Rule of Wolves (King of Scars #2) - Leigh Bardugo Page 0,117
he’d told their parents that he’d just taken a fall.
Wings had been attached to his back, and bent at his hips were metal pincers, jointed like insect legs. Mayu felt her stomach turn.
The doctor had moved on to the next sleeping chamber.
Bergin was staring at her from his perch by the table, but Mayu didn’t care. She reached down and took Reyem’s hand in hers.
“Brother,” she whispered. Reyem’s brow smoothed. In his sleep, he clasped her hand. Mayu felt tears sting the back of her throat. “I’m here, Reyem. It’s going to be okay.”
“Kebben,” Tamar murmured. Her expression had softened. Maybe more than anyone, she understood what it was to be separated from your twin.
“We have to get him out of here.”
Tamar nodded. “I’ve already sent our scouts back to wake the ministers. I don’t want Makhi to have a chance to empty this place out before they see it.”
“But we intercepted your scouts,” said a high, clear voice from the doorway.
Queen Makhi stood by the metal door, bracketed by Tavgharad guards.
“Your Majesty!” exclaimed the doctor, bowing to his toes.
Tamar moved to block Princess Ehri.
“How interesting to see you in that uniform, Tamar Kir-Bataar,” said Makhi, sweeping into the room.
The doctor squinted as if trying to remember where he’d heard the name.
“Sweet Ehri,” Makhi said. “Did you really think I was that easily outwitted? You are so new to this game, and I have been playing since we were children.”
“Reyem,” Mayu whispered urgently. She squeezed his hand. “Reyem, please wake up.” They needed to get free of this place right now.
“Allow me,” said the queen, pressing a series of buttons on the wall. A loud hiss sounded and a faint orange mist shot from spigots at the head of the container.
“No!” Bergin cried.
Her brother’s eyes snapped open as he inhaled the stimulant.
“Reyem?”
He looked at Mayu, his expression blank.
“This sentimental bond of kebben has never made sense to me,” said Makhi. “I was supposed to be born a twin. But I murdered him in the womb. Or so my nursemaid told me. She said it was why I was born with only half a soul. I’m going to enjoy watching your brother kill you all.”
“Reyem, it’s me. It’s Mayu.” He gripped her hand harder. “Yes, it’s me. You know me. Reyem, you have to come with us.”
“Go on,” the queen said. “Do what you were made to do.”
Reyem’s fist clenched. Mayu screamed and collapsed to her knees as her brother broke every bone in her hand.
25
NINA
A WANING MOON HUNG OVER the Ice Court, its edges blurred by the cloudy promise of snow. Nina could hear sounds of celebration from the royal palace, noblemen drinking and dancing to rejoice in the bombing of Os Alta. Somewhere, out in the wild forests, Brum and the drüskelle were giving thanks to Djel and preparing for the war to come.
But Nina had been at war a very long time. And tonight, she intended to do some damage. She had destroyed Queen Tatiana’s letters. Now Nina was going to take away the one man who could verify that they’d ever existed.
The plan was simple but tremendously risky. First Nina needed a way into the drüskelle sector. She couldn’t simply waltz out of the Ice Court and back in again, so she would have to approach the sector via the secret path across the ice moat. It was not an appealing option. She’d spent the last few months doing little more than sitting and scheming. She was excellent at both, but tonight she would need the strength and agility of the soldier she’d been, not the wiles of the spy she’d become. And she’d need Hanne. Nina didn’t like putting her at risk, but she could admit that they’d seem less suspicious if they were caught sneaking around together than if Nina, an outsider at the Ice Court, was caught alone.
They dressed in riding clothes—two girls out for one of Hanne’s larks. Nina was just grateful to be free of her heavy skirts. They would cross the ice moat together, dressed in white, hair covered to better camouflage themselves. Assuming they weren’t immediately spotted and dragged back to their chambers to await punishment, Hanne would get them up the wall.
“There’s no door at the bottom?” Nina had asked. She should have been doing push-ups every morning.
“Only drüskelle know where it is. It won’t be a problem. We just need an open window.”