“The secret, of course.”
To hatching.
Slowly, things fell into place. By marrying me to Ericen, Razel would not only gain control of Rhodaire if something happened to Kuren and Caliza, she’d also gain control of the crows. She could hatch as many as she needed year after year, because she would have me, and my blood, and my experience.
She’d have an army perfectly suited for taking control not only of Rhodaire but the entire continent.
I swallowed hard. That was what Ericen had been looking for in the library in Aris: information on crows.
Razel approached me, and I tensed. “I intended to wear you down, to break you until you did as you should and obeyed me. Come the winter solstice, I’d have an army. Imagine my surprise when I learned I didn’t have to wait so very long.”
The girl holding Caylus smirked. She must have known what had happened when Res had lost control of his powers and gone straight to her queen.
Razel stopped a step away. My fingers twitched, desperate to snatch Res from her hold. “Now, Thia dear, you will hatch me my army.”
“No.”
She smiled and then nodded to the female guard beside Caylus. There was a cry, and I spun as she knocked Caylus to the ground. She kicked him again, driving her foot into his ribs, his legs, his back. He curled into a ball, trying to protect his stomach.
“Stop it!” I yelled.
Razel raised a hand. The guard froze midkick and lowered her leg.
“The secret,” she said.
“Don’t!” Caylus rasped. “Don’t do it, Thia.”
I stared at him, paralyzed. Razel would kill him if I didn’t, but I couldn’t give her what she wanted. She would destroy everything.
“Is this really necessary?” Ericen demanded.
I whirled around to face him.
He stared imploringly at his mother, his hands clenched. “You’re forcing her to make a difficult choice. Give her time.”
“She doesn’t have a choice.” The amusement in Razel’s voice had vanished, her tone dropping low and predatory. She eyed her son, as if daring him to contradict her again.
He didn’t. He drew back beneath her sharp gaze, averting his own.
Razel nodded to the guard, and she seized the collar of Caylus’s shirt, driving her fist into his jaw. Caylus struck the ground, and the guard kicked him in the stomach.
I stayed rooted to the spot, my nails digging so harshly into my palms, I drew blood. The sound of each punch landing made my skin crawl and my stomach turn. But I didn’t move. I couldn’t give Razel what she wanted. I couldn’t.
The guard paused, looking up at Razel. The queen watched me, waiting like a jungle cat ready to pounce.
Still, I said nothing.
Razel faced Shearen. He seized a dagger from his hip and drove it into Kiva’s shoulder.
I screamed as Kiva screamed, dropping to her knees as Shearen ripped the dagger free and put it to her throat. I stumbled toward her, legs weak, voice breaking. “I’ll show you! Just let her go!”
“Thia, no!” Kiva cried.
Shearen pushed the blade closer to her neck, drawing a thin line of blood.
“I said I’ll show you!” I yelled, looking desperately to Razel. “Take me to the eggs. I’ll show you. Just call him off. Please.”
Shearen pulled the knife away from Kiva’s throat, then drove his foot into the back of her injured shoulder. Kiva cried out, crumpling to the ground.
