I sigh. “Let’s just go.”
But we’re a short distance off when Olive calls my name. “Tessa.”
I look back, and her expression is very serious.
“Our king is very good at convincing people that the end justifies the means,” she says.
I stare back at her. “He won’t convince me.”
“You spoke of loyalty,” she says. “And you’re right—a lot of peopleareloyal to him. Part of the problem is that he really does mean well—even if he ends up hurting someone to get what he wants. I thought you should know.”
Her words kick me in the gut unintentionally, and I frown. “I already know.”
That look passes between us again.
“I’m sorry,” she finally says. She kisses her fingertips and touches them to her heart. “Be safe on your journey. We’ll talk when you get back.”
Then she takes her son’s hand, and they head off into the trees.
Olive was right: we don’t find any trouble on the main road. It’s actually more crowded than I expected, with carts and horses and workers going in both directions. It’s clear when we near the city, because trees fall away, and homes and shops suddenly line the road. I’m glad for all the distractions, because every step I take fills me with a different emotion.
Longing.I miss Corrick so very much.
Fury.I hate Rian for everything he did.
I still have no idea what I’m going to say to him. I don’t want to be naive. I don’t want to believe anything he says. Olive’s parting words remind me that I’m not the only one who doesn’t trust him.
The sun beats down, voices filling the air with the Ostrian accent. No one pays me much attention, but I can tell that people notice Rocco. Their eyes linger on the colors of his palace livery, on his weapons, on the insignia emblazoned on his sleeves.
I hear more than one person whisper the wordKandala, so it’s clear they know our colors.
Then we pass a small food vendor where I hear a woman mutter, “Only one guard. She can’t be a queen.”
“Maybe an adviser?” someone else replies. “She looks very official.”
“There’s a crown on his sleeve. I suppose she could be a princess.”
But then we’re past and I can’t catch any more gossip.
Aprincess. If our predicament weren’t so perilous and sad, it would almost be enough to make me burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe they think that,” I say to Rocco once we’re down the road a little bit, but when I look to my right, I realize he’s not directly at my side, but just behind me.
Like . . . a guard.
“I can,” he says. “Youaresomeone official.”
I don’t feel like it. I feel like I’m faking it. As usual, the only time I ever felt like I was reallydoingsomething was when I was in the Wilds with a mask over my eyes.
The road is hilly, with several winding curves, but the closer we get to the city, the more I spot the signs of strife with the other islands. Some buildings have clearly been burned out and never repaired. Cracked windows are everywhere, while some are missing panes of glass entirely. Broken bricks and tiles have been swept up against buildings in various places, while others lie untouched in alleyways.
But the attempts to rebuild are obvious, too. Many buildings have been patched and repaired. New glass gleams in the windows, masons can be found laying bricks here and there, and bright tiles shine in front of the occasional shop. Some of the paint is so fresh I can smell it.
We haven’t seen any sign of a palace yet, and I feel certain we should be seeing spires or turrets orsomethingby now. Just when I’m about to ask Rocco if he’ssurehe remembers the way, the road curves sharply and we crest another hill—and there it is.
Rian’s palace is down in a valley that forms a natural harbor forthe sea, which explains why I haven’t been able to see it until now. We’ll have to walk downhill to get to it. Unlike the white palace of Kandala, this one is made of dark stone, with spires stretching into the sky, making the structure look black against the sunlight—though gleaming stained-glass windows glitter in yellow, orange, and red, a stunning contrast against the blue of the ocean. I remember Rian calling it the Palace of the Sun, and now I understand why.
I also remember him telling me that the surrounding citadel was in ruins, and I can see the evidence of that as well. We’ve been passing burned-out shops and homes, but what lies below us in the valley is far worse. There’s rubble everywhere, and it’s almost as if the air still holds a scent of cannon powder.
