“The gardener noticed the first failures on the eastern path,” Sasha said.
My mother nodded and started in that direction, then stopped. She looked back at me, something fragile in her expression.
“Thank you for letting me help,” she said. “I know I don’t deserve?—”
“We don’t have time for this conversation right now.” I kept my voice firm but not cruel. “After the festival is over, we’ll talk. But right now, my court needs all of us.”
She straightened, and for a moment I saw the queen she’d been. “Then let’s save it.”
We moved together through the gardens, past arriving guests who exclaimed over the decorations and pointed at the glowing flowers. My mother headed toward the eastern path, her magic already reaching out to assess the damage.
Sasha and I veered toward the hillside, where the hidden entrance waited behind the vines. The guards we’d positioned nearby remained still as statues, their illusion magic holding firm.
I stopped in front of one of them. “Whathave you seen?”
“Nothing, Sire,” he said, his lips not even appearing to move. “No one has passed.”
Was it a mistake to come here rather than remain close to the entrance to the gardens?
“If they’re down there casting the final ritual, we may be too late,” Sasha said softly.
“I don’t believe they are. Not yet.” I pushed aside the vines, revealing the wooden door. “The Grand Severance requires maximum emotional energy. They’ll wait until the festival peaks, when everyone’s gathered and the celebration reaches its height. If they’re here, they’re just weakening the foundations.”
“Then we might have time.”
“We might.”
I pulled the door open. The stone steps descended into darkness, lit only by the faint glow of our own magic.
Below, someone who’d lived among us for over a year could be preparing to destroy everything that made my court complete.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
SASHA
The stairs felt endless as we descended into darkness. Every instinct screamed that something was actively corrupting the gardens above us, draining life while guests arrived for the festival.
The roots know when poison feeds them,Savory said from where she rode on my shoulder.Listen to what grows beneath stone.
Again, I caught the faint smell of cardamon. Why?
I shook my head, not daring to speak up.
Then I heard the rustle of movement below. My heart came to a shuddering halt. Dominic paused on the stairs, and our gazes met. His hand found mine, his magic sparking against my palm. The contact steadied my racing thoughts. Someone down here was working their corruption, and we would finally catch them in the act.
“Go back?” he mouthed, nudging his chin toward the top.
He meant alone, while he faced off with whoever was down there.
I shook my head and waved for him to continue descending.
We reached the bottom and emerged into the main chamber. Magical lights floating overhead revealed exactly what I’d feared yet nothing I’d expected.
Lady Featherby stood at the workbench, surrounded by vials and dried herbs and steaming cauldrons.
Except the workbench had been moved, shifted outward to reveal a dark opening behind it that had been hidden by the personal belongings when we’d searched the chamber.
We should’ve suspected there could be another way in.
