Wincing, I slouched further down in my chair. Samian caught my movement and swallowed nervously. After Kieren’s outburst this morning, we both knew the shitshow that was about to go down. Clearing his throat, Samian answered warily. “He caught Sybil talking to her. After Kieran left, Sybil went to talk to Cassia to ask if there was anything else she could give us. Cassia was beginning to tell Sybil about Ambrose when he walked up behind them. He used his ice magic on Cassia as punishment.”
Silence, thick and all-consuming, swathed the room in a sickening suspense. The pressure in the air grew charged, and every eye focused on Kieran—except for mine. I didn’t dare look at him—I couldn’t. All my strength left me, and my heart pounded hard inside my chest.
“Did he mention his plan?” Orin asked Samian carefully, his glance moving between the two males beside me, hoping to lessen the storm that was quickly brewing. “To you or to Sybil?”
“No,” I answered quietly, my body slipping further down from Kieran’s piercing gaze. “Only that Zarina confronted him and invited herself to the ball. He only mentioned that he plans to distract Zarina long enough to slip away and kill her. Thatway, he can give Zarina a tour of the palace to show her that the ‘rumors’ she heard of Queen Cassia being held against her will are false.”
Kieran murmured a curse as he blew out a breath. “First, we need to finish planning how to save the servants and guards. Then we will start thinking about how to get Cassia out safely before the ball.” Kieran said, his voice oddly calm.
“Can’t we plan both?” I asked slowly, biting back my frustration. Though I’ve never been a part of a rebellion, I never imagined it would move so slowly.
Kieran’s jaw clenched. “No, we cannot. These are two major missions, and they are incredibly close together. We don’t have all the information we need to plan Cassia’s escape. Once we complete the mission for the execution, the palace guards will work overtime to protect the palace, ensuring no one gets in or out. We don’t have the slightest clue how Ambrose is going to react after the executions and what he will do to you and Samian. We need to get through the executions first, andthenwe will start planning Cassia’s escape.”
“Fine,” I forced out. “What have we planned so far for the execution?”
“Training first,” Kieran smirked. “Then I’ll tell you our plan for the execution.”
Chapter 29
Samian
“She will not be happy about this,” I sighed, walking through the clearing of our usual spot in the forest. Sybil was still in the camp, hidden and kept away from the other rebels, in case anyone saw her and got the bright idea to attack or harm her. She was safe in Vivi and Ivara’s care—Ezra’s too—while the rest of us scoured the area searching for any beast that may have wandered through after Sybil lost control of her magic.
“I know I should care, but I don’t,” Kieran said gruffly. “I’m only trying to protect her, as well as the rebels. If Ambrose catches even a whiff of Sybil’s involvement with us, he will torture her for information. You know it. Sybil knows it. And I, sure as hell, know it. This is the only way we can keep her safe while still allowing her to help so she doesn’t run off on her own.”
I stared at Kieran, my lips pressing together in a thin line. I knew he was right, but only to some degree. “She can break the commands he gives her,” I confessed. “If Ambrose commands her to give him information, she could potentially fight it long enough to do it again.”
Kieran stopped moving, his brows pinching together. “You didn’t tell me that.”
Nodding, I continued, though I slightly cursed myself for not thinking about telling him earlier. “I found out about it with Aster the night she was taken to the dungeon. Ambrose made a command against using her magic. After Aster healed her, she was able to break the command, though it took a few hours. But if she did it once, then she can do it again.”
Kieran’s jaw ticked. I could see the plans taking shape in his eyes, thoughts spinning as he searched for the best course of action. “No, it still doesn’t change things. Unless she can immediately break his commands, I will not allow Sybil to put herself in danger like that. She’s untested and hasn’t had the chance to see how far she can go with her magic.” Kieran paused, narrowing his eyes at me. “Is there anything else you and Sybil have been hiding from me?”
“No, dick,” I sneered. “And we weren’t keeping that from you. Ambrose has made no other commands from Sybil other than the prisoners, and we haven’t exactly had the time to discuss everything that happened before Sybil joined the rebellion. It’s all happening way too fast.”
“And today with Cassia?” Kieran pressed, his head tilting to the side, though his face remained blank.
I clenched my jaw, the muscle feathering as my teeth ground together. I knew he was having a hard time with the distance between him and Sybil. He said nothing about it, but he had been more tense as of late. He couldn’t visit the palace often, and Sybil couldn’t go into the rebel camp. Murmurs had already started calling for her head, for Kieran to take her out of the game while Ambrose was distracted.
“Sybil told you she was going to talk to her, and even though it was sooner than I thought, she made that decision after youleft. You went to the Seelie Court; it’s not like we could call you back to tell you what she decided to do.”
Kieran was scowling at me, ready to open his mouth for his next quip, when someone cleared their throat behind us. Sighing, I turned, finding Daelan and Orin waiting impatiently in the clearing.
“What?” Kieran barked without looking at either of them, his focus still solely on me.
“The area is clear,” Orin said calmly. Not even a hint of fear of Kieran’s temper could be found in his voice.
I nodded, moving toward the clearing, leaving Kieran behind. Kieran followed me, though he kept his distance. “It’s safe for you to come,” I said to Sybil through our bond. Warmth flooded through me before she appeared with Ezra, Ivara, and Viv. Salem was gone, hiding in whatever shadow he could find.
Sybil stepped away from Ivara and Viv, eyeing the clearing around us cautiously. A smile rose on my lips at her wariness, the way her eyes grew round, while her head turned as if she could see around the trees that blocked her view. Seemingly convinced that we were safe, she made her way toward me, bouncing on her toes with each step until her body brushed up against mine. Coming up onto her tiptoes, she pressed a light kiss to my lips.
My hands came to her waist when she was suddenly pulled away from me with a quiet gasp. Kieran glared at me for a moment before looking down at her, his face softening, his hand cupping the side of her face. “Training first, then you can do whatever you’d like.”
“Fine,” she exhaled. “I guess I’m training with Vivi first?”
“You would be right,” Kieran said softly, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “Now go.” His hand fell to the small of her back, pushing her toward Viv and Ivara. Sybil breathed a laughand jogged toward the two females who stood waiting on the edge of the clearing.
My smile grew, and I followed behind her, giving Kieran a quick snarl as I passed. He returned it, his face pinching in annoyance.
