“Should I take the head?” she asks.
“Burn it,” Azur says.
My eyes meet Astra’s. She knows about my shameful feelings towards fire.
She glances at the head. “Let’s leave it here. If by any chance it’s traced, it will be far from us. And I think this island is still fairly protected.”
“It’s safer to burn it,” Azur insists. “Just use your magic.”
Astra gets up. “No. I think it won’t bother us. Let’s go.”
She crouches by Azur and holds his hand and mine. Then, begrudgingly, I take Azur’s hand—cold like a fish. Too cold and strange. Quite disgusting.
Soon the light of the moon and stars fade. When it returns, I create an ice layer below us.
We’re in the Queen’s River, right by the island house, and I float us all there, Azur still lying down.
I hope I don’t regret this.
5
TARLIA
When I came to this island, I thought I’d need to make an effort to overhear conversations, to collect information, to find anything that could perhaps be useful.
To my surprise, no effort was needed. It’s as if I was invisible.
That only means Zorwal isn’t planning on letting me walk away.
Not a cheerful thought.
And yet right now, I’m mostly worried about Marlak, not that I care for him—I barely know him—but because I don’t want to see Astra heartbroken with a dead husband. And I don’t want Renel grieving a dead brother. As much as he doesn’t get along with Marlak, I don’t think he hates him.
But how is Marlak going to survive?
My powerlessness grates at me like a persistent itch, and yet there’s nothing I can do other than continue to serve tea for apompous, cruel fae, while I wait for Mirella to return with grim news.
Hopefully not.
How far can hope stretch? How far will luck grace me? I’m holding onto my heart, thinking about Astra, wondering if there’s any solution, still thinking about the moment that might have changed everything.
I had just helped Mirella get dressed when Zorwal asked to see her in his sitting room. They were debating the terms of her coronation when suddenly, her eyes widened. “I know where Marlak is. I can see him.”
“How?” Zorwal asked.
She frowned as if confused or perplexed. “I don’t know. But he’s in the Jewel Plaza. Let me go to him.”
Zorwal’s smile still gives me the creeps. And now she’s gone to do his bidding.
At least Renel should be far from his brother, away from this insanity. Zorwal deems him too insignificant to be worth pursuing, which washes my chest with relief, except that I don’t know what he wants from me, why he healed Renel in exchange for my servitude.
In any case, I’m trying to do my job as best as I can. I prepared her bath in minutes, cleaned her room, and got Zorwal some hot water. Maybe I’ll convince him I’m the best servant ever and he’ll let me live. What are my odds?
I know Zorwal wasn’t looking for a servant, and yet I need some comfort to cheer me up while I listen, pay attention, and try to form a plan to escape.
For a second, I wish I had never pledged loyalty to Zorwal, but then I recall Renel about to die, and my regret vanishes. He’s alive. And now I’m here, stuck serving tea and cleaning. It could be a thousand times worse.
Despite the roar of the ocean, I hear wings flapping outside, and it’s sheer survival instinct that keeps my feet locked instead of running to see who arrived and what news they’re bringing.
