I bent toward her, but then someone cleared their throat behind us. I whirled, shielding Kiera.
Librius watched us from the stairwell with a knowing smile. “You said to tell you the moment we finished. This is that moment, Aiden.”
My heart leapt. It was finally time to send word. There was no going back now.
Chapter 32
Kiera
“It’s close to sunset.”
I smiled at Melaena, who lounged on the couch opposite me in the sitting room ofThe Silk Dancer. “There aren’t any windows in here. How do you know?”
She popped another grape into her mouth and grinned. “I have a sense about these things.”
I’d spent the last few hours dancing with the other girls, then had a late dinner with Melaena. She’d ordered roasted chicken and a pot of melted chocolate to dip fruit and cubes of cheese into.
It’d been two days since I spent the sunset on top of the Temple with Aiden—a memory I would keep close for the rest of my life. Being up there with him had felt so dangerous, yet exhilarating. Not unlike how I felt about Aiden himself.
After touching the last bell, I’d wanted to fly back into his arms and stay there all night.
But then Librius had interrupted us, and Aiden had hurried me downstairs before disappearing with a whispered apology.
I swiped a bit of chocolate from the rim of the pot and licked my finger clean. “You know, I may have to live here now if you keep feeding me like this.”
She shrugged. “Chocolate bribes always work with me. I thought they might with you too.”
“You really think I’d be able to stay here and live with you after... after everything?”
“I do. With poor Asher gone and a new, benevolent king on the throne, you wouldn’t have to hide anymore.”
I chuckled dryly. “I’m still an escaped prisoner and a thief.”
“All for the glory of a better Rellmira. At the very least, you should be a free woman, if not a hero.”
The chocolate seemed to harden in my belly. “Do you truly think an assassin should be called a hero?”
She frowned, twirling a long curl around her finger. “Aiden’s not doing what he is for the glory. Trust me, that man would rather disappear back into the forests of Twaryn than be paraded around as the savior of Rellmira. But sometimes... sometimes the only choices are ugly ones.”
I leaned forward, hardly daring to speak the thought that had been spinning around my mind for days. “Do you think there could be another way? A way to get Weylin to leave peacefully? Exile, maybe?”
Melaena smiled sadly. “You know what he’s done to stay in power, Kiera. You know what he did to attain that power. Do you really think he would step aside for his son? Or for the true heir?”
I growled, getting up to pace. “But aren’t we just repeating history, then? How is this any better than what Weylin did to Aiden’s father?”
“Aiden’s father was a good man. Kind and fair. Many of the charitable initiatives he put in place were overturned by Weylin. As if he were trying to scour away every mark Tristan had tried to make.” She shook her head, the ornaments woven in it tinkling. “This isn’t a best friend lying and manipulating his wayto the top, only to stab his benefactor in the back and take what was his. This is justice.”
Justice.The word Ruru had used. They truly thought they were fighting for what was right. This was war for them, and Weylin’s death was the victory. Or rather, Everett taking his place.
But was I any better?
I had lied and manipulated my way into this group. If I obeyed Father and gave him everything he wanted from me, I would also be betraying my friends, especially Aiden. They might also die because of me.
Fucking Four, I was no better than my father.
“Kiera? What’s wrong? You look pale.”
I blinked, the room coming back into focus. “I’m fine. Just tired, that’s all. I should probably go.”
