ChApter
Seven
After I’ve bathed and dressed in clean clothes—a black mourning dress to appease the king as well as Indira—I search for Nadya. I find her in the library, hunched over a thick, leather-bound tome that looks like it’s survived a hundred storms. Her elbow rests on the edge of the table, one finger absently twisting a coil of her hair as her eyes flick across the page. She’s so engrossed in the text, she doesn’t notice me enter.
The air smells like parchment and old smoke, faintly sweet with dried lavender and bay leaves tucked into the crevices of the shelves to keep the moths out. It’s one of the quietest places in the citadel, but right now, I welcome the hush. My thoughts have been screaming, but here, they’re not as loud.
“Nadya?” My voice sounds hollow in the stillness. “Do you have a moment, or should I come back when your skin’s finished fusing with the parchment?”
She startles slightly, blinking up at me before a warm smile curves her lips. “You’re back.”
I nod, crossing the room to her side. My body still feels like it’s in motion from being on horseback all day, but it’s my thoughts that won’tsettle. After we greet each other with a hug, I sink into the seat beside her. “I checked on my uncle. He doesn’t seem to be getting better.”
Nadya closes the book and shifts my way, her gaze softening, growing serious. “I know. When his fever started, I panicked. But Ezra told me he thinks it means the elixir is working.”
I nod, running a hand through my hair, the strands still damp. “He wasn’t so open with me. He simply said we have to wait to see if the fever breaks. I couldn’t stand to see him thrashing, so I came to find a distraction.”
“He said the same thing to me.” She sighs. “That’s why I came here.”
“Have you been here all day?”
“Don’t tell Indira, but I’ve been here since last night. Only left once, sneaking to the kitchen to grab something to eat.”
I give her a questioning smile. “Why shouldn’t I tell Indira?”
“I’ve been hiding from her. I guess I left a mess in one of the rooms… well, one of the guards and I left the mess. He has a special way to enjoy berries.” She grins and coyly averts her eyes. “Anyway, I thought I’d give her some time to calm down, and I don’t think she’s stepped foot in the library in years.”
I can’t help but laugh. It’s good to know that some things haven’t changed, and I lean closer to her to take her hand, grateful for her company.
She gives my hand a squeeze, her grip steady and warm. “Celeste. Ezra knows what he’s doing. He’s the best magister I’ve ever met.”
I manage a faint scoff. “You don’t know many magisters, though. Do you?”
Her lips quirk upward, but her voice remains soft. “With all that knowledge and cleverness, I can’t imagine a better magister could exist. Which is why I put all my faith in the one I do know. Ezra’s calm, but he’s not careless. If he thought your uncle was beyond saving, he wouldn’t still be fighting.”
Her reassurance settles something in my chest—not quite relief, but a fragile thread of steadiness. “I suppose.”
“Oh! Have you seen the king?” She grimaces. “I tried my best tocover for you, but when he forced Indira to admit you hadn’t been to your room for a few days, he caught on.”
“It’s not your fault. And yes, Dante and I went to see him.”
She wags her brows. “Dante, huh? I figured he was with you.”
I release her hand and give her a playful nudge. “We weren’t alone together, if that’s what you’re thinking. There was another attack, this one closer to Hedera.”
“So the attack on Ivystone wasn’t a solitary incident? I figured they’d only crossed the border because of Torbin.”
I don’t answer right away. My uncle’s voice replays in my mind, and my stomach churns from his words. Is my father really alive? Is he the tsar or just one of the tsar’s prisoners? Was the tsar—father or not—using the carnoraxis to get to me, and that’s why they were in Hedera?
“We can’t be sure,” I finally answer. “But it looks like I won’t be much help with the effort anymore. The king has henceforth forbidden me to ride out into battle.”
“That hasn’t exactly stopped you before. Besides, when he leaves for the tour, he won’t be around to keep you trapped.”
Except I fear it will be even worse then. He’ll most likely triple the guards, and I wouldn’t put it past him to keep me locked up, not just in the castle, but in my room.
“We’ll see.” I shake my head. “For now, I need a distraction. Something to keep me from staring at the door and willing Ezra to walk through it with good news. And something to keep me from foolishly planning a vendetta against the king.”
Nadya taps the edge of her book. “Then you’re in luck. I’ve got a distraction that comes with age-old history, sorcery, and possibly a little family drama.”
