“In the villages,” he said. “Safe, finally.”
Safe.
The word didn’t fit with the picture I’d painted of this court, or of my own. Confusion rattled around in my chest until it felt like my ribs were going to crack from the blows.
“Why did you sayfinally?” I asked.
“They weren’t safe where they lived before. You know how it is. We’re the only court that doesn’t kill those with magic.”
I swallowed hard but the thoughts jumbling around inside me wouldn’t go down. For a moment, I thought I’d vomit.
“Thank you,” I said, turning and hurrying away before he could reply.
Back in my room, I shut the door and collapsed on my bed, scrubbing my face with my hands.
“Damn,” I hissed. “Damn!”
Rising, I paced. I sat on the bed. Then got back up again, restless energy rattling my bones.
Everything lined itself up in my mind.
Addie had left home for Velmire Court, promised to their king. We’d had no word from her after she left, not that she’d arrived or that she hadn’t.
I remembered her tucking a curl behind her ear with that impatient little flick, sighing as we stood in our finest at the top of the stairs before yet another ball.
“We’ll both escape this confining life someday,” she’d whispered, her eyes glinting like she already had a plan.
Then the rebels’ name was whispered in every shadow. They were despised. Horrible people. Even accused of doing something that created the wasteland swamps themselves.
They raided across the border, and our people died.
A magical bird delivering her body to Father’s ballroom like a taunt. Everyone knew only the rebels could wield magic like that.
Father shouting that they’d kidnapped her. Murdered her.
But if the rebels hadn’t done it, someone else had.
My mind kept snagging on Fenmark. Trew’s cousin. A handsome rebel with a silver loop in his ear and a dragon tattoo on his neck he’d gotten to please her.
A mission, the guard had said. They hadn’t come back.
There was a gap here, a missing piece in the middle where all the jagged edges didn’t meet. And if I slid the wrong piece into that space…
If I’d been looking at the wrong enemy all along, then we were wrong to blame the rebels.
Had someone here actually killed her, or had someone else made itlooklike they had?
The thought of walking to Trew’s rooms and demanding answers shot through me.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I was out the door, my steps quick and loud in the empty corridor.
I had to ask directions to his suite, and while the woman gave me an odd look, she told me.
The wing housing his rooms was quiet at this hour, with only a pair of sentries standing in front of the double doors that led into the king’s private chambers.
“I’d like to speak with King Trewyn,” I said firmly, striding right over to stand in front of them.
One man’s gaze swept across my frame. When he grunted and his face twisted with disapproval, heat rose into my face.
