Echo choked or scoffed. Amelia couldn’t tell. “I will not take you anywhere while rebels are trying to get through the palace walls.”
“You don’t understand.” Amelia felt panic filling her chest and worked to tamp it down. “Rebels killed his mother, and if he finds out they’re near the palace, he will kill everyone in his path to get to me.”Or get himself killed.
“Then let him. Either way, someone will die, and I’d rather it not be you.”
Damnit.
“Then I need something to write with.” She felt around in the dark, finding only blankets and coats. “How close are we to a room that might have something to write with? It sounds quiet out there.”
Silence followed, and she imagined Echo wished they were fighting rebels instead of stuck in a closet with her. “Why?” they eventually asked.
“I can attach a letter to Reyna and have her take it to Rennick. That way he—oof!” Amelia glared at Reyna’s silhouette in the dark. “Did you head-butt me?” Charlie stood at her feet and growled at the other cat.
Echo made a blowing sound like one did when trying to hold back a laugh, and Reyna released a growl of her own that was somehow not menacing, but a warning all the same.
“Fine,” Amelia conceded, “but when half of the palace staff are slaughtered for not moving out of his way fast enough, don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.”
Echo’s voice softened. “It’s admirable that you’re worried about the safety of your staff, but they’re all barricaded in safe rooms.”
A bit of Amelia’s tension loosened, having forgotten theearlier guard yelled about safe rooms as he ran down the hall. “Good.”
Sometime later, the door handle rattled, and Echo drew their sword while Reyna pushed Amelia back and Charlie pressed against her leg.
“Stay with Reyna,” Echo whispered.
Icy fear gripped Amelia like a vise.
“Open this door,” a commanding voice yelled to someone outside. “I want to see every room until she’s found.”
The doorknob rattled again. “It’s locked, Your Highness.”
Your Highness?
“Move,” the first voice barked, and seconds later, the door was ripped from its hinges.
A towering man with blond hair and skin slightly darker than Amelia’s stood like a murderous angel, holding the door with one hand. Reyna ran forward, slammed her paws into his chest, and… licked him. Amelia and Echo both gaped at the deserter.
Seeing Reyna, the man dropped the door with a loud crash and petted her head, relief evident on his face. The leopard dropped to the ground and stepped around him, leaving Amelia and Echo to the mercy of a man who could rip locked doors off hinges with one hand.
Echo, gods bless them, still had their sword up, ready to fight.
The torchlights in the halls weren’t bright enough to light the back of the closet, and Amelia tried to make herself as small as possible.
The man held his hands up. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
“Pardon me, sir, but I don’t know that,” Echo shot back.
“I appreciate you protecting Amelia, but I will see her one way or another. Lower your weapon.”
The man knew her name.
Echo tightened their grip on the sword. “Not until someone I trust gives the order.”
Amelia, not wanting Echo’s death on her hands, stepped forward. “I’m fine.”
“Get back,” Echo demanded, stepping in front of her.
A small bark drew their attention to the man’s feet, and there, looking healthy and happy, was a tiny fennec fox. “Eddy!” Amelia cried and tried to move forward.
