“Alright.” She smiles. “I love you, you know that, right? You’re the best friend anyone could hope for. Even if you did leave me with nothing but a note and the entire rent to pay on my own.”
“I’m sorry. But please, don’t say goodbye yet,” I say.
“I have to. We both know how dangerous this is going to be. But you’ll need to get back into the castle without them knowing to even have a chance at pulling it off.”
“I know. But I can’t do it if you say goodbye now,” I tell her. “I need some hope that I’ll see you again.”
She pulls me in for a hug. “Good luck, then. And I’ll see you again soon.”
When she releases me, she says, “You’re certain about the relics?”
I nod.
She grins, then she tells me exactly how to kill the emperor.
When I rush out of the tavern, back into the rain, I feel hope. Actual, real, true hope.
I just need to get close enough. I need to bide my time. And when Darkfall comes, I will kill the emperor.
The chair is still shoved under the bathing chamber door. I take a robe off a hook, hang my wet dress in its place, then pull the robe around me. With any luck, the dress will be dry by the time they find it, and they’ll think I left it before they made me change rooms.
The room is empty. Quiet. And two day dresses are hanging in the wardrobe. Nobody is going to notice I changed. Not when all my clothes are variations of the same colors.
I use the towel to dry my hair and hope that there won’t be anyone in the hall. Just as I’m about to reach the door, the handle turns.
I move fast, so I’m behind the door as it opens, praying they don’t press it all the way against the wall.
Holding my breath, I wait.
Brevan steps in, glances around the room, then leaves and closes the door behind him.
He didn’t check the passage. My shoulders slump in relief.
I wait until I hear footsteps fade, and then I open the door a crack.
“Hello, Princess,” Brevan says. “Enjoy your stroll in the rain?”
Thirty-One
“I knowyou took the passageway again. Where were you this time?” he asks.
“Tavern,” I say.
“Why?”
“I wanted to see an old friend.” I’m going to die anyway. I might as well just give parts of the truth.
“How is it that you have friends in Pendralia?” he asks.
“How did you know I’d be in here?” I counter while I scramble to come up with something believable.
“You weren’t in your room.” He sighs. “I already covered for you once. You owe me the truth.”
I swallow hard. He could take me in right now. End everything. But he’s not. He’s asking for an explanation. It’s more grace than I deserve. “She came with me on the journey here, but she didn’t return with the others. She didn’t want to go back to Iskvaland. In case you forgot, things aren’t exactly great for women there.”
His eyes narrow as he studies me, as if he’s trying to determine whether I’m telling the truth.
“I’m sorry.” Guilt settles in my gut like a weight. “I figured it was my last chance to see her. I wanted to say goodbye.”
