“I . . . I don’t hate you.”
His dark-eyed gaze held hers. “I don’t hate you either.”
She could easily get lost in those eyes, but she couldn’t let herself. Not now. Not with so much at risk. “I need to go back, Jonas. And you need to find your friends and make sure they’re all right.”
“So he wins?” he growled. “The king spills more blood and gets exactly what he wants?”
“This time, yes.” She absently rubbed her hand, wishing she could feel her ring. It might give her the strength she needed to face what was ahead.
“And you’ll marry the prince so the King of Blood can distract the masses with a shiny ceremony. I don’t like that at all.”
Distraction. Shiny ceremony.
Cleo gripped his arm and looked up at him, his words sparking another plan in her mind like flint to a stone. “The wedding.”
“What about it?”
“The Temple of Cleiona—that’s where it will be. Father took me there as a child and let me explore to my heart’s content. I used to look up at the statue of the goddess, stunned that I was named for such an incredible, magical being. My sister and I—we played hide and seek there, just as we did at the palace. But there are even more places to hide at the temple. This could be the perfect opportunity for the rebel cause—a chance to get close to the king. Closer than anyone is able to get on a normal day. He means to use my wedding as a distraction—but he too will be distracted that day!”
Jonas didn’t speak for a long moment. “What you’re suggesting, princess . . . it could work.”
“It’ll be dangerous.”
The edge of a grin appeared on his lips. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Wait—no. No!” What a horrible suggestion she’d just made! What was she thinking? “There will be too many guards—it’s far too risky. It’s not worth it.”
“You can’t take back your words that easily. This—it’s an incredible idea. I should have thought of it myself. Of course, the wedding! The Temple of Cleiona . . . the crowds will all be outside distracting the guards. Inside . . . it’s the perfect opportunity to assassinate the king and the prince. We remove the king and his heir. We take control. Paelsia is freed from oppression. And you could have your throne back by nightfall.”
She could barely breathe.
Assassinate the king and the prince.
Well, of course, Magnus would have to die as well. He was next in line to his father’s throne. “You really think this could work?”
His grin widened. “Yes, I do.”
“You’re mad.”
“Hey, you’re the one who suggested it, your highness. Perhaps we’re both mad.” His gaze swept the length of her. “Such ruthlessness in such a petite package. Who would have guessed it?”
This was truly insane. But what other choice did they have? Sometimes to regain sanity, one must acknowledge and embrace the madness.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get my throne back,” she said.
At that moment, she meant every single word.
“Then we’re in agreement. It’s time for my rebels to make a decisive stand, even one that comes with great risk. I will be at your wedding, invitation or not. And the king and the prince will both fall beneath my blade.” He raised an eyebrow. “The only question is, can I trust you to say nothing of this plan?”
Her heart raced like a wild thing. “I swear on my father’s and sister’s souls I will say nothing.”
He nodded. “Then I suppose it’s time for you to go back to the palace.”
Silently, they left the cave and made their way through the dark forest until they came upon the guards’ camp. They had a large fire lit—the sight and scent of it noticeable even at a distance. No reason to hide from predators when these men were the worst and most dangerous this forest currently had to offer.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a hawk—was it the same one from earlier?—take perch in a nearby tree.
Jonas drew Cleo to a halt. “I still don’t like this.”
“I don’t like it much, either. But I need to go.”
When his gaze locked with hers she remembered their kiss all too clearly. Her lips still tingled from it. They stood for a moment, not speaking.
“Be ready on your wedding day,” he said. “Ten days from now everything changes forever. You understand?”
She nodded. “I understand.”
Jonas squeezed her hand and finally let her go. With a last look, she turned from him and walked confidently into the guards’ camp.
Chapter 16
QUEEN
ALTHEA
AURANOS
Just before dawn, Queen Althea left the safety of the palace to emerge into the warm night air. She wore a commoner’s cloak to hide her identity, just as she’d done a handful of times before. No one would ever guess who she really was.
The witch was also cloaked and waiting in the usual spot. Althea approached her, heart pounding.
A necessary evil. I’m only doing what I must.
Witches were said to be descendants of exiled Watchers. When these immortals entered the mortal world, they too became mortal. They were able to breed with other mortals and have offspring, some of whom could channel small amounts of magic—or so the legend went.
This witch, placed in the Limeros dungeon by a word from Sabina, the king’s former mistress, was capable of more than that. Sabina had allegedly seen her as a threat since her own magic had faded over the years.