Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms 1)

King Gaius remained calm. “How could I wish harm to your youngest, Corvin? I know the love a father has in his children. My eldest, Magnus, for example, is proving his worth in so many ways. Even right at this moment. I’m very proud of him. As I’m sure you’re proud of your daughters. You have two, do you not?” The Limerian king frowned. “The older one, I’ve heard, has fallen quite ill. Will she recover?”

“Emilia is fine.”

King Corvin was lying. Jonas saw it in his eyes.

Cleo claimed to have journeyed into Paelsia chasing after the legend of an exiled Watcher who might be able to save her sister’s life. She’d been telling him the truth. The truth when he’d only expected more lies.

“Think about what we’ve discussed here. Think very carefully.” King Gaius rose from his chair. The others, including Jonas, took his lead and did the same. “When I return, I expect you to be out in front of your palace gates offering your immediate and absolute surrender.”

King Corvin was quiet for a moment, his expression tense. “And if I don’t?”

King Gaius swept his gaze around all those present for this meeting. “Then we’ll take Auranos by force. And I’ll personally witness your young daughter tortured for a long time before I finally allow her to die.”

“And I will be sure to do the same to yours,” King Corvin hissed.

King Gaius laughed at this. “I would dare you to try.”

They left. Jonas felt King Corvin’s strained gaze heavy on him as he moved toward the exit.

“It was your brother who was killed that day in the market,” the king said to him as he passed. “I recognized your name.”

Jonas nodded but didn’t meet the other man’s eyes.

“Whether you realize it or not, your grief and desire for vengeance has caused you to align yourself with scorpions,” King Corvin said. “Be very careful that you don’t get stung.”

Jonas cast only a short glance at the man, fighting to keep his expression neutral, before he followed the others from the room.

The princess was proving to be more elusive than Theon had hoped. After arriving in Paelsia with two trusted guards, he’d searched far and wide, scouring the villages they came across for any clues.

One thing was certain—Cleo and Nic had been there, stopping long enough to make a lasting and mostly favorable impression on the locals before carrying on. Theon was surprised to learn they said they were traveling as sister and brother...from Limeros. Clever.

But then he’d hit a wall. Nothing new. No clues. And every day that passed deepened his desperation and fear that something horrible had befallen her. Finally he instructed the guards to split up so they could individually cover more ground.

It had been his duty as Cleo’s bodyguard—his only duty—to keep her safe. The king’s promise to kill him if he failed was the farthest thing from his mind. He was more concerned with the princess’s safety.

It wasn’t until ten days after she left Auranos that he finally found a clue.

On a narrow, muddy road after yet another strange and unexpected thunderstorm, Nicolo Cassian was headed straight for him.

For the briefest moment, Theon thought he was only seeing things. But it was true. He ran toward Nic and grabbed hold of the front of his tunic.

“Where is the princess? Answer me!”

Nic looked as grave and weary as Theon felt. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you.”

“You won’t be glad when I get you back to Auranos. You’re going to pay dearly for taking the princess away from the safety of the palace.”

“You really think I forced her to come here? Cleo has a mind of her own, you know.”

“Where is she?” he demanded.

“Taken by a Paelsian three days ago. He held a knife to my throat, threatened to separate my head from my body. Cleo bargained for my life by agreeing to go with him.” He looked destroyed by this. “She shouldn’t have. She should have run away. She should have let him kill me.”

Theon’s stomach lurched. “Do you know who it was?”

Nic nodded, his expression grave. “Jonas Agallon.”

Theon finally let go of Nic’s dusty tunic and found that his hands were now shaking. The name was as familiar as his own. Jonas. The boy who’d threatened her life. The one she’d had nightmares about. And Theon hadn’t been here to protect her.