My mind went numb. I flashed back to that day by the fountain when the real duchess had so casually ordered my death. For a moment, I sincerely believed the guard was about to kill me instead, and my lips froze.
“Stop in the name of the Sun God!” Ysabel clasped her hands together. As she gazed up through her lashes, she looked the picture of piety. “If it means saving this innocent woman’s life, then I’ll offer up my head instead.”
I snorted. “Don’t you know that you’re my precious hostage? I’ll only display your pretty head after I’m done using you.”
Ysabel squared her shoulders. “If you harm these innocent people, then I’ll bite my own tongue and commit suicide.”
Thank you, big sister, for giving me an out.I sneered. “A weakling like you could never follow through. But it would be a shame to lose your tongue—I so very much enjoy your terrified pleas. Let the ugly one go.” I squeezed Araceli’s waist. “My precious dove, I’ll buy you a new necklace to make it up to you.”
Araceli pointed at the secretary’s bracelet lying on the floor. “I want that pearl bracelet. No one but me should dare touch it.”
I would have agreed to anything to end this. “Anything for you.”
Ambassador Gen’le grabbed Secretary Ma’qas’s arm and hustled her away, pausing only to whisper a weak thanks to Ysabel.
The guards followed after them—planning to keep them from running away.
As soon as they were out of sight, Ysabel unchained herself. “I have to go talk to Donya. I’ll direct her to whisper some things to the ambassador to terrify the Conclave of Kings so much that they’ll dither instead of immediately gathering an attack against us. You did perfect, Bora. I’ll praise you as much as you deserve as soon as I return.” She ran off.
When the door closed behind my sister, I collapsed into my cushion. I yanked off both crowns, followed by as much of my jewelry as I could. The pounding in my head didn’t stop.
Araceli ran forward and took off her maid’s cap, throwing it over the bracelet. “You didn’t touch that, did you? Please tell me you didn’t touch it.”
“I didn’t! What the hell were you doing?” I shouted. “You went too far!”
“I had to—”
“No, you didn’t! We’d already successfully threatened the dwarves. You didn’t have to terrorize that poor woman.” A sob caught in my throat. I’d held off until everyone else had left, but now the tears threatened to erupt. “Did you know that the first time we met, the Blood Duchess tried to kill me just because I was Falael’s ex-lover? It was the scariest moment of my life. She stomped on me like I was an insect. I never, ever wanted to be the kind of person who would do something like that to someone else. I feel so ashamed and sorry toward Secretary Ma’qas!”
Araceli paled. “I didn’t know that happened to you. I’m sorry.”
“Do you know why I played along with your act even though it made me feel like the worst scum?” I glared. “Because I trust you! I know you must have had a good reason to do what you did. Please, explain it to me!”
“Secretary Ma’qas is one of the Twelve Avengers. She was trying to kill you.”
“Oh.” I slumped down on my seat. I was crying now, not because of the news but because as soon as I no longer had anger to sustain me, the tears leaked out.
Araceli put an arm around me. “You did a good job.”
“I’m embarrassed to be acting like this.” I sniffled. At least I hadn’t broken down in front of Ysabel, who’d done such an amazing acting job and been perfectly fine afterward.
“You were strong when it counted.” Araceli patted my back. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
A sizzling sound drew my attention to the floor. I gaped as part of Araceli’s maid cap eroded away, revealing the pearl bracelet underneath. “What in the name of the Sun God caused that?”
“Ma’qas specializes in poison. Most of the Twelve Avengers stayed separate to keep our identities protected so one person getting caught couldn’t reveal the others. But Ma’qas and I trained together from a young age. I know her face, and I know her tactics. I had to stop you from touching the poisoned bracelet without breaking the act, so I used the first idea I could think of. It was what we did to chase off Falael, so I thought you’d be able to respond to the cue on the fly.”
My voice came out as a whisper. “If I’d accepted that bracelet, I’d have died immediately.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it as it ate a hole into the floor. “You saved my life. Thank you.” I sniffled. “And I yelled at you afterward. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Araceli said. “I understand why you felt scared. I was making it up as I went along, too. Your sister saved us both from talking ourselves into a corner. Not that a guard could have killed Ma’qas—she’d have annihilated him. But it still would have caused a serious hitch in our plan.”
“What plan would have caused you to forget your revenge, my old friend?” a new voice called. Ma’qas dropped down from the balcony, landing before the throne. The formerly mousy expression had been replaced with a predatorial gaze and a hard twist to her mouth. She had ripped off her jeweled jerkin to reveal leather armor underneath.There was anger on her face, and despite being in the same room as her sworn enemy, she glared at Araceli instead of me. This was a very personal rage, a betrayal deep enough to lure her out into the open. “I never thought you’d turn traitor, Ari. But I’ll kill you along with the duchess.”
Chapter Sixteen
Gazing sadly at the assassin, I groaned. “It feels like anytime someone opens a door unexpectedly, I always get bad news. Araceli, why do we never get any good surprises?”
“Why do you never lock the doors?” Araceli countered.
