I stare at him, realization dawning. “Or aspy. That’s why he accusedyouof working for the Draegs.” My heart lurches as I begin to put this together. “No one would be surprised by an assassin sent by Draegonis to kill the king of Incendar. If he made a bargain with the Draegs, he could have killed off Maddox Kyronanandme...and made himself look like a victim!”
Asher gives me a grim look. “He gives Draegonis what they want—and Dane gets left alone.”
Something about that still doesn’t fit quite right, but I’m shaky from the attack, and I can’t puzzle it all out now.
A knock raps at the door. “It’s me,” Ky calls from outside.
Asher moves to open it. When the king enters, there’s soot on hishands. I wonder if he burned the bodies. I think of Charlotte, and I shudder. I don’t want to know.
I thought she was brave. I thought she wasloyal.
I suppose she was. But that loyalty wasn’t enough to stand up to my brother. It never is.
I have to clear my throat before emotion chokes away my ability to speak. “You never told me if your sister was all right,” I say to Ky.
He nods. “Sound asleep. So is Norla. I’m lucky I don’t have guards stationed there, because it looks like an empty hallway.” He pauses. His expression is so hard. “They killed the few guards inside the palace. Some of the servants as well.”
“Ky,” I whisper.
He folds his arms and leans back against the door. “Do you believe what Charlotte said?”
“She was afraid for her life,” I say. “I do.”
He nods. “I do, too.” He pauses. “If Astranza has truly made an alliance with Draegonis, Princess, then our positions have become rather complex.”
His voice has grown cold, and I stare back at him. A chill runs up my spine as I consider what he’s saying. “Would you consider Astranza and Incendar to be at war, Your Majesty?”
“If these claims are to be believed, then yes. I would.”
His eyes are so fierce. But underneath all the aggression, I know this scares him. I know thisterrifieshim. His people aren’t starving yet, but they will be soon. My father is dying—but he’s alive right now. Dane clearly has no intention of keeping up this farce of an alliance, but my father’s borders can still fend off Incendar. I may have been ready to ride with Ky into Astranza to claim food, but we can’t do that if he means to launch an assault on my country.
If he even trusts that I had nothing to do with this.
I know how ruthless he can be. I know he’s a man who puts his country ahead of everything—even his own desires. A cool wind of fear curls through my chest, and I’m glad I have Asher by my side.
But I remember the king looking down at me when I washed the blood off his face. I remember the way he broke that bread in half soAsher could eat, or the way he blew on my fingers when I burned myself on his fire.
I remember every moment of thoughtful kindness I’ve witnessed since the moment I met him.
And then I remember that before any of this happened, I was a princess preparing for an alliance.
So I square my shoulders and look up at him. “I believe you and I were prepared to be allies against Prince Dane already.”
He regards me for an eternal silent moment, and his expression doesn’t flicker. I’m very aware of Asher at my shoulder, watching this face-off.
“What do you propose?” the king finally says.
“Perhaps the alliance between our countries could continue,” I say. “My father has little time left. Iamsecond in line for the throne, after all.”
His jaw twitches as he considers this. “You would go to war against your brother to claim the throne for yourself?”
I have to take a breath, because I’ve never considered such a thing. Years of being under Dane’s thumb almost makes me falter.
But I think of the way he plotted against both of us.
I think of those blue marks on my wrist.
I think of the way Charlotte cringed—and I realize Dane must have been terrifying, indeed.
