Same shaped eyes.
Same stubborn chin.
Freckles spattered across both of their noses.
The family resemblance was strong.
His expression hardened the longer he stared at the two of them.
“Just when I think you have no more secrets, you surprise me.” The accusation in his tone was clear.
She winced.
“Lia?” Cosmos whispered.
“It’s alright, Cos,” she replied without taking her eyes from the Frost King. “He won’t hurt us.” Flyka, on the other hand...
Her brother shook but managed to hold up his head as he stared at Flyka. She knew what he saw when he looked at them. Monsters. The horrors that plagued their nightmares.
“Easy,” she murmured, not sure to whom.
Flyka signed to the other Haunts. They eerily melted into the night, leaving just the four. An uncomfortable silence settled between them. Neve’s anger was almost palpable.
“Are we going to speak about it?” he demanded.
Dahlia’s heart pounded. She could tell he suspected that Cosmos was her brother, but surely he couldn’t know that she wasn’t the real princess, or someone would have said something before. Lia’s only value was her fake connection to the throne. If that was exposed...
Her mind wandered to Jekket and Bacti. They knew the truth of her brother and their heritage. But she also knew their secrets, and that was key. The question was, would Flyka or Neve believe her after all the lies if she told the truth?
“I think it best we don’t speak it out loud, my lord.”
The Frost King turned his piercing gaze on Cosmos. “Why did you come here?”
Her brother hesitated, and Lia squeezed his arm. He peered at her with his good eye, worry creasing his brow.
“What is it?” she asked.
His eyes darted to the king and then back to her as if asking if it was safe to speak.
“They are allies,” she murmured. Dahlia couldn’t quite call them friends. Honestly, she didn’t know if they were allies, but they’d struck a deal and signed it.Neve is more and you know it. “What has happened? I know you would not have come without good reason.”
He licked his lip. “It’s Lo. She’s not well.”
Dread filled Dahlia, all pretense fleeing. “What is it?”
“We thought she was okay, and thenonnaefrom Mizar has done as much as they can. But Loshika is getting worse, and the fevers...” he shuddered, his eye turning shiny. “I wasn’t supposed to come, but Lo needed help. It’s so bad, Lia. She looks like she’s going to die. We can’t let her die.” His voice broke.
No, Loshika could not die. The healer was going to have a long and healthy life if Lia had any say about it.
“You did the right thing,” she said, forcing herself to be strong for her brother. “I’m glad you came.”
Now, all she had to do was convince her husband it was part of their deal to care for Lo, not just spare her.
“Lae reillov,” she paused. “You and I have made a bargain.”
“Do not speak to me of deals,” he replied coldly. Neve took one step toward her, his full attention pinned to Lia. “Ask me.”
He wanted her to beg, and she would do it for her friend. “If you could find it in your benevolent mercy?—”
