One of the soldiers holding Olena says something that makes the halfling’s eyes go wide and wild.
“Alyona traded one of her fur stoles for the fabric.” At my frown, Justus tips his head and dips his chin. “The princess has access to a bottomless purse yet she gave the sailor a fur cloak.”
“Why is that creating such a tizzy? Isn’t fur a prized commodity?”
“It is. It’s also hefty and heavily-lined. The perfect place to store a clunky valuable.”
My jaw loosens around a muted gasp that’s drowned out by a heartrending cry. Izolda throws herself on her father’s sword arm just as he wrenches it across the nursemaid’s face.
“Why, Atsa?” she wails. “Why did you do that?” She drops to her knees and crawls toward the silent, bleeding woman. “Why?”
“Because Olena helped your sister betray us, daughter. Be glad I used my platinum blade instead of my iron one. And be glad I only took one of her eyes and not both.”
Ksenia, who’s not moved from her brother’s side, gasps Alyona’s name, followed by a croaked flock of Glacin words.
“She asked what is to be her sister’s punishment,” Justus translates quietly.
My stomach knots because, if there’s truth to Bronwen’s vision, then she will lose far more than her sight.
“Salom, get my daughters and lock Olena up. Everyone else, find Alyona!” Vladimir spins on his heel, droplets of halfling blood gliding off his blade and pinkening the snow.
“Atsa.” Konstantin nods to the sky, to the Crow carrying a flailing white-haired girl.
The second Alyona’s boots touch the ground, the bird dissolves into smoke and rushes back toward me. I wonder if anyone noticed how much smaller in stature he was to the other shifters in feathers. If anyone did, they don’t seem to care. Their full attention rests on the Glacin Princess whose complexion is as pale as her hair.
Vlad advances toward her. “Who did you sell our runestone to, daughter?”
“I did not sell it to anyone.” She glances over her shoulder as though to map out an escape route.
“Don’t lie!”
“I’m not, Atsa. I did not sell it. I gave it,” she bites out, her teeth barely separating. “I gave it to people who still care about protecting Faeries from demons.” Her clear eyes vault over our striped faces.
“Why everyone think we demons?” Aoife murmurs.
“Demons are said to possess people.” It seems ludicrous that Justus is taking the time to explain this to my friend. Since her brow remains ruffled, he pursues his enlightenment. “Faeries believe you’re possessed by those giant birds with iron appendages.”
She tilts her black eyebrows. “What meanspossessed?”
He translates the word into Crow because, of freaking course, the man’s fluent in my father tongue.
“Didn’t know you spoke Crow?”
“I’m an old man, Fallon. Once you reach my age, you’ll be fluent in every tongue.”
“To whom did you give it, Sister?” Konstantin has marched over to Alyona and now stands in front of her.
“I gave it to the General of Luce.”
All heads spin toward Justus, who mutters a quiet, “Merda,” before raising his palms in the air.
Seventy
“Shall I remind everyone that I’m not the current Lucin general. Tavo Diotto is.” Still, Justus keeps his hands in the air. “Alyona, dear, please clear the matter up. You may not care if you’re run through with a steel blade or an iron beak, but I care. Deeply,” he adds when no Glacin soldier lowers his sword.
Alyona hunts the tight knot of Crows until her limpid stare lands on him. “Rossi? Justus Rossi?”
“Speaking.”
