Wrinkles formed on Ysabel’s forehead. “The last I heard, Duchess Hedri sent me a letter demanding I acknowledge her as Arahasnor’s ruler or she’d kill my sister. I assume you didn’t take yourself hostage.”
Kaine nodded. “Yeah, because I swore to chop off the head of whoever threatened my sister-in-law. Let me know if that was you so I can take it back.”
Alzira crossed her arms. “I, too, swore to murder whoever threatened Her Holiness’s sister, and I do not treat my word as lightly as this fool.” She gestured toward Kaine. “Even if you sent the threat, you still have to die.”
“It wasn’t me!” I shouted. “The Blood Duchess tried to arrest me. Donya helped me escape. I fled the city. I planned to ask you for help, Yzzy. There was a flash of light, and I turned into the Blood Duchess. Everyone has been trying to kill me ever since!”
Ysabel put her arms around me and glared at Kaine and Alzira. “Both of you, take two steps back and face the wall. You’re scaring my little sister.”
Hanging their heads, they obeyed.
Ysabel rocked me, stroking my hair. “Did you see anyone around who might have swapped you?”
“We know who swapped me. Princess—I mean, Queen—
Antonia did it by accident. She wanted someone kind to replace the Blood Duchess, who was beating her.”
“No wonder she ended up with you, then.” Ysabel tucked back a lock of my hair. “Does the queen know how to swap you back?”
“She doesn’t. We still haven’t figured out the price of her gift, so we don’t know how to trigger it. She did get tired and faint after using her power. She was out for a while.”
“For such a strong ability, it must have a higher price than mere exhaustion.” Ysabel raised her voice. “Kaine, have you ever heard of a body-swapping gift?”
His voice muffled from facing away, he replied, “That’s not one of mine. Sure does sound useful, though. I don’t know what price it has.”
Ysabel turned back to me. “We’ll figure it out. In the worst-case scenario, I know ways to alter physical appearances.”
“Actually, I need to stay in this body for now.” I swallowed. “It turns out the late king sold out our country to more than one group. The Guild of Slavers showed up next.”
My sister’s face transformed, her eyes turning glacial and her fingers whitening as she squeezed her hands into fists. She looked ready to rip out someone’s throat with her clenched teeth. I knew her well enough to see the hint of fear as well as anger lurking in her eyes.
I knew exactly what she was thinking. “We won’t let that happen, Yzzy.” I put a hand on her arm. “Donya came up with a plan. I’m going to act the part of a villainess to save Arahasnor.” In short order, I filled Ysabel in on everything that had happened.
When I was done, Ysabel touched her forehead as if dizzy. “Wait, you made the assassin who tried to kill you into your bodyguard?”
“It was only a small misunderstanding. Araceli is a wonderful person.”
“And you took over a country …” Ysabel swayed.
“I didn’t have any choice. I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t let the slavers take over.” I peered at my sister’s face through half-open eyes. “Are you angry?”
“Oh, I’m angry, but not atyou.” Ysabel paced the basement, waving her fists. “I can’t believe that as soon as I take my eyes off Arahasnor, this happens. People think they don’t have to be afraid of me just because I moved to Conollia? They’re in for an unpleasant surprise!”
From the floor, Donya groaned, low and long.
Both Kaine and Alzira leapt away from the wall to tend to her. Alzira gasped. “Your Holiness! She’s stirring.”
Donya sat up and rubbed the bandage on her head. “What happened to me?”
Immediately, Kaine and Alzira pointed at each other and chorused, “It wasn’tmyfault.”
Ysabel raised her voice. “Donya, how could you drag my sister into this mess by letting her pretend to be the Blood Duchess? I asked you to look after her! Not use her!”
“I’m sorry.” Donya hung her head.
“She didn’t drag me into anything,” I said. “Don’t shout at her; she’s injured. We didn’t have any good options. I couldn’t have left the city because the duchess is being targeted by the Twelve Avengers. I had no choice but to pretend.”
“They’re the Eleven Avengers, now,” Kaine said. “One of them accepted a contract on my life a few months ago. Honestly, not even the most skilled assassin I’ve killed.”
