Eliana watched him approach, saw him glance at the knives she had strapped to her body. His gaze hardened; his smile remained.

“Poor lambs.” His gun still pointed at Eliana’s chest, he brushed a lock of matted hair out of her eyes and clucked his tongue. “So lost, so young.”

A shift in the darkness behind him was Eliana’s cue. She lowered her eyes to the ground, nodded forlornly.

“We didn’t mean to do wrong,” she whispered—and then heard the familiar sound of Arabeth finding a home in someone’s heart.

She looked up as the Fidelia soldier grunted, gaped down at Arabeth’s jagged blade protruding from his chest, coughed up a pool of dark blood.

Behind him stood the Wolf, mask in place.

Eliana’s exhausted body nearly buckled with relief. Despite everything, she said, “Thank you.”

Simon wiped Arabeth clean on his cloak and handed it to her. “I’ll trade you.”

Eliana complied, shifting Navi into Simon’s arms. They hurried together out of the yard and into the night, down a rocky slope cluttered with flat pale stones that crumbled underfoot.

“Remy?” she asked.

“Safe and hidden.” Simon’s mask glinted, moon-colored. “We’re going to him now.”

And when we get there, Eliana thought, tightening her grip on Arabeth as she ran, we will speak alone, with my blade at your throat.

41

   Rielle

“No one can be sure of Audric the Lightbringer’s last words, but in the days before the Fall, whispers traveled fast across the world. His last words, the whispers said, were for his murderer: ‘I love you, Rielle.’”

—The Last Days of the Golden King author unknown

Three days. Rielle dragged herself up to her rooms long after the sun had set. Three days until the fire trial.

And then…what?

“My lady,” chided Evyline from the door, “you really must try to get more sleep, at least until the trials are over.”

“You’re right, Evyline,” Rielle replied. “It’s only that when you’re soon to be thrown into a death pit of flames, you find yourself wanting to study your prayers as much as you can.”

“Prayers are well and good, my lady, but sleep is better. You can neither pray nor fight fire if you’re exhausted.”

Rielle, yawning, untied her braid and shook her hair free. “I’m inclined to agree. My father, however, is not.”

After checking to make sure Atheria had taken her usual nighttime post on the terrace, Rielle stumbled into her bathing rooms.

And froze, suddenly and wholly awake.

Audric sat on a settee by the far window. His hair was a mess of curls, as though he’d been running his fingers through it for hours. He stood to face her, hands clenched at his sides.

He gave her a tight smile. “Hello,” he said quietly.

Rielle stepped back into her bedroom. “Evyline,” she called over her shoulder, “I hope you don’t mind, but I wonder if you might give me some time alone.”

“My lady, it isn’t safe—”

“I’m quite safe with Atheria on my terrace.”

As if on cue, the chavaile snorted from beyond the curtains.

“Grant me this wish, would you please?”

“Just tonight,” Evyline said sternly, after a moment. “The least I can do, I suppose, after everything you’ve been through.”

“That’s right.” Rielle ushered her out as kindly as she could manage. “Good night, Evyline, and thank you for your vigilance.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Rielle shut the door, locked it, took a breath to brace herself. When she turned around, Audric was standing in the middle of the room, looking rather abashed.

“I’m sorry for sneaking in,” he said, “but I wanted to see you. I won’t make a habit of it, I promise.”

“Maybe you should,” Rielle teased—but her voice came out shaky.

Audric’s dark gaze searched her own, then fell to the floor.

A flurry of nerves danced up her breastbone. “Did you want to talk to me about something?”

“Yes, it’s—” Now his voice was the unsteady one. He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid, though, that I shouldn’t. That I’m a fool for coming here tonight.”

“You know you can tell me anything.”

“I know.”

“Then talk to me.” She reached for him. “What is it?”

He brought her hand to his lips. “Rielle,” he whispered against her skin, “Rielle, Rielle…”

“You’re frightening me. Say something other than my name. Say something real.”

“Something real.” He laughed a little and stepped away from her. “It’s just…”

When he fell silent again, Rielle thought she might scream. “Audric, if you don’t start talking this instant—”

“You understand what all of this means, don’t you?” He gestured at the castle around them. “I will be king someday, and you will be the Sun Queen.”

“Well, not if the fire trial—”

“Oh, Rielle. You’ll conquer that trial as you have all the others. You’ll be glorious, and then…” He dragged a hand through his hair, turned away, then back to her. “Then you will serve me, and if I have to send you into battle to save the kingdom, I will do it. That is the Sun Queen’s foretold purpose: to defend and protect. And I cannot stray from that simply because I love you.”

His voice caught on the last words.

Rielle approached slowly, her heart pounding. She touched his arm, and when he looked down at her, his eyes warm and troubled, she cradled his cheek in her hand.

He leaned in to her touch, cupped her hand in his, and kissed her palm. “I know I shouldn’t touch you,” he said, his voice rough. “We decided it. We had good reasons. But, God help me, I’ve been able to think of little else since that day in the gardens.”

Rielle moved closer to him, drawing his hand down to her waist. “Remember, Ludivine doesn’t care. She wants us to.”

“It’s not Lu or her family. Not anymore. Now I’m wondering…” He leaned his forehead against hers, closed his eyes. “If only I could stop loving you.”

“What are you saying?”