“Do not tell the queen your intentions. If she is under the influence of the curse, she will protect the throne at all costs. Your best chance is to ingratiate yourself with her and the Fireblood masters. If they see you as some sort of hero for destroying the frost throne, you might be welcomed.”
I noticed a thin coating of frost covering the monk’s chair, a sign he was losing control of his gift and more anxious than he let on. And no wonder. There were so many hopeful assumptions in our plan. And so much on my shoulders. It was dizzying. For a minute I just gripped my hands together and breathed deeply until I regained my composure.
“So if you think about it,” I said, “not only will I be searching for the book, I’ll be trying to mend ties between our kingdoms, which is just what Arcus wants. In that light, I could be called a sort of unofficial ambassador on behalf of the Frostbloods.” I caught his eye and we both smiled at the irony, though his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Really, Brother Thistle, who would have thought?”
“As much as I cringe to think of sending you on a mission of diplomacy,” he said, “you are our best hope for peace. And our only hope for destroying the Minax.”
We discussed the plan until my eyes grew heavy, and Brother Thistle left. Arcus’s bed was so large that I was able to curl up at the foot quite comfortably. Exhaustion took over and I drifted off immediately, opening my eyes only when I heard Arcus asking for water. Dawn seeped through the crack between the curtains, laying a yellow stripe across the floor. I hopped from the bed, shivering in the morning chill. I poured water from a crystal pitcher and held the cup to Arcus’s blue-tinged lips.
He struggled to lift his head. I slid one hand behind to help him, my heart contracting at the sign of weakness. Even in the battle for the throne, he hadn’t been hurt like this.
He took a sip and nodded, settling against the pillow as I put the glass back on the table.
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” he said, his voice rough from sleep.
I smiled, light-headed with relief that he was awake and lucid. “At your service.”
“I need to be ill more often,” he said. “My own personal—”
“If you say ‘servant,’ I’m leaving.” The truth was, he could say whatever he wanted and I wasn’t going anywhere. I would savor these last few moments with him.
One eyebrow rose. “I was going to say ‘healer.’”
“Ah.” I smoothed my fingertips over his forehead and he closed his eyes with a sigh. “That’s acceptable. Although I have no idea what to do other than keep you in bed.”
A mischievous grin spread across his face.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “And don’t say anything about how I’m to keep you in bed. You already embarrassed me in front of Lord Manus. I’ve never seen a Frostblood blush so much.”
He huffed a small laugh. “I’m sorry I don’t remember it, then.” He glanced around. “Was Brother Thistle here last night? I have a vague memory of hearing your voices.”
A pulse of alarm jolted through me. How much did he hear?
“We were discussing who could be behind the attack. What to do next.”
His eyes fluttered closed. “And? What did you come up with?”
“Nothing definite as yet.” I hated to lie to him. It was harder than I thought it would be. I continued stroking his forehead, then trailed the back of my hand against his cheek.
“Ouch.” His hand came up to grab mine. I blinked in surprise to see the ring Kai had given me on my finger. I’d forgotten all about it.
“Where did you get that?” he asked. “This filigree is so intricate. It reminds me…” His brows pulled together. “It reminds me of a ring that has been passed down in my family. It was from Sudesia. But it has a sapphire. And thicker here.”
“Oh?” I didn’t know what else to say. If I told him about the ring, I’d have to tell him everything.
“Ruby.” His voice was hard. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“You’ve been keeping things from me, too,” I countered quickly, pulling my hand from his. “The Minax? The murders?”
A flicker of guilt passed over his expression. “That’s different. I was trying to protect you.”
“Well, so am I.”
His glance fell back to my hand. “Where did you get the ring?”
I sighed, resigned. “From the southern dignitary.” I paused. “Only he wasn’t who he claimed to be. As it turned out, he was a Sudesian.”
His eyes pierced mine. “How the blazes did he get into the ball?”
I fiddled with the ring, watching as it caught a band of sunlight. “I don’t know. He must have had someone vouch for his false identity. Anyway, he came to the ball to… to see me.”
“To see you?” His volume rose with each word. “What for?”
I told him what Kai had said, leaving out the part about the people of the southern provinces helping him through the Frostblood blockade. If Arcus knew that, he’d be forced to deal with it.
“So this stranger claims to be a Sudesian and he’s offering you passage across the sea.” He was angry. “Why? What do they want with you?”
I shrugged. “Perhaps it’s an interest in peace, which he thinks could be achieved through someone like me negotiating. But I didn’t get to ask further questions. After the attack, he ran off.”
“Not exactly the mark of an honest man. He could have made the offer directly to me.”
“He doesn’t trust you. Surely that’s not a surprise. All the Sudesians know is what your brother has done to the Firebloods in Tempesia. And we’d just been attacked.”
“For all we know, he was in on the attack.”
I shook my head. “That makes no sense. Kai fought the attackers off with me.”
“Kai,” he spat. “You’re on a first-name basis with him?”
I stiffened. “When Drake had a knife to my throat, Kai saved my life.”
Arcus’s face lost color. “Drake had a knife to your throat?”
I pulled back the collar of my robe to uncover the tender skin Drake had scored with his blade. “I would have died if not for Kai.”
He swallowed and was silent for a minute. His expression didn’t change, but his eyes showed fury and fear as they rested on the wound. Then his nostrils flared. “You wouldn’t have been out there in the first place if not for him. What was he planning? To kidnap you? Who knows what would have happened if—”
“If those handy Frostblood assassins hadn’t come along? Are you even hearing yourself? This could be the only way to repair ties with the southern provinces and find a way to destroy the Minax. Which, in case you’ve forgotten, is turning people into murderers. What if it’s planning to come back for me as it promised?” I gestured to my heart-shaped scar. “What if the visions, which are only getting worse, are a precursor to possession? What if I become the next murderer? I can’t just sit around waiting and wondering, not if I can do something to protect the kingdom, to protect you.” I was half-breathless after rushing to say my piece. I took a steadying breath. “Brother Thistle knows of a book—”
He waved a hand. “I know about his blasted book. Don’t you think I’ve been searching for it, too?”
“Then you know how important it is. Perhaps, if I can somehow learn how to bring the fire Minax back to Tempesia, we can find a way to destroy both creatures at once! So, fine, I’ll admit that we don’t know much about Kai. But considering what’s at stake, and what we stand to gain, it’s worth the risk.”
“‘Worth the risk.’ As if it takes much of anything for you to put yourself in danger.”
“It’s not safe here, either.”
“It will be,” he swore. “I almost lost you! I’ll be a damn sight more careful whom I trust now. And by the way, the Blue Legion, or whatever they call themselves, tried to kill me, too. Are you suggesting I also run to Sudesia?”
“You’re so infuriating! Think, Arcus. Why do these nobles want to kill you?”
“Because I’m making changes. Because they’ll lose the land my brother gave them. And because they want to hold on to old prejudices and hatred.”