With some reluctance, they closed the door.
“What do you want?” I said warily.
Narcissa stood for a few moments without saying a word. She didn’t seem surprised at my presence.
“If you mean to scare us you are doing a very poor job,” Ash said dryly. He too had wrapped the rope around his hands. His back was stiff against the bedpost.
Narcissa ignored him. “How dare you do this to me?” she said in a wavering voice. She paced the length of the room, an object in her hand. She was gripping it so tightly her knuckles were as white as bone. “How dare you push me to my limits?”
My blood turned to ice when I realized it was a dagger. I looked to Ash. He had noticed too, his face pale.
“Narcissa, calm down,” I said, inching away from her. She was still pacing, her steps agitated like a caged beast’s.
“All my life I’ve followed my mother’s orders without question, and this is where my craving for approval leads me.” Narcissa barked a mirthless laugh and unsheathed the dagger. It was wickedly sharp, nearly as long as her forearm. She turned to us.
Ash placed himself in front of me. “Rethink this, Narcissa,” he said. “Please.” Though his voice was level, I detected a hint of panic.
His plead was ignored. Narcissa stared down at him icily. “Turn around.”
Ash set his jaw. “Leave Amarante alone.”
I groaned in frustration. This was no time for silly heroics. Discarding the rope, I stood and faced Narcissa. “You’re not a murderer, Narcissa.”
She sheathed the dagger. “What did you think I was going to do?” she asked with a scowl. “I’m here to release you.”
“What?” Ash said, flabbergasted. “Why?”
Narcissa scoffed. “So this is your opinion of me?”
“You haven’t done anything to change it,” Ash retorted.
I recalled Captain Greenwood’s description of his daughter and the hesitancy in Narcissa’s manner during her conversation with the duchess. Hope blossomed in my chest.
“Are you saying you want to help us?” I said.
I must’ve chosen my words poorly, for the look Narcissa gave me was withering. “I never said that. I will merely set you free with the possibility of you thwarting my mother’s plans tomorrow night.”
“Perhaps you could increase that possibility by letting us know her plans,” Ash said.
Her lips twisted. “Didn’t you eavesdrop on us earlier?”
“Only bits and pieces.”
Narcissa clenched her teeth. I was afraid she would decide to use her dagger in a different manner after all. “After the Masquerade Ball, the crown prince will choose me as a possible bride. I am to kill him after we are married. Mother will finish off the queen shortly after I’m chosen.”
Ash clenched his fists. I cut in before he said something rash and ruined our chances of getting Narcissa’s help.
“Then we’ll make sure you won’t get chosen,” I said. “We’ll interrupt the ball before the Choosing Ceremony.”
“How will you do that?”
I exchanged a look with Ash. “That’s for us to know and you to find out,” I said, deciding it was better to keep the details to myself. “We only need one thing from you. The duchess’s locket.”
Narcissa bit her lip and then nodded. “I’ll bring it to you at the masquerade.”
“Can we leave now?” Elowyn’s disembodied voice said. I jumped. I had nearly forgotten her presence.
Narcissa looked around the room warily. “Who was that?”
