Chapter Nine
“Wake up, Kiva. We need to go.”
A hand was shaking Kiva, and she roused slowly, her mind fuzzy. It took her a moment to remember why she was lying on her stomach, why she’d even fallen asleep to begin with — no, not asleep. She’d been knocked unconscious by Brynn, the elemental anomaly who had not just earth magic, but air magic as well.
Brynn, who was now standing over Kiva, her hands raised in apology.
“I can explain.”
Kiva didn’t give her the chance. Heedless to her wounds, she rolled off the bed and tackled the maid to the floor. Moonlight was leaking in from the open curtains, indicating that she’d slept for almost the entire day. Brynn had stolen a massive chunk of what little time Kiva had to escape Blackmount. Her wedding was tomorrow. She needed to leave right now.
And as much as she liked the maid — poisoning and forced sleep aside — she couldn’t allow Brynn to keep her from her freedom.
“What — are — you — doing?” the maid grunted as Kiva used her own body weight to keep her pressed to the carpet. She was grateful the milkmist was still numbing her shoulder, but she would have preferred the excruciating pain to having lost the last few hours.
Kiva didn’t answer, busy searching for something she could use to knock Brynn out. But the maid quickly flipped them over, the move effortless enough to stun Kiva, before she began to wrestle anew.
“Would you stop,” Brynn said, exasperated. “You’ll aggravate your wounds.”
Kiva didn’t care. She struggled even more violently, and Brynn, seeing the damage it was causing, let her go and jumped to her feet. Kiva did the same — and then launched herself straight at the maid again.
In a second effortless movement, Brynn shifted her body to the side and grabbed Kiva’s good arm, tugging her off balance and spinning her around.
The next thing Kiva knew, both her hands were trapped behind her back,
the maid standing behind her and ordering, “Kiva, stop it. I’m trying to help
you.”
“Let me go, Brynn!”
“My name isn’t Brynn — it’s Ashlyn. And if you want any chance of escaping tonight, you need to listen to me.”
Kiva stilled — not just at the maid’s words or her sudden lack of Mirravish accent, but at her name. “Ashlyn?” she croaked in disbelief. “As in, Ashlyn Vallen —”
“Shhhh!” the maid — who was definitely not a maid — hissed. “Do you want to get us both killed?”
The next second, Kiva’s hands were released, and she turned around slowly to look at the young woman standing before her — the general of Evalon’s armies. Her hair was so much fairer than the gold of her brother, and her eyes so much paler than his cobalt blue, but now that Kiva knew to look for it, there was the slightest hint of Caldon in her features, and especially in the way she stood, tall and proud and utterly in control of her own body.
“What are you doing here?” Kiva breathed. “Why are you a maid?”
“We need to leave while we still can,” Ashlyn said, striding over to a chair and collecting a wad of dark material, thrusting it into Kiva’s hands.
“Put this on while I give you some quick answers, and then we need to move.”
Kiva looked down to find herself holding a maid’s outfit identical to what Ashlyn wore: a black dress that laced up at the chest, paired with a blood-red apron. At Ashlyn’s urging, she began to take off her gown and replace it with the new clothes, all while the princess spoke.
“I’ve been here for three months, spying on Navok,” Ashlyn explained, tying the apron around Kiva’s waist. “I was planning to leave a few weeks ago, as soon as word reached me about what happened with your sister and Mirryn in Vallenia, but then I heard Navok laugh about how they’d secreted you back to Zalindov, and that he intended to retrieve you and bind you to him, and I knew I had to stay. I’ve been keeping tabs on you ever since your Trial by Ordeal — I know who you are, and I also know how much you mean to Jaren and Caldon.” She flicked the amulet now hiding beneath Kiva’s clothes, the move implicit. “They’d never forgive me if I left you to be married against your will.”
Kiva swallowed, then said, hoarsely, “I’m not sure about that. Things didn’t . . . end well. Especially with Jaren.”
Ashlyn’s lips pressed together. “I heard about that, too. And that’s something you’ll have to figure out with him. But I know my cousin, and he’d be horrified if you were forced to wed Navok. So we need to go, right now.” She indicated Kiva’s shoulder. “Does it hurt?”
“Hardly at all,” Kiva said. “The milkmist hasn’t worn off yet.”
“Good.” Ashlyn straightened Kiva’s clothes and stood back to inspect her work. “If we run into Navok, keep your head down and he won’t give you a second glance in this outfit,” she instructed, reminding Kiva of what she’d said that morning — and also revealing how she’d gone unnoticed by the Mirraven king for so long, hiding in plain sight. “But we need to avoid Sera at all costs.”
Kiva suddenly understood why Ashlyn-as-Brynn had fled to the bathing chamber when Serafine had entered the room earlier — she hadn’t been hiding in fear of the princess, but because, unlike Navok, the newly returned Sera would have cared enough to look at Ashlyn, and therefore, would have easily recognized her.
“I’ve pulled some favors, and I have a way for us to get out of the castle, but after that, we’re on our own,” the princess went on. “There are supplies waiting for us in the city, but once we’ve collected them, we’ll have to steal some horses and put as much distance between us and Zadria as possible before Navok realizes you’re gone. It’s going to be a long night — do you think you can manage?”
Kiva nodded slowly, her mind whirling. “If you were here to spy, don’t you need to stay?” she asked. “I should be able to make it on my own once you help me out of the castle.”
Now that she knew who Ashlyn was, and that the other girl had a verifiable escape plan, Kiva much preferred the idea of remaining in her company. But not at the risk of damaging the princess’s chances of gathering whatever information she was there to steal.
Ashlyn, however, shook her head. “As I said, I was planning to leave weeks ago. It’s a good thing I didn’t, given everything I’ve heard since you arrived. But now I need to get back to Stoneforge and share what I’ve learned before it’s too late.”
That sounded concerning, but Kiva had enough to worry about without dwelling on why Ashlyn needed to get to Evalon’s northernmost military
base, so she repressed her fears and followed the princess to the door.
“Remember, don’t make eye contact with anyone,” Ashlyn said. “And stay close.”
It was only as they stepped into the hallway that Kiva remembered there was still one more thing she needed to do that day. She swore loud enough for Ashlyn to whip around, ready to berate her, but Kiva got in first and said, “We need to go to the dungeons. There’s someone I have to speak with before I can leave.”
Unsurprisingly, Ashlyn wasn’t pleased to hear about Galdric, nor was she pleased to discover that a high-priority prisoner had been residing at Blackmount without her knowledge. But she agreed that the information Galdric had regarding Tilda and the rebels was worth the risk of venturing beneath the castle. She, however, decided that they wouldn’t just be speaking with Galdric — they’d be taking him with them.
Kiva was unsure how they would free him from his cell while avoiding the notice of the Gray Guards, but she cast aside her worries and followed Ashlyn along the black-and-red hallways. Even though they were moving swiftly, none of the servants or guards gave them a second glance, offering proof that their outfits made them all but invisible.
Finally, they reached the entrance to the dungeons, the air growing chilly and damp as they headed deeper beneath the castle.
Ashlyn’s steps slowed as she took in the numerous labyrinthine pathways. “Which way?” she whispered.
When Kiva pointed left and started leading in that direction, the princess held her back and said, “Me first.”
Her reasoning became clear when they turned the next corner and found a trio of Gray Guards walking toward them, all visibly jolting as they saw two maids wandering in a place they had no excuse to be.
Kiva was about to offer a quick lie about being lost, but before she could, all three men cried out and clutched their heads, then dropped to the ground, unconscious.
When Kiva turned woodenly to Ashlyn, the other girl just shrugged and said, “Pressurized air straight into their eardrums. They’ll be out for a while.”
Kiva winced, having felt a similar magical attack from Mirryn the night of the masquerade. She almost pitied the guards, before realizing they
would have done something much worse to her and Ashlyn.
“We need to hurry,” the princess urged.
They continued through the maze of corridors, with Kiva straining her memory for the right pathways. Finally, she was able to say, “It’s just beyond the next bend.”
No sooner had the words left her than two guards appeared from around the corner, so close that they almost collided with each other.
Ashlyn didn’t hesitate to launch herself at them, attacking not with her magic this time, but with her fists and feet, until both were on the ground, as unconscious as the first three.
It happened so fast that Kiva was left gaping.
“Never waste magic when mundane methods work just as well,” Ashlyn said, barely even panting.
Kiva nodded mutely, before pointing a finger further down the darkened stone corridor. “That one. At the end.”
They hurried over and found Galdric already on his feet, having heard the scuffle with the guards even if the angle of his cell meant he wouldn’t have been able to see anything. His brown eyes widened comically when he saw Kiva approach, and they rounded even more when he noticed Ashlyn.
“Your Highness,” he rasped, bending at the waist.
Ashlyn snorted. “Please. We both know there’s only one person here who you want to bow to.”
Kiva shifted uncomfortably, having forgotten that, as the ex-leader of the rebels, Galdric had been determined to see a Corentine on Evalon’s throne.
“But we can discuss that later,” Ashlyn continued, before adding in a hard voice, “at length.”
Galdric’s weathered features were solemn and, if anything, accepting of his fate.
“Now, step back,” Ashlyn ordered. “And be ready to run.”
Kiva wasn’t sure if Galdric would be capable of running. Physically, he appeared fit, and despite the gray streaks in his hair and beard, he was only in his mid to late forties, but he’d also been imprisoned for half a year. On top of that, his face was still bruised enough that Kiva had to repress her instinct to try and heal him, aware that if she managed to summon her magic — something she wasn’t confident about, given the events of that morning — then it would light the dungeons like a beacon.
Noting her concern, Galdric backed away from the iron bars on steady feet, quietly assuring her, “I’ll be fine.”
Ashlyn ignored their exchange and said, “You too,” to Kiva, who hesitated only a second before taking three large steps backwards.
The princess then waved a hand at the bars, prompting them to shake and buckle, whether from her earth or wind magic, Kiva didn’t know. A gods-awful screeching sound echoed down the stone corridor, but the iron finally shifted to the side, creating a gap large enough for Galdric to squeeze through.
“We’d better hope there are no more guards down here, or they will have heard that,” Ashlyn murmured, rubbing her ears. She turned fierce eyes on Galdric and said, “Injured or not, if you can’t keep up, we’ll leave you behind. And if you try anything — and I mean anything — I’ll rip all the air from your lungs and bury you so far beneath the earth that you’ll wish you’d remained in that cell. Understood?”
Galdric nodded, his expression just as solemn as before. Kiva didn’t offer him any reassurance — she still wasn’t sure where she stood with the man who had been her mother’s closest adviser, and she wouldn’t know until they had a chance to talk. For now, they needed to prioritize escaping.
Their return trip out of the dungeons was quick and quiet, with Kiva breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the opulent black-and-red décor peeking over the top of the final stone staircase. But then Ashlyn came to a jarring stop halfway up the stairs, a hissed curse leaving her mouth. Kiva
looked past her to see — No, she gasped inwardly.
At the top of the staircase stood at least a dozen Gray Guards, and at their center was the smirking King Navok.
“Nice try,” he said. “But if you think I didn’t expect something like this —”
He broke off when his gaze moved from Kiva to Ashlyn. His expression turned disbelieving, then furious, as he realized what it meant that Evalon’s general was there, dressed as she was.
“Get us outside,” Galdric whispered to Ashlyn. “Once we’re out in the open, I’ll be able to —”
He didn’t finish before Navok barked, “Xuru!”
The dark-eyed man stepped into view, flames coming alive at his fingertips.
“RUN!” Ashlyn yelled, shoving Kiva forward just as a fireball soared toward them. A wave of the princess’s hand forced it to slam harmlessly into the obsidian wall, and another wave threw Navok, Xuru, and all the guards backwards off their feet, opening a space for Kiva, Galdric, and Ashlyn to sprint through.
“I can’t take on all of Navok’s guards if he summons the entire Blackmount garrison — and he will,” the princess warned as they bolted along the hallway toward the castle entrance. “My magic has its limits.”
“We just need to get outside,” Galdric said again. He was panting loudly and turning pale beneath his bruises, but he still kept up with them step for
step. “Then I can —”
“STOP!” came Navok’s shout.
Another fireball soared over them, narrowly missing Galdric’s head.
“Ashlyn,” Kiva hissed. “Too close.”
The princess flung her hand blindly backwards, and the floor behind them made a cracking sound as it opened up, forming a crevice in the middle of the hallway.
“I can’t do much else, or I’ll bring the castle down on us,” Ashlyn said, breathing heavier now that her magic was sapping her strength.
“We’re nearly there,” Galdric said, pointing to a familiar set of large doors up ahead. Beside them stood two pairs of Gray Guards who came to attention at the sight of them hurtling down the corridor, but another flick of Ashlyn’s wrist tossed all four of them a substantial distance down the opposite hallway.
“So much for sneaking out without Navok noticing,” the princess complained. “Just pray that he doesn’t lock down the city before we can make it through the outer wall.”
“Where do you intend to take us?” Galdric asked urgently as they ran through the front doors and out into the brisk night air. “When we reach Evalon, where would you have us go? Raven’s Watch? Highworth Keep?”
“Stoneforge,” Ashlyn answered shortly, leading the way across the castle courtyard in the direction of the drawbridge, not bothering with stealth, since there was no longer any point. “It’s closest, and no one would dare follow us all the way there. If we ride hard, we can make it in under a
week.”
“We won’t need —”
“Enough!” came Navok’s voice from behind them, cutting Galdric off.
His command brought all three of them to a halt in the middle of the courtyard. But it wasn’t his word that had stopped them; it was what they saw standing in their path.
“Look around,” the king said needlessly, since it was impossible to miss the rows and rows of Gray Guards between them and Blackmount’s first iron gate. “You’re surrounded. And before you think of doing something foolish, dear Ashlyn, you should know that Xuru isn’t the only anomaly I have under my command. Be very careful what you do next.”
Despite Navok’s warning, Kiva was just about to tell the princess to use her magic in any way she could. But Galdric spoke first.
“Quick, take my hands,” he ordered, thrusting his palms out for them.
“Why —” Kiva started.
“Just do it,” he urged, but then he took the choice from them, reaching for both Kiva and Ashlyn, his grip like steel. “Now take a deep breath — and try not to throw up.”
Kiva wanted to ask what the hell he was talking about, but then she locked eyes with Ashlyn, and that was when she felt it.
Wind.
So much wind, manifesting out of nowhere, slamming into her hard enough to steal the breath from her lungs. But that wasn’t all it did, because suddenly, her feet were no longer on the ground as a vortex of air twisted her violently around and then swept her up into the night’s sky.
A scream left Kiva but then she shut her mouth as she spun around like a human tornado. She felt Galdric’s tight grip anchoring her to him and had a moment to marvel that he was somehow doing this, but her wonder paled in comparison to the stomach-churning queasiness she felt as she continued to spin, spin, spin.
She could see nothing but the smeared inkiness of the night as the wind continued to pummel her, the air bitterly cold, the force of it enough to make her feel as if she were being bruised all over.
Then, after seconds that felt like hours, it finally stopped, leaving Kiva on solid ground once more. Her head was so dizzy that she fell straight to her knees, and while she was vaguely aware that they were now in a moonlit clearing with the faint lights of a village in the distance, that was all she noted before she had to slam her eyes shut against her nausea.
Ashlyn moaned from somewhere to her left. “What in the name of the gods was that?”
Galdric collapsed before he could answer.
Kiva reopened her eyes at the thud of him hitting the earth and pushed through the last of her dizziness. “Galdric?”
Ashlyn’s vomiting was the only response Kiva received, so she crawled unsteadily over to the ex-rebel leader to check his pulse.
“Ugh,” Ashlyn mumbled once her retching ended. But then, louder, she asked, “Is he dead?”
There was a strong heartbeat beneath Kiva’s fingers, so she answered, “I think he just fainted.”
“I’m not surprised,” Ashlyn said, standing shakily. “I’ve never seen wind magic used like that. I didn’t even know it could do that.” She squinted toward the village, trying to get her bearings. “He must have transported us at least —” She broke off with a gasp.
“What?” Kiva asked, seeing her shocked expression.
“I know this place,” Ashlyn said with disbelief. “That’s Sudbury.
Stoneforge is barely two miles from here.” She stared at Galdric’s prone body. “That must have been why he asked where I was planning to take us — so he could bring us here himself.”
Kiva gaped into the darkness. “Are you saying — are we back in Evalon?”
Ashlyn nodded, the moonlight dusting her features silver. “I wouldn’t believe what just happened if I hadn’t experienced it myself.” There was a dazed look on her face, but she shook it off and moved back to where Kiva knelt beside Galdric. “Don’t try to heal him — we don’t want to draw attention,” she said, not that Kiva needed the warning. “He’s too heavy for us to carry him all the way to the base, but there’s an inn at the edge of the village.” She took hold of his shoulders. “The innkeeper is trustworthy — we can leave him with her until I can send someone to collect him.” She jerked her chin toward Galdric’s feet. “Anytime you’re ready.”
Kiva stood and grabbed Galdric’s legs, taking half his weight with a grunt. She and Ashlyn then crab-walked the ex-rebel leader toward the village. It was a relief to find that the princess hadn’t exaggerated the distance — the inn was one of the first establishments once they entered Sudbury.
The innkeeper recognized Ashlyn immediately, and while the short- haired woman did raise a questioning eyebrow at their maids’ outfits, she was quick to lead them upstairs and into a free room, promising not to let Galdric leave if he woke. She locked him in for good measure, with Ashlyn assuring her that he’d be retrieved within the hour.
It was only when Kiva and Ashlyn stepped back out into the balmy night air — the summer temperature much warmer than it had been in Mirraven — that Kiva became uncertain about her next steps. Ever since Cresta had helped her regain her fighting spirit in Zalindov, she’d been desperate to reunite with her friends and brother, and now that she was free of Navok and back in Evalon, she could finally do that.
Only . . . she had no idea where they were. Had Jaren, Caldon, and Naari remained in Vallenia, hiding out in the city? Was Torell still loyal to Zuleeka and working by her side? Had Tipp escaped Rhessinda and the rebels and found a way to safety?
The only thing Kiva knew was that she couldn’t linger at Stoneforge.
She would wait until she could speak with Galdric, and then she would leave him to Ashlyn and start the long journey south. If her geography was correct, Stoneforge was half a day’s ride from Lamont, nestled in the foothills of the Tanestra Mountains. Vallenia was hundreds of miles away, but if Kiva was to find her friends and Torell, the capital was where she would have to begin.
“You’re very quiet,” Ashlyn noted as they walked along the moonlit path, the village now far behind them and new lights shining up ahead, indicating they were approaching their destination.
“Just thinking,” Kiva said, suddenly unsure where she stood with the princess. Ashlyn was a Vallentis — and a general. Would she even allow Kiva to leave, or was she just a different kind of prisoner now?
“About?” Ashlyn pressed.
Kiva weighed her response, before asking, “Why did you help me escape? You know who my family is, and what my sister did. You said Jaren and Caldon wouldn’t have wanted me forced into marriage, but . . .
I’m not so sure they would have cared, given everything that happened.”
She ignored her heartache to continue, “I don’t understand why you didn’t just leave me to my fate.”
Ashlyn didn’t answer straightaway, the sounds of crickets all Kiva could hear as they walked along the dark road, until the princess finally said, “I
already told you I was ready to leave Blackmount when I learned you were being retrieved from Zalindov. I stayed because I wanted to find out more about Navok’s plans for you, and I’ll admit, I was curious, too. I’d heard about your connection with my family and how much they cared for you, but after your deceit was revealed, I assumed you’d conned your way into their hearts and felt nothing for them. I was prepared to hate you — and I was also prepared to leave you in Zadria if my assumptions about you proved true.” She turned to look Kiva in the eye. “But instead, you surprised me. One of the first things you did was vilify your own ancestor and then denounce your sister — all while you defended my family.
Everything you felt was written all over your face, confirming where your loyalties lay. Seeing that, I knew I couldn’t leave you there.”
Irrationally, Kiva’s eyes burned. “Thank you,” she croaked out. “I would have had a lot more trouble escaping without you.”
Ashlyn snorted. “Without me, you’d be trying on your wedding gown right now.”
Kiva shuddered, then made herself ask, “Navok freed me from Zalindov, you freed me from Navok . . . so where does that leave me now?”
Ashlyn kicked a rock out of their path. “Let’s wait and see what we’re about to walk into before figuring out what comes next — for both of us.”
Brow furrowing, Kiva looked toward the lights that were growing closer. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a Vallentis,” Ashlyn stated. “That means I’m technically an enemy of the kingdom. I’ve heard rumors that Zuleeka has been having trouble gaining the allegiance of Evalon’s armies — my armies — but communication was sparse while I was in Zadria, so that could have changed. I have no idea what kind of reception we might face once we reach Stoneforge, and whether my own soldiers will turn against me.”
Kiva stumbled and choked out, “Then why are we heading there?”
“Because I’m hoping — and assuming — they’re still loyal,” Ashlyn said. There was a thread of worry in her voice, but it vanished when she continued, “And if not, they still need to hear what I learned in Mirraven.
You can turn back if you want, but I have to see this through.”
You can turn back if you want . . .
A weight lifted from Kiva as she realized Ashlyn had no intention of keeping her as a prisoner. She truly was free now, and for the first time in a long time, that meant she could choose her own path.
“I’m not leaving you,” Kiva said. She would eventually have to if she wanted to find her friends and her brother. But not yet. “We’re in this together.”
Ashlyn sent her a small smile, but then she bit her lip and glanced away, a strange look coming over her face.
“What?” Kiva asked, troubled by her expression.
Haltingly, Ashlyn asked, “I know it’s been a few months, but when you last saw my brother . . . how was he?”
Kiva blinked. Of everything Ashlyn could have asked — anything about Kiva’s family, Zuleeka, the rebels, even her Corentine magic — that was not what she’d expected. But then she remembered that Caldon had avoided his sister for the last three years, ever since their parents had died in a shipwreck. The look on Ashlyn’s face told Kiva that their estrangement was purely one-sided.
“He was . . .” Kiva trailed off, unsure how to describe all that was Caldon.
Ashlyn sighed and picked up her pace, a glimpse of a barrier fence now visible between the trees. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s just . . .” Kiva tried again. “I mean . . .” She released a frustrated breath, and admitted, “I don’t know how to answer. Caldon is one of the best people I know, but he also drives me crazy. Despite that, he managed to make me love him as if he’s my own brother. I’ve never —”
Kiva had to clear the emotion from her throat. “I’ve never met anyone more loyal. To me, and to others.”
There was a heavy silence, before Ashlyn whispered, “I miss him.”
Kiva felt the misery in those three words enough that she reached out to squeeze the princess’s shoulder, but the move tugged at her burn, making her realize that the milkmist had finally worn off. Even so, the pain was nothing compared to earlier, and she pushed her collar aside only to see that the wound had already scabbed over and was half healed.
A shocked sound left Kiva, and she halted on the path, trying to get a better look.
Ashlyn hummed with satisfaction. “Poisonous or not, Serpent’s Kiss works wonders.”
“That’s what it does?” Kiva asked, incredulous.
“If it doesn’t kill you,” Ashlyn confirmed, nudging Kiva forward again.
“It’s not usually worth the risk, but I thought we had a week’s worth of hard
travel ahead, and I feared your injury would slow us down. Drastic measures, and all that.”
Kiva shot a look at the princess. “You said it’s mostly men who it kills.”
Ashlyn shrugged. “I might have fibbed a little. It’s an equal-opportunity poison.” Her silvery eyes danced as she added, “If you’d died, at least you wouldn’t have had to marry Navok. I figured you’d be happy either way.”
Deadpan, Kiva said, “Please never try to help me again.”
The princess chuckled, the sound warm and lovely. “No promises.” Her humor faded as she jerked her chin toward an access point in the barrier fence. “Time to find out if my soldiers are still my soldiers.”
Kiva’s nerves grew now that she could see how close they were to entering the outpost, the ground before them dipping into a shallow valley that made it easier to see the tidy rows of buildings lit by elevated luminium beacons. Stoneforge wasn’t Evalon’s largest military base, despite it being responsible for monitoring the Northern Pass and watching for any suspicious border crossings. But looking at the buildings spaced out in front of her, Kiva still marveled at its size.
“That’s the command center,” Ashlyn said, pointing to a structure located in the middle of the settlement. “I know it’s late, but assuming I’m still the general and we’re not dragged away to the holding cells —”
Kiva’s stomach lurched.
“— then that’s where we’ll head once we’re inside. Captain Jenaire oversees this outpost, so hopefully we’ll find her there.”
Ashlyn’s steps didn’t falter as they approached the gap in the fence, where they were intercepted by a group of soldiers wearing black from head to toe — and enough weapons to stock an armory.
Kiva’s mouth was dry as she waited for their reaction, but her fears were quickly eased. The moment they saw Ashlyn, they straightened in surprise and crossed one arm over their chests in a respectful salute. The princess didn’t reveal her relief, but Kiva sensed the tension leaving her.
The watch guards spoke briefly with Ashlyn, offering an escort to the command center, but she assured them that was unnecessary and only requested they send someone for Galdric. Immediately, two soldiers called for horses and a cart, and set off toward Sudbury.
Only then did Ashlyn give a parting nod to the remaining guards, before leading Kiva past them into the outpost.
“I guess the rumors about Zuleeka’s lack of control were true,” the princess said quietly.
Kiva’s knees felt weak. “I’m certainly not unhappy about that.”
Ashlyn grinned her agreement.
Given the hour, most of the base was asleep, though they did pass two groups of patrolling soldiers as they ventured deeper into the grounds, all of whom stared at Ashlyn with stunned eyes before quickly giving her crossed-arm salutes. It was clear that despite the kingdom being overthrown, she still had not just their respect, but also their adoration.
Kiva was suddenly reminded of her visit to the rebel camp near Oakhollow and the reverent way the people had looked at Torell. Ashlyn’s soldiers regarded her in exactly the same manner.
“Here we are,” the princess said when they finally reached the command center. It was built out of stone and largely unappealing — much like all the other buildings in the outpost. But unlike the rest, the command center had no windows and only one entrance, cleverly designed to keep eavesdroppers from learning confidential information.
“Best if you stay quiet and let me speak,” Ashlyn warned Kiva as she opened the thick door and stepped through first. “And whatever you do,
don’t mention your name, or that you —”
The princess stopped talking.
Not just that, she also stopped walking, causing Kiva to bump into her from behind.
“Sorry,” Kiva said quickly, jumping backwards. She looked past Ashlyn into the brightly lit room, with it reminding her of the command tent in the rebel camp mixed with the Royal Council chamber beneath the River Palace — partly because of how sparse it was aside from a large meeting table, but mostly because of the many detailed maps hanging from the walls.
All of that Kiva noted only vaguely, her attention drawn to what had stolen Ashlyn’s focus.
In the middle of the room stood a young man, who had turned at their arrival. He was unknown to Kiva, his skin, hair, and eyes all dark, his physique heavily muscled, his features sharp and masculine. He held himself as one who was both confident and powerful, yet when he shifted slightly to the side, his movements were fluid and full of grace.
But Kiva only gave him a passing glance, because when he shifted, she saw what was behind him: two people gagged and bound to chairs by thick,
heavy ropes.
Two familiar people.
Torell and Cresta.
Stunned, Kiva could only stare at them, before she came to her senses and lunged forward. But Ashlyn held her back, her eyes no longer on the man in the center of the room. Instead, she was staring directly to the right of where she and Kiva stood, her body frozen.
“Ashlyn, let me —” Kiva struggled against the princess’s strong grip, but she didn’t finish before she followed Ashlyn’s gaze, and all the fight left her at once.
Because standing together in the closest corner of the room, looking as if they’d been in the middle of a hushed conversation, were two more
familiar faces.
Caldon.
And Jaren.
