I squeezed my eyes shut. Nikella hadn’t said a word when she fed me, then drugged me once more. And I hadn’t had thestrength to question her. She was the one who shot me, after all. Perhaps she’d known it was the sleeping dart. Perhaps not.
But if she was feeding me, that must mean they wanted to keep me alive. For what purpose, only the gods knew. I was no good to anyone now.
There were only two people left in the world who might still need me and care for me. Everett and Delysia. And if Aiden was currently attacking the palace, I needed to get to them. I needed to make sure they didn’t land in the crossfire between Aiden’s murderous vengeance and Father’s retaliation.
Bending backward, I tried to reach the knots around my legs. Thanks to Melaena’s training, I was more flexible than I’d ever been, but notthatflexible.
I kicked over a chair and kept kicking it until a leg broke off. I squirmed next to it, trying to saw the ropes on the jagged stump. Splinters bit into my palms, but I kept working. Maybe it was my imagination, but a few strands of the rope seemed to fray.
The door suddenly opened, and I froze.
Ruru slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He dropped all his weapons and a small bag that jingled.
“Ruru,” I whispered, fairly certain he could see me bathed in the moonlight.
“Who are you?” he demanded, stepping into the light.
He looked unscathed, thank the gods. But the anger and betrayal written on his young face were sharper than the splinters in my skin.
“I was born Princess Emilia Torvaine,” I whispered, watching the hurt deepen in his eyes. “I go by Kiera because that’s what my mother wanted to call me.”
He shifted his weight on his feet, looking away from me at the mention of my mother.
My heart sank. “Did you know her? Do you know what Aiden did?”
He shook his head. “I knew something happened that night, but he never spoke about it. I also know she was a kind lady. She gave out gold coins to orphans who showed up at the Temple. Orphans like me,” he mumbled, kicking his bare foot over the wooden floor.
Grief swelled in my throat. “She was very kind, yes. I have two siblings, you know. An older brother—just like your brother, Daire—and a younger sister.”
“Prince Everett and Princess Delysia,” he said flatly.
“Yes. They’re in danger. I need to go help them.”
He crossed his arms over his thin chest. “I’m not supposed to let you go.”
“Please, Ruru. I know I lied to you and betrayed you. But please believe me when I say I did everything in my power to protect you. To keep you out of harm’s way.”
“But you were tellingRenwellall our secrets,” he spat out.
“I didn’t tell him everything. Only what I had to. Just enough to keep him satisfied. I didn’t tell him about you. I told himIwas meant to set off those bombs so that he wouldn’t try too hard to capture the perpetrators.”
“Well, I suppose you succeeded in that.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Ruru threw his arms wide. “No Wolves showed up to my fires. I even waited a little longer than I was supposed to, but no one came. Some of the guards at the city prison raised an alarm. But still no Wolves.”
I bowed my head. I thought he would at least send a few, enough to lend credence to my cover. Had he cut ties with me when I didn’t assassinate Aiden? Or had he been unable to send anyone? WherewasAiden?
“Something’s wrong,” I said, staring up at Ruru. I put every ounce of fervor I possessed into my expression and my words. “Youneedto let me loose so I can find out. I’m the only who canget into the palace. I can make sure everyone is all right.”Right before I throw Aiden in prison for murdering my mother.
Ruru hesitated, uncertainty loosening his features. “I’m not supposed to go looking for them under any circumstances. I’m supposed to leave the city by way of the city gate. Or, in the worst need, on Skelly’s ship.”
“You can still do that,” I said softly. “Take all your weapons and money—takemymoney—and leave. Get somewhere safe. Just... untie me first.”
Ruru sighed, rocking back on his heels. Then he pulled one of the knives I’d given him from his belt. He knelt in front of me and cut through my ropes.
Blood rushed back to my fingers and toes. The sting of many cuts from the wood worsened. But I threw my arms around Ruru’s shoulders.
