There’s a shift in his scent—everything I need to confirm my belief. The vortex churns ever deeper, ever faster, and I shut my eyes.
He’s already hurrying to explain.“I didn’tknow.I just had a theory.”
“From where? How?”
“Ragglestaff told me about the prophecy. He said it describes someone with a Gods-given Talent. Based on what I learned about you while we worked through the gates, and what I’ve heard about Queen Soleste…”
Betrayal rolls through me. “You agreed we were going to be honest with each other!”
“It was just a theory! What would telling you have accomplished?”
“You wouldn’t havelied!”
I need to get away from him. More pressingly, I need to get away fromher. She is not my mother, and this is not my home. Everything in this Gods-forsaken place has been tricks and riddles. There’s nothing straightforward here, nothing real.
There is only one person I want to talk to right now.
I start charging back the way we came.
“Where are you going to go?” Cygnus shoots up from where he was sitting and follows me.
“Back to the palace,” I say. “I need to talk to Finn.”
Cygnus recoils. “And ask him what? If it’s true? How would he possibly know?”
“I don’t know.” My chest lurches—a tug of that invisible cord between us. “I just need to speak with him.”
I shove away the rising thoughts of what I saw in the archway. It wasn’t real. It can’t be. I was tricked by the banshees before; I must have been tricked again.
Either way, I need to find out.
“Wait! Listen to me, Lyria!” Cygnus surges into the water after me, seizing my arm. “I won’t tell you not to go. That’s your choice to make. Butplease, be careful. Don’t put your faith in anyone you shouldn’t.”
I shake him off. “I already did.”
It is a surprisingly short swim back to Nocturn’s gate, and I retrace the long path to the entrance. The sun is close to the horizon when I make it back out of the Everwillow.
Quick calculations tell me that my three days are up; Finn should be back at the castle, here to fundraise at the militaryball. My plan is to grab him beforehand, but as I near the castle, it’s clear the festivities have already started. All traces of the attack have vanished and the halls have been elaborately decorated. The forecourt teems with carriages, and I can already hear music drifting from the Great Hall. I curse my timing.
New plan: Change. Go to the ball. Find Finn there.
I hasten to my room. Dante chirps excitedly at my arrival, zooming in circles and vaulting over the furniture. I enlisted Daisy to watch him in my absence, and I’m relieved to see that he seems to be in much better shape than I am. Gods, it’s good to see him.
I beeline straight for the washroom and tub. It’s not until I emerge, drying my hair, that I notice the ball gown laid out on my bed, a note on top of it.
For my future bride.
With my whole heart forever,
Finn
My heart lurches.
Thisis the real Finn. The thoughtful boy who loves me. Not that warped nightmare from the cave. All this time, I’ve been holding myself back from him, and for what? Duty? To whom? I feel like I’m sleepwalking as I slip into the dress and fasten the bodice. It’s a bright, patriotic shade of Verdinae blue.
When I arrive in the ballroom, I find it similarly bedecked. There are blue banners hanging from the ceiling and victory laurels strung over chairs. The guests parade about in their finery. I recognize Odessa in an ivory gown, whispering something in a nearby courtier’s ear. I spot Sandria in a spectacular charcoal gown with billowing sleeves in the midst of a throng of admirers. She catches my eye as I make my way toward the front of the ballroom, and I swear there’s almost something disapproving in the purse of her lips.
The Thornes sit at the high table. Scanning, I take in Queen Davina, as glamorous as usual in a velvet-trimmed gown with the Nocturn ruby at her throat; Sebastian, with Roman beside him, laughing as the Sulish prince whispers some clandestine commentary; Damien, looking bored; Finn, clean-shaven and wearing a navy tunic I’ve never seen before; and in the midst of them…
