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He would kill me now. How could he not, after the way I’d disrespected him?

How could you have been so stupid, Cali?

“What was your plan, hm?” he said, his voice low and humorless. “Antagonize your king, defeat us in battle, and … what? Live happily ever after?” He laughed. “Pathetic little girl … you should have just obeyed.”

“Beric,” I tried to call, my voice cracking, no more than a sob.

“Beric can’t protect you from us,” he said, his voice dark. “Kneel.”

I shuddered at the command.

Even facing away from him, I could hear the pure hate in his voice. He hadn’t liked me from the beginning, but now any progress I’d made in his favor was lost.

So, to stay his hand—for what else could I do, with my magic drained so?—I lowered myself to my knees.

“Ah, look at that,” he said, “you can obey orders.”

My heart pounded. I would have to use my magic, whatever little I had left. It was better than kneeling here, useless. I couldn’t kill him, but maybe it would be enough to escape. And if I used magic now, it would invite him to use his, and then at least if I died it would be quick. I would rather die fighting than let him kill me in whatever evil way he had planned.

But I only managed the smallest sound before the king struck me in the face, cutting off my magic. My head spun, my heart panicking as I felt the king pin me. I lay on my stomach, panting, useless, my cheek throbbing, the taste of my own blood on my tongue. My chest burned with pent-up sobs, the side of my face pressed into the cold stone as he crouched beside me, the threat of his hand still at my neck.

“Vi used to challenge us in this same way, at the beginning. But she learned, and you will too.” He moved a wayward braid away from my face, a gesture of power disguised as comfort that made me sick with fear. He no longer gripped me. He knew there was no more need. “You’re still young and stupid, so we’ll be patient with you. Go resurrect Kat and bring her back here within the hour. Fail to do so, and … well, we haven’t killed anyone with our bare hands in quite some time. And there are plenty of uninterrupted hours before sunrise to enjoy it.”

I was too terrified to move, waiting for him to excuse me. When he did, I would go find Beric, and together we would fix this. For now, I had to do as every knight before me had, as I was told until the time was right.

I hated this. I hated him.

“Come, Muse,” he said, holding his hand out to me.

He expected me to take it. To act graciously, as if every one of his actions was a favor to me.

Find Beric. Don’t rebel now. Just find help.

I accepted his assisting hand, not even having to pretend not to look at him out of reverence as he pulled me to my feet.

“You look rather a mess, don’t you,” he said. He adjusted my hair, pulling the sleeve of my dressing gown back onto my shoulder, as if he hadn’t been the one to put them into disarray. My body shivered as if touched by death. “Take our secret passage, through that door in the corner. To the bottom of the stairs. Follow the path all the way to the end, and up another set of stairs. They’ll lead you into one of the back rooms of the abbey. Ask a priest where they’re keeping Kat, and they’ll escort you.”

“Yes, sire,” I said, quietly, keeping my gaze from his.

I winced, nervous he might strike me again, only to feel him wipe blood from the corner of my mouth with his thumb.

“Good girl,” he said, as if I were a dog. He nodded toward the corner of the room. “Go on.”

I curtsied and rushed off, too frightened to even feel angry as he called, “Ask Faline to help you work on that,” for my bad form.

It wasn’t until I made it to the bottom of the stairs that I allowed myself to give in to my tears. I held the wall, fighting to catch my breath. I didn’t have time to cry. I had an hour to find Beric or Eliza—I wasn’t picky at this point, I just needed someone smarter than me who could help me get out of this mess. There was no bringing Kat back, that much was obvious. And if the end of the hour arrived, and I had no solution, I shuddered to think what would happen.

The underground tunnel was lit by occasional torches. Pyromancy, surely, long-burning flames. Unless the king simply liked lighting lanterns for fun.

No. The king did nothing for fun except kill.

I was halfway through the tunnel before realizing I was only in my chemise and dressing gown, but that was the least of my worries. I was almost to the stairs when I realized that I couldn’t come back to the palace on the main path once I left this tunnel—the king would be able to see me from his window.

God please, I prayed. Please let someone in this abbey be able to help me.

I exited into a dark room. I hugged my arms against the chill of night and stone as I made my way out toward the sanctuary.

And, immediately, my prayer was answered.