“But it will buy you time,” he corrected. “And the Lord willing…” He exhaled shakily. “I will die well.”
Her breath hitched. Her mind whirled. Everything in her rebelled against this foolish idea.No. Percy was wrong. This was all wrong. It wasn’t her that Seraphina needed right now.
It was him.
Booted feet thundered through the sitting room, drawing nearer.
Crack.
The bedroom door splintered. A blade tip punched through the wood, stabbing blindly.
“Olivia.” Percy’s voice gentled into something fragile, aching. “Let me do this.”
But she shook her head, prying her hand from his grip.
He frowned at her.
“Percy!” Duchess Edith screamed.
“You know,” Olivia drawled, “out of the two of us,you’rethe one better suited to all this political nonsense. The strategy. The alliances. The speeches.You’rethe one Sera needs right now.”
The duke’s face fell. “No—”
A single wet laugh escaped her. Shaky. Broken. “Not me. I’m a mess. I keep—” She cut herself off before the wordmedicatingcould leave her mouth. “I’m losing my edge. We all know I am.”
He shook his head, a protest clearly forming on his lips.
She cracked a smile, not bothering to let him get it out. “Sorry about this,” she whispered.
Her hand shot out, catching him in the chest, shoving hard.
Percy’s eyes flew wide as he stumbled backward into the passageway, swallowed by the darkness. His cane clattered against the stone. Duchess Edith gasped. Rogue barked.
Olivia lunged forward, slamming the false panel shut.
“Olivia!” Duke Percy roared, pounding the other side of the wall.
Her fingers trembled, shaking the keys in her grip as she hunted for the right one. Her heart screamed. Her leg screamed. Every part of her screamed. But this was how it had to be.
If anyone stayed behind, it had to be her.
Finally, she found the right key. Without another thought, she slammed it in the lock and twisted. It clicked shut, locking the Umberlys in.
From the other side of the wall came the muffled sound of the duke pounding on the hidden door. Once. Twice. A scrape as he tried to open it. Duchess Edith’s muffled voice. Then…
Nothing.
Olivia pressed her forehead to the cool wood, breath trembling past her lips.Goodbye, Sera. Goodbye, Edith. Goodbye, Tristan.
…Goodbye, Percy.
Her vision blurred as hot rivulets trailed down her cheeks. Tears at last.
The sound of cracking wood ripped through the air, drawing her back before she could wallow in her self-pity for more than a moment.
Sucking in a deep breath, Olivia pushed herself away from the wall, wiping her face with a shaking hand. At the moisture now streaking her gloves, she gave a disgustedtch.
Her fingers found the flask at her hip. She unhooked it, tipped back her head, and drained every last drop. Warmth burned down her throat, spreading out in a hazy bloom that dulled the edges of everything except the hollow in her chest.
