countless lights. Ships. Dozens of them. Except Killian knew it hadn’t been his letter that had brought them here, because this would’ve taken weeks to organize on top of the time to sail the distance. This was Hacken’s doing—he not a pawn in Malahi’s plot, but rather she in his.
“The fleet brings supplies and soldiers,” Malahi shouted. “But of equal importance, the ships will assist with the evacuation of the people of Mudaire, allowing us to turn our full attention to driving our enemy back across the wall.”
The room shook with shouts of delight.
“He’s not spreading gossip,” Lydia hissed, trying to pull him back. “Will you listen to me!”
“In these dark times,” Malahi cried, “unity is what will save us. Faith in the Six and those they’ve marked is what will save us. And to that end, High Lord Hacken Calorian and I are so pleased to announce my betrothal—”
“You gods-damned bastard,” Killian snarled, dropping Lydia’s hand, knowing he needed to stop this. Because the last thing Mudamora needed was his brother as its king. “Malahi!”
Her eyes lighted upon him, and the hurt in them, the defeat, made his feet freeze in place. “Yes, Killian. You should be up here.”
The crowd quieted, stirring to create a path for him. Lydia’s hand dropped from his wrist. Warily, Killian walked toward the steps, ascending them to Malahi’s side. With his back still to the crowd, he glanced first at the arriving fleet and then turned his eyes on his queen. “You don’t need to do this, Malahi. You don’t need him.”
Hacken made a noise of amusement, a false smile on his face as he panned the crowd.
“Except that I do need him.” Her face was smooth and serene, but her eyes glittered with tears, gaze fixed on his chest. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you want, but please know that I’m doing it for the sake of Mudamora.”
Catching her hand, he squeezed it, knowing that he had one moment to convince her. One moment to stop this. “The only ruler Mudamora needs is you.”
Her face tilted upward, their eyes locking. Then Hacken’s voice broke the stillness. “It seems Her Majesty finds herself overwhelmed with emotion. Allow me to announce for her, then, that at her behest, I have agreed to her betrothal—”
He broke off, smiling at the crowd, before adding, “To my younger brother, Lord Killian Calorian. May the Six bless their union.”
49
LYDIA
Killian looked like he’d been slapped across the face.
And though Lydia had known it was coming, she still felt gutted. For failing to warn him. For being the tool his brother had used to manipulate Malahi. For falling in …
Lydia forced the last thought from her mind, there being far larger problems facing her now. She’d gotten herself wrapped up in a political web as complex as what she’d left behind in Celendrial and, in doing so, had jeopardized her chance to get free of this place. And Teriana and the Maarin would pay the price. Her father likely already had.
High Lord Calorian said something to Killian, who rigidly leaned down to kiss Malahi’s cheek before taking her arm and facing a crowd who appeared as stunned as Killian, the High Lords glowering with obvious displeasure.
Lydia took one step back. Then two. She needed to be gone from this place. As much as Hacken’s accusations about her and Killian were a lie, it wasn’t a lie she could put to bed, because the truth was far worse. She needed to slip out and collect her things. With luck, it might be possible to sneak aboard one of the Gamdeshian vessels in the madness of the evacuation.
Then Killian’s face turned in Lydia’s direction, and she found that she could barely breathe, much less move. He swayed, almost imperceptibly, as if he might drop the Queen’s arm and come down the steps, but Lydia gave a violent shake of her head. No.
She took another step back; then motion behind them, beyond the glass and on the balcony, caught her attention. The large torches lining the balcony to repel the deimos were extinguishing, one by one. There were guards out there, and indeed, she could see figures moving. But there was something … wrong about them. The life surrounding them shone with the brilliance of stars that had stolen the light from all else in the universe. Not beautiful, but … terrifying.
“Corrupted.” The word came out strangled, unnoticed in the commotion of those around her, but Killian stiffened. Of its own