We walk in silence for several steps. “We will, princess. I promise you.” Truth in every word.
“But how do you know?” I ask as we step out of the cave and back to the cliffside.
He chews his lip as he surveys the city that sprawls beneath us. “I have a trick up my sleeve…” I quirk an eyebrow. “But we’ll need to go into the manor.”
My stomach quivers. The manor feels intimidating. “Wh—Do you think that’s safe?”
He nods. “Yes. Mother and Father will still be at the ball. I can funnel us in and out.”
“What if someone sees us?”
“There are hidden passageways that we can take.” He turns me toward the manor. “Look, the only lights that are on right now are the outside lanterns, and there are four guards stationed by the entrance, which means nobody’s home.”
I bite my cheek as I survey the Serpent manor. But he’s right. The rest of the building is dark, but it won’t be for long. Word will have gotten out about the ball, and this could be our only chance.
“Fine,” I say.
He turns me to face him. “Are you sure? We can funnel back to Squall’s End now, and I can return without you.”
“No, I’m not sure. But where you go, I go.”
His hand is warm against my arm as he pulls me to him. The warm air stirs around us, the cityscape below vanishing. Darkness surrounds us as Asmo funnels us into the den of vipers.
Chapter 44
MAE
Asmo’s bedroomis the size of my entire cottage. It faces the Sitani Sea, the dark water churning below us as it crashes along the cliff. The walls are painted black, but the room still feels welcoming. Centered along the wall is a sprawling bed with an oak headboard and sheets the color of clouds. The wall facing the water is not a wall, but an invisible barrier, just like in the High Castle’s library. The breeze stirs an open book on Asmo’s side table.
It feels like home.
Asmo opens an interior door, revealing rows of neatly pressed jackets, shirts, and pants. A sword, made of glimmering black, hangs on the wall in a glass case. He walks to a chest of drawers and begins rifling through. He extracts a handheld mirror, its oval surface surrounded by scalloped edges, embellished snakes, and black roses.
“This will show us where Marik and Elle are,” he says, shutting the drawer and placing the mirror on the bed.
“What is it?”
“It’s imbued with a spell that will allow the user to see whoever they request,” he explains.
I reach for it, but he darts toward me and stops my hand. “But thereis a risk. He would be able to see us on whatever surface allowed us to see him. It must be used sparingly and wisely.”
I place my hand back in my lap. “I’ve never heard of anything like this.”
Asmo settles onto the bed, resting the mirror on top of the open book. “My father spelled it with dark magic. Marik and I used to use the mirror to spy on him and Mother.” A ghost of a smile graces his lips, but it falls quickly.
Asmo stares at his hands as he wrings them together in his lap, his jaw working.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I never thought I’d have the High Queen in my bed,” he jokes, but it falls flat.
I don’t budge. “What is it?”
“I—I think I’m just having a hard time being back here,” he says. “There are so many memories—mostly bad, but some good ones. It’s hard to imagine this is how my family ended up.”
If anyone can empathize with that, it’s me. My entire life has been a lie, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t good times. It just means those memories are now tainted. I scoot toward him on the bed, resting against the headboard and leaning against him. He wraps an arm around me and pulls me closer.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I whisper.
