Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns #4) - Kendare Blake Page 0,67
that help?”
“I don’t know!” Arsinoe shrugs away. “I’m just saying.”
Jules pulls her back. “I know what you’re saying.” Thoughts of Joseph still hurt. Maybe they always will, though the pain is less sharp, and it no longer keeps her from smiling. When she first arrived in Bastian City, she thought there would never be space in her for anything like that again. But there will be someday. She just does not know whether that space will be filled by Emilia or by someone new.
Before either of them can say anything more, Jules feels a tug from Camden and looks back. Emilia is up and out of the tent, and Camden is trotting toward them. The small camp is suddenly lit by a flicker of a match and then illuminated by the light of a small lantern.
“What is it?” Arsinoe asks, and scrambles up.
“Horses,” says Emilia. “Coming this way from the south.”
Arsinoe dashes off through the southern tree line before Jules can even reach for her.
“Arsinoe!” Jules hisses, and plunges in after, the light of the lantern following as Emilia and the warriors come quietly along. Mathilde catches up and falls in beside Jules, graceful as a ghost. When they hear the hoofbeats coming up the hill, Jules cannot help but hear the memory of Mathilde’s vision. They will return. But not all.
“Where are the rest of you?” Arsinoe asks as the two horses come to a stop. “Where is he?”
Two. Only two. And neither of them Billy.
“Get them down,” Emilia orders. “Free their hands. Remove the gags.”
“What happened?” Jules asks.
“We were found out.” Bea speaks through split and swollen lips. Even in the dark, Jules can see that her arm is a ruin of burns, and the smell of the blackened flesh lingers. Emilia offers her a skin of water, but she shakes her head. “They came for us at the stable, the night before the parade. Queensguard and the priestess who leads the Undead Queen’s army.”
“Where are the others?”
“Dead. Killed in the stable. Except for the two of us and Billy.”
Arsinoe nearly collapses, and Jules steadies her. “Bea, where is he?”
“They have him.” Her eyes flicker regretfully toward Arsinoe. “They are torturing him.”
“I’ll kill her!” Arsinoe shouts, and Emilia glances at her, irritated by the volume.
“How did you get away?”
“We didn’t. She let us go.”
“Queen Katharine?” Jules asks. “She let you go?”
“Yes. Queen Katharine. She let us—” Bea lurches forward and vomits. In the light of the lantern, Jules can see the snow, slicked red.
Emilia and the other warriors descend as both of the survivors drop to the ground, spitting blood.
“Poisoner!” Emilia calls to Arsinoe, but she is already there, holding Bea’s head still to pull back her eyelids and open her mouth.
“Did she give you anything?” Arsinoe asks. “Did you eat anything or drink?”
“No.” Bea’s eyes roll to her friend as the girl stops breathing. “The gags. It was the gags.”
“No,” Jules echoes as Bea falls silent. It happened so fast. They had returned. They were speaking.
“Get them onto the horses.” Emilia stands, and her voice is harsh. “Get the Legion Queen out of here.”
“We’re not leaving,” Arsinoe exclaims. “We can’t leave without him!” She starts to back away, and Jules jumps for her and wraps her tight in her arms. “Let me go! They’re torturing him!”
“Hush, Arsinoe.” Arsinoe struggles hard, but despite being smaller, Jules has always been the stronger. With Arsinoe’s arms pinned, it is easy enough to hold her fast. Harder is hanging on through the sound of her shouts. Hearing the miserable terror in her voice.
“If you make me leave him, I’ll never forgive you, Jules! I’ll come right back the moment you let go, the moment you sleep—”
She stops talking when Emilia takes her face between her hands.
“You and Jules will return to Sunpool,” Emilia says, and draws her short-bladed sword. “You will go. And we will follow after.”
“Where are you going?” Jules asks. “What are you up to?”
“I am going . . . to get one of theirs.” Emilia bares her teeth in the lamplight. The look in her eyes leaves no room for argument.
With a nod, Jules loads Arsinoe onto the back of the black gelding. She climbs up behind her and rides away, back to Sunpool in defeat.
THE VOLROY
After the prisoners are released, Katharine leaves the Black Council in the throne room to continue their revelry and torture of the former suitor, and slips away to her rooms. Once there, she sits before a table full of food brought by