A Queen of Gilded Horns (A River of Royal Blood #2) - Amanda Joy Page 0,43

staring at her like she was mad.

Maybe she was. Seeing Eva so changed, Isa felt like her skin was peeling back, freeing all the feelings she needed to keep hidden.

“Of that I am well aware,” she sighed.

She stalked to the back corner of the room, where a pitcher of water rested. She tested the temperature—it was warmed by the sun, as she’d hoped—and wet a towel. There was a round cake of lavender soap beside the basin. Isa gathered it, the pitcher, and a few more towels and returned to the bed. It was difficult, maneuvering with the shackles. The loose chain that connected her wrists banged noisily against the stoneware.

She had to step around Aketo, who gawked at her, but halted when Anali’s hand fell on her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“What you’ve failed to do,” Isadore snapped. She waited, pinned beneath the Captain’s glistening eyes. She hoped Anali would not cry. She was supposed to be tougher than this. “Please. If you would like to check me for any makeshift weapons, do it now, but after I am going to wash my sister’s face.”

Anali stepped aside. “You have my permission this once.”

They let her work in silence.

She made sure to be gentle, afraid Eva would stir and trigger the connection she felt earlier, their lifeline. She even worked some of the water into the curls fanned out behind Eva’s head, cringing as flakes of dried blood came away in her hands.

Each of the towels was pink-tinged and smelled faintly of copper when she’d finished. She went back to the sink and cleansed her hands. Finally she asked, “Who stays with her? I know you must have someone outside her door, but who stays in here? In case she wakes up?”

“I do,” Aketo said. He’d gone to lean against the shelves with all the potions. “And Falun.”

“Let me.” The words were out too quick to regret them. You’ve a foolish tongue, Isa, Mama had once said. Make sure you can control it or I’ll have it plucked out.

Isa shivered at the memory. Her mother had pinched beneath her chin, her lacquered nails digging into the tender flesh. She’d drawn Isa up until she was balanced on her toes.

“Absolutely not,” Anali said from the doorway. Shadows obscured her face, but Isa could imagine it: smoky eyes dark with disapproval, her mouth puckered around disgust.

“Why not?” She knew the answer. Why beg them, why ask for anything? She was letting herself forget that she was a prisoner. As trapped as Eva was stuck in her bed.

“Because you are the only weapon here that can kill her.” Anali took a tremulous breath. Quivering, Isa suspected, with rage. “Because I do not trust you and will not until Eva does what she should have done weeks ago.”

“How is it,” Isa murmured, “that you fault me for doing what needed to be done, and yet don’t blame her for failing to do the same?”

“A soft heart is not the best trait in a Queen, but mercy I can stand behind. She was trying to save you. You were trying to kill her.” She gestured to the door. “If you eat, you can return in the morning. But you two cannot be alone.”

“I wouldn’t kill my sister in her sleep. I’m not a coward.”

“No, you were just brave enough to kidnap her friend and use him as bait.” Anali pointed to the door. “Go before I change my mind.”

Isa hesitated, but before she could begin another argument, Anali murmured, “I’ll not ask you again, girl.”

Aketo took Isa by the arm and practically dragged her from the room.

* * *

The following morning, Isa was back at her window, watching the ultramarine sky. The only time she’d ever seen a sky so intensely blue was in the South, just moments after dawn. Only the horizon over the Kremir Sands rivaled it.

Yesterday she’d spotted a crow flying from one of the rooftops. It wasn’t marked by the messenger crows’ characteristic white bills, but Isa had seen men spell ordinary carrion crows, pigeons, and even sparrows. Only ravens were impossible to command.

She’d hoped it was a message. That someone had seen them all ride through town and spotted her.

She wasn’t too hopeful, though. Who would extend their network of spies here, unless they were here for another reason? Like keeping an eye on King Lei’s . . . her father’s family.

She had passed within eyeshot of a family member on the way back to her room yesterday. He was a