyard, the boys trailing behind him until Elara quickly gathered them away.
“What is it?” Kaelan demanded.
The steward seemed rattled. “A messenger, Your Highness. From the capital. He says messengers have been sent to every lord’s house in the Ice Kingdom.”
Well, that was one way to be certain we received the message.
Lord Mercant looked to Kaelan, who said coldly, “Let’s hear the message from my father, then.”
The messenger was brought in. He looked both young and terrified.
“Speak,” Lord Mercant ordered.
The messenger swallowed. “The king has issued a proclamation. The traitors Alys and Coril, charged with treason and harboring rebels, are to be executed publicly. In two days. At midday. In the main square at Camblais.”
Silence fell like a blade.
Thorne studied the messenger, his gaze cold and dark and narrow.
The messenger shifted nervously. “There’s—there’s more.
The king says if Prince Kaelan truly cares for his people, he’ll come witness justice being served.
He says—” The boy’s voice wavered. “He says the prince is weak. That the rebellion is over before it can begin because the prince can’t resist his father’s influence. ”
Kaelan’s jaw tightened. “That’s all?”
“Yes, Your—” The boy broke off, as if he were afraid to name Kaelan and admit that he knew where the prince had been. “Except—he wants everyone to know. The execution will be public. Anyone can attend. Anyone can see what happens to traitors.”
“Thank you. You may go.”
Lord Mercant’s steward led the messenger away. The door closed.
“I can be sure he doesn’t speak of seeing Kaelan,” I said. The goddess was quite eager to be helpful at the moment.
“The steward will take care of it,” Lord Mercant said absently.
“It doesn’t matter. Someone will betray you, sooner or later.” Kaelan told him. “I don’t want to repay your hospitality with hazard. Please, take your family and go to ground. Meet us at the Dragons’ Teeth in three days.”
“You’re going to face Edric,” Mercant said. “Before then.”
“Of course,” Kaelan said. “So you will know by then if you should meet us at the Dragons’ Teeth or flee the kingdom entirely.”
Mercant nodded, his face drawn.
Dare looked between Kaelan and Thorne as Mercant tossed his napkin down by his plate and rose, striding out of the room to begin his preparations. He called after him, “Send Ekardo in.”
“Ekardo needs more time,” Thorne said, as if he were mulling the problem, but there was no doubt in my mind that Thorne would rescue his sisters from that trap, one way or another, no matter how unready we are.
“We don’t have time for the bonesteel,” Kaelan interrupted. “Edric’s forcing the issue. We go now, or we abandon Alys and Coril to their deaths.”
“It’s what he wants.” My voice sounded distant even to myself. “He wants you close enough to invade your mind. To prove you’re susceptible to his control. To break the rebellion by breaking you in front of everyone.”
“I know.”
“The timing is deliberate. We’re supposed to be gathering our allies. Instead, you’ll be rushing into a trap to save—” Dare began.
“Our family,” Kaelan said. Curt. Angry. “They’re our family. We will go.”
It took everyone a moment to understand.
Not Thorne’s family.
Our family. Because Thorne was Kaelan’s family. Which made Alys and Coril his family too.
Thorne’s expression cracked. Just for a moment. Gratitude and grief and love all tangled together. Then he was controlled again. “I’m not asking you to sacrifice yourself.”
“I’m not a sacrifice,” Kaelan said, “since I trust all of you.”
He turned to Ekardo, who had just walked through the doorway. “Well, not you. But everyone else.”
Ekardo’s expression was perfectly bland. “I find my position in this group really thankless.”
“Our gratitude is encompassed in not letting Thorne have his way after you abandoned his sister and didn’t bother to send him a note,” Dare told him mildly.
“So what’s the plan?” Thorne asked. All business now. No emotion. Just strategy.
Kaelan moved to the table, and Dare spread a map across it.
“I show up. Draw Edric’s attention. Let him think he’s won.”
“And when he invades your mind?” I asked.
“Thorne anchors me through our bond.” Kaelan looked at me. “And you attack Edric with your shadows. While he’s focused on me, you hit him from behind. Bbreak his concentration.”
“That requires you to trust the goddess,” Ekardo pointed out.
The goddess stirred at that. Satisfied. Pleased.
“I’ll bring her back,” Dare said firmly. “That’s my job. Keep Hanna grounded. Keep her from getting lost.”
Kaelan nodded. “Meanwhile, our people attack during the confusion. Free Alys and Coril. Get them out of the square before Edric’s forces can respond.”
“That’s the part I don’t like,” Thorne said. “We have to rely on others to save my family while we’re busy keeping each other alive.”
“Yes,” Kaelan said. “But protecting each other is the one thing only we can do.”
“He’s counting on us being desperate enough to walk into his trap,” I said.
“So we walk into it,” Thorne said. “But we don’t spring it the way he expects.”