“You failed me,” she screams at him, wrapping her hand in his hair and wrenching his head back. “You failed to bring me the Oracle.”
In the background, the five men who tried to block us from reaching the towers stand with arms folded across their chests. They’ve removed their armor, wearing only the white tunics and pants of the Court. It’s clear from the blood soaking through the material at various points on their arms, legs, and chests that Mother hasn’t allowed them to bandage their injuries.
Quintus appears particularly sour, his lips pinched. He was lucky not to suffer my eagle’s talons, but he won’t like that Rohan had to save him.
While Mother shrieks, Rohan doesn’t utter a sound. Now that she’s pulled his head back, his face is partially visible to me.
His eyes are blank.
He isn’t here.
I clench my teeth against the memories I want to forget.
Cassia’s long-ago cry stings like a wound.
She lost Rohan because I didn’t claim him for my army fast enough. I didn’t think I had to. I never imagined Galla would break her own daughter’s heart.
I vowed never to make that same mistake again—I certainly didn’t repeat it for Rohan’s younger brother—but my vow didn’t change Rohan’s fate.
Go somewhere else in your mind,Cassia had cried.Don’t let her take your heart.
Rohan’s response haunts me still.
Cassia, my heart is yours. Know this and take peace from it: the man who loves you dies today. He is no more.
I promised myself I would never again underestimate how far Galla Vividari will go to break anything she can’t control.
Now, Galla gives a petulant cry before she slides down in front of Rohan, pressing her body to his, her grip on his head loosening, but only so she can drag one of the whip’s lashes around his throat.
She pouts at him. “Did you mean to disappoint me?”
Rohan remains silent.
“Of course you didn’t.” She presses her lips to his. “Such a thought would never cross your mind, would it, Rohan?”
AlthoughIcan see him, Cassia’s view is blocked by the door, and until this moment, she wouldn’t have known who Mother was beating.
Cassia tenses, her response instantaneous.
She trembles, her face white with fury.
I give her a firm shake of my head, a warning not to act.
But her rage has to go somewhere.
As silent as a breeze, she grits her teeth, her lips draw back, she balls her fists, and her whole body rage-shakes as she mimics a soundless scream, a scream that would, if she let it out, rattle the walls. All of her fury pushes into her hands and her clenched teeth. Until she slumps. And her eyes fill with tears.
I heard what she said to Thyra earlier. That Galla steals everything good, and even precious things are degraded.
The only way Galla’s power ends is if Thyra breaks the curse. Even with all my strength, all my violence, I can’t end Galla until I know that the entire Iron Kingdom won’t pay a horrifying price.
Inside the room, Galla continues to croon as she pulls the whip’s lash tighter around Rohan’s neck, and he begins to choke. “You would rather die than disappoint me, wouldn’t you, Rohan?”
Ifight the need to burst into the room and take Galla’s fucking head off.
One clean strike with my axe…
Inside the room, Galla raises her voice. “Hadrian, dear, fetch my ivory-handled knife, will you?”
