The landlord didn’t look too pleased to be housing rebels, but softened at the sight of Sian and Filip. We showed each rebel, save for Brynhild, who opted to return to the castle with us, inside an apartment. Each small home had been furnished with simple but quality items, and the building was far nicer than where the rebels stayed at Valrun. The floors were even heated, a feature that many wanted but few possessed the coin to afford.
And yet, many of the rebels were not happy.
“Thyra won’t like being far from us.” Ratha lowered herself into a chair that I offered.
“She doesn’t,” I agreed. “But it was this or her people remained in Valrun. She made a choice to compromise.”
“That won’t be the last time she does so.” Ratha sighed as she leaned back. “Fates bless that dragon. Without her, I’d have had to ride a horse for days. Still, her scaly hide is not comfortable.”
I laughed. “Need anything else?”
“Only that you ask Thyra to visit when she can.”
“She will.”
Both Thyra and Isolde had wanted to welcome the rebels today, but had also recognized they had limited time to practice shadow magic before Lord Balik swore his allegiance to them. They were presently making the most of their hours to train their new powers—which included keeping them contained.
I left Ratha and had barely shut the door to her apartment when Filip appeared at my side.
“I wish to talk to you. In private.” He glanced over his shoulder, to where Sian was talking to Rynni in the room she’d claimed.
“Is everyone situated?” I checked.
“Yes. If the rebels require anything, they need only ask the guards waiting outside, and they will see that they have it.”
“Right,” I said, certain that the rebels would ask for no more favors.
As long as food and water was delivered, which I’d been assured they would be, the rebels would make do with as little as possible to avoid feeling like they owed too much.
“Come on then, Filip.”
We exited the building, and I told Brynhild, who waited by the front, that I’d be right back. As we walked down the street, Filip glanced around before leaning in close.
“I worry about Prince Rhistel.”
“Ah.” My chest deflated. I’d suspected he’d eventually want to speak about my brother. “He’s far away.”
“Yes, but his powers can extend far.” Filip swallowed. “Whisperers are dangerous, Prince Vale. There’s a reason they’re forbidden.”
Even with all my twin and my mother had done to deserve ire from me and others, I hated to think of them as gone. Death was so final.
“Will King Magnus use your brother’s magic in the war?” Filip asked.
What to say? Filip didn’t know that my mother held Rhistel in her grasp.
“It’s possible,” I answered.
“Shouldn’t we first out Prince Rhistel? Such information might turn the tides of the war before it even truly begins.”
He had no idea that once we began releasing secrets, the other side would follow in kind. Then Isolde and Thyra would also be distrusted, though for very different reasons. They had to master their magic first and even the field as best they could.
“We might.”
Filip’s eyebrows slanted together.
I was not usually so noncommittal. “I can’t say what we’re going to do. This needs to be discussed with Isolde and Thyra.”
“Thyra knows?”
