But free to what? For him to sell me out? Abandon me? Or to go our separate ways while I pretended this had all meant nothing? To smile and nod while he walked away with his prize, leaving me with nothing but memories and regrets?
My face burned hotter, shame and hurt twisting together in my gut like a living thing. I’d let myself believe in fairy tales despite everything I knew about the world. Despite everything I knew about men from the Moonlit Court and their pretty lies.
The blue torchlight ahead grew brighter, and I could hear running water. We were close now—so close I could taste freedom on the night air. But all I felt was the familiar weight of disappointment settling over my shoulders like an old, worn cloak.
Some things never changed. Some lessons had to be learned over and over again, no matter how much they hurt.
The passage opened ahead of us into what looked like natural stone, rough and unworked, and lantern light filtered in from somewhere ahead. We’d reached the grotto.
We’d made it out.
If only things could get easier from here.
Chapter 40
Emmeline
We left the grotto, finding ourselves in another garden. The palace walls loomed behind us, and an iron fence ahead kept out the riffraff. At least ten feet tall, it had an elegantly wrought border on top that included lots of sharp points. A challenge, sure, but I could climb over it.
Valen was already striding toward it. The jewel’s light seemed even more noticeable outside, streaming through the pouch. We’d have to do something about it once we’d gotten a safe distance from the palace. Or maybehewould do something about it after ditching me. I couldn’t trust him to keep his word about paying me. His demand that I stay with him for another month could have been a clever lie to deflect my suspicions.
Footsteps crunched rapidly through the foliage. I jumped behind a tree, but Valen, five feet ahead of me, couldn’t conceal himself while the jewel kept shining.
“Here!” shouted Lurena breathlessly. “I found it! I told you I was close. It’s—”
She looked behind her, and I braced myself for the arrival of a dozen guards, but no one came.
Lurena’s chest heaved as she caught her breath. She stood next to a statue of a fierce warrior woman astride a pegasus, spear raised triumphantly. Lurena, shoulders curled forward as she hugged a magical-looking wand close to herself, couldn’t have looked more different.
After a moment, she remembered that she’d caught the thief.
“Sir Valen?”
“Lady Lurena.” He gave her a courtly bow. “They didn’t believe you’d tracked the jewel? You need to assert yourself more.”
“But you—” She stared at the jewel’s telltale glow. “Why?”
“I don’t have time to explain.”
He stepped toward her, and she jerked up her wand. A gemstone atop it flared threateningly.
Valen stopped. “I won’t hurt you.”
His voice had softened, taking on a comforting tone he’d used on me before. I’d been a fool to think it was genuine.
“You stole the Selenian Jewel,” Lurena said.
“I did.” He held out his arms loosely, his bearing open like he had nothing to hide. “But for a good reason.”
“What could possibly—?”
“Do you really think your mother should be trusted with the jewel?”
The question rendered Lurena speechless. Valen took one cautious step toward her. When she didn’t react, he took another.
“That...” Lurena looked around nervously. “That’s not for you or me to decide.”
“Maybe not,” Valen agreed calmly, still moving toward her. “But war is coming if she isn’t stopped. She wants to invade Earth. Do you think the jewel’s more important than all the lives that will be saved if she’s discredited?”
