“I imagined you hated them as well,” says Madoc, frowning.
“I want to see Cardan’s sacrifice mean what he wanted it to mean,” I say. “And I want to know that you aren’t weaseling out of every bargain you can.”
He nods. “Very well. It is done.”
I take a deep breath. “I will not commit Oak to anything, but if you want to call a halt to the war, tell me how the bridle works, and let us work toward peace.”
Lord Jarel steps up onto the platform, causing the guards to move in front of him, weapons keeping him from me.
“Would you prefer I say it aloud, in front of everyone?” he asks, annoyed.
I wave away the guards, and he leans down to whisper the answer in my ear. “Take three hairs from your own head and knot them around the bridle. You will be bound together.” Then he steps back. “Now, do you agree to our compact?”
I look at the three of them. “When the High King is bridled and tame, then I will give you everything you asked for, everything that’s within my power to give. But you will have nothing before that.”
“Then this is what you must do, Jude,” Madoc tells me. “Tomorrow, hold a feast for the low Courts and invite us. Explain that we have put aside our differences in the face of a larger threat and that we gave you the means to capture the serpent king.
“Our armies will gather on the rocks of Insweal, but not to fight. You will take the bridle and lure the serpent to you. Once you put it on him, issue the first command. He will show himself tame, and everyone will cheer for you. It will cement your power and give you an excuse to reward us. And reward us you shall.”
Already, he seeks to rule through me. “It will be nice to have a queen who can tell all the lies you cannot, won’t it?” I say.
Madoc smiles at me with no malice in it. “It will be good to be a family again.”
Nothing about this feels right, except for the smooth leather of the bridle in my hands.
On my way out of the palace, I pass by the throne room, but when I let myself inside, there is no sign of the serpent except for papery folds of torn golden skin.
I walk through the night to the rocky beach. There, I kneel on the stone and toss a wadded-up scrap of paper into the waves.
If you ever loved him, I wrote, help me.