Even after she destroyed everything I had ever known by uttering the truth of my own heritage, I had done everything I could to keep that promise.
I wasn’t Eldeira Rymes’s daughter, but Eleanor was, and she was wortheverything.
“Roburvirtus, give her strength. Vanimalis, protect her from the Taker.”
All my mother had given me to prepare was a letter and new identities, but it did little to answer the questions filling my mind upon her revelation. She’d explained who I was, who Eleanor was and the importance of keeping her safe until she was ready to take her rightful place. But I would never get to ask my parents why they took me in and why they lied about it my entire life.
Only when she is ready, Adelia, not before.
Perhaps she thought the same of me, thought I wasn’t ready to know the truth.
The realization that I had done to Eleanor exactly what my mother did to me, sank heavy and sour in my gut. Blinded by my own pain, I hadn’t wanted her to experience it, and in doing so, she would. She would feel the same deep betrayal but twice over. From our mother and fromme.
“Roburvirtus, give her strength. Vanimalis, protect her from the Taker.”
I found excuses to keep the truth from her. Claimed she shouldn’t have that burden yet since she had no choice in her fate, but all I really wanted was to save her from the painful betrayal I intricately understood. No matter my good intentions, I just endangered her further. Had she known the truth, this may have been avoided. Eleanor could be well on her way toascending the throne—not whipped and bruised with no hope of escape.
“Roburvirtus, give her strength. Vanimalis, protect her from the Taker.”
I could see now she was strong, stronger than I would ever be. She commanded me without even knowing, had garnered loyalty from those around her without even trying. Even as corded leather had struck her repeatedly, she hadn’t released a sound.
“Roburvirtus, give her strength. Vanimalis, protect her from the Taker.”
She needed to know what she could accomplish, what she was destined for. If—when—I broke free from Terym’s grasp, I would tell her everything, and I would be there to help her through it all. Even if she didn’t forgive me, I would still be there.But first, I would give her something our mother never gave me—a choice. Even if I knew what she would decide, at least it would be her decision to make.
She would accept her fate because she was selfless and caring and determined. Everything a queen needed to be.
“Roburvirtus, give her strength. Vanimalis, protect her from the Taker.”
I tugged at the binds on my wrists, which were already raw from the countless times I’d attempted it before. The vibration against my thigh offered me little comfort in my failure. Shade was tucked safely away inside the lamp in my pocket—my small knife beside it.
Neither had been taken from me, and the normally calming vibration was mocking, help just out of my reach. Terym probably knew and delighted in that knowledge. That I had the means to free myself and escape on my person but couldn’t do anything about it.
A rustle of canvas froze me in my futile attempts at escape. Squinting through the dim, I made out a figure in the entranceby the light of the setting sun. My heart raced at the intruder. It wasn’t the king; he wouldn’t skulk around as this person was. Being tied up, I could do nothing to protect myself if they had nefarious intent, if it was one of the soldiers here to take from me as Terym had.
When the figure drew closer, his bright hair became visible, and I slumped against the pole. My gaze locked onto deep-green orbs when Harkin crouched before me, a seriousness in them I had never seen before.
“My sister?” I asked, the words scraping against my raw throat.
“She’s safe,” he said, though his eyes tightened.
“Is she being healed?”
He shook his head, pulling a water canister from his pocket and unscrewing the lid. “I have to wait until nightfall to sneak a healer in. The king’s orders are difficult to circumvent.”
At least someone would see her soon. “Is she okay?” I choked on the words, knowing there was no way she could be.
“She sent me to check on you.” He didn’t answer my question, and I couldn’t stop the incredulous chuckle that escaped me. Nothing about this situation was funny. My sweet sister had sent Harkin to see if I was okay when it was her who had been whipped in front of the entire Torglea army.
I needed to get her out.
Harkin held the opening of the water canister to my lips, tipping the cool liquid into my dry mouth.
“Can I trust you?” I asked once I’d drunk my fill. He nodded once, returning the now-empty canister back into his pocket.
“Can you get Eleanor out? Hide her from Terym?” I whispered the words, careful not to be overheard by whoever could be listening outside.
“I can do my best to try, my territory is far enough away from the conflict that we are oftentimes forgotten.”
