But they allow the queen and me to lock ourselves in Jax’s house with Alek, taking shelter behind the forge while they guard it from the lane.
Andthatallows us to sneak out the back, creeping through the shadowed woods and over the hill to watch from high ground.
From there, we’re able to see the standoff almost the instant it happens.
The queen gasps, and Alek grabs her from behind, slapping a hand over her mouth before she can make any more sound than that.
“I’m sorry,” he says, and his whispered voice is tight with strain— and empathy. “I’m sorry. Youmustbe quiet.”
She squeezes her eyes shut, and a tear escapes. But then she nods fiercely.
Alek lets her go. She crouches in the brush beside me. Her breathing is shaking.
“I don’t see a scraver,” she says. She glances at Alek. “I thought you said Karyl had a scraver.”
“She does,” he says. He frowns, then points. “It’s there.”
We peer between the trees, and I finally spot it. No wonder we didn’t see it at first. The scraver isn’t high above the horses in the trees. It’s on the ground, a chain hooked to its neck.
I swallow.
“Tycho said four dozen,” I whisper, staring at the mob on horseback facing Tycho, Jax, and the king. “Is that four dozen?”
“It’s more,” a male voice murmurs from behind us.
We whip around to find Tycho’s soldiers have snuck into the woods, too. Malin, who was in the house with me and Alek, plus the other two. Sephran and Leo. Beside me, the queen looks from face to face, and for one brief moment, I can feel the hope radiating from her, as if she expects them to have a new plan that will change everything and save her husband’s life.
But their expressions are grim, their eyes heavy with emotion.
“They did this to spare you,” Malin says quietly. “Your Majesty— the king would want you to withdraw.”
The queen blanches.
I think of what King Grey said to me— tome—right before he walked out of that barn.
Take care of my wife and daughter.
I take hold of her hand. “The captain is right. Perhaps weshouldwithdraw.”
“I will see.” She grips my fingers tight. “I will see what they do to him.” Her voice goes a bit breathy. “They haven’t dismounted the horsesyet. They haven’t surrendered. They’re talking. Perhaps Grey can negotiate with the Truthbringers for—”
Something snaps, and the king’s body jerks, then falls from the horse.
Then it happens to Tycho.
And then to Jax.
Alek catches the queen again, clamping a hand over her mouth.
My heartbeat roars in my head, blocking out the sound of everything. I can’t move. I can’t run. I can’tthink.
They killed them. Just like that.They killed them.I knew it was coming, but somehow I didn’t expect it.
And then, as I stare, the scraver launches into the air, its flight crooked and clumsy. But it screeches so loudly that I want to cower, claws outstretched, fangs bared.
“Destroy them,” shouts a woman, the first clear voice I’ve heard.
And the scraver descends.
