The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

Millicent lifted her gaze to mine. “At killing my sister.”

I jerked back against the wall, barely registering the burst of pain along my back.

“Penellaphe will complete her Culling soon.” Millicent rose. “Then, her love for you will become one of the very, very few weaknesses she will have. You will be the only thing that can stop her then. If you don’t, Penellaphe will help end the realms as we know them, causing millions to lose their lives, and subjecting those who survive to something far worse. Either way, my sister can’t survive this. She will die in your arms, or she will drown the realms in blood.”

Chapter 27

Poppy

I paced the bedchamber the following afternoon, the meal one of the less-chatty Handmaidens had brought in devoured only because I couldn’t afford to weaken.

Another white gown had been brought in with the food. Opting to wear what I had the day before, I’d destroyed the gown with a spark of eather. I shouldn’t have used the essence for such a childish thing, but the momentary joy it had brought was hard to regret.

Every so often, I sent the double doors a glare. I hadn’t seen or heard from the Blood Queen since they’d returned me to my chambers the evening before. I’d stayed in this damn room, only because I didn’t want to risk Kieran’s and Reaver’s safety in addition to Casteel’s.

I’d checked in with Kieran through the notam, letting him know that both Casteel and I were okay. He was relieved, but through the connection, I knew he had his doubts about Casteel.

I had doubts, as well.

My touch would’ve only brought him a few hours of relief—if that. Maybe not even that long. All I could do was pray that he’d been given blood and food. That healing those injuries had given him a longer reprieve.

I’d desperately tried to sleep. To reach Casteel. I hadn’t been able to. The room was too quiet and too big. Too lonely and too familiar. Too—

I stopped myself.

None of that would help. What would, was focusing on what came next, which was what I’d been turning over in my mind for hours. Our plan had been to get into the capital and free Casteel and my father. That was still the plan. Except we’d been technically captured, and I didn’t know where my father was being kept if not here.

I would have to force Isbeth to tell me where he was when I came back for him.

I hated that—utterly loathed the idea of leaving Ires behind. But I had to get Casteel out, and soon.

Because he was not well.

I’d healed what injuries I could, but he was teetering on the edge of bloodlust and at risk of losing parts of himself. I couldn’t allow that to happen.

Searching out Kieran’s unique imprint, I found the cedar-rich sensation.

Liessa?

A wry grin tugged at my lips. Don’t call me that.

My Queen, instead?

I sighed. How about neither?

His chuckle tickled its way through me. What’s going on?

We need to get out of here.

There was a pause. What are you thinking?

We need to get to one of the Temples. Casteel has to be held somewhere near there. Underground. I paced by the window. We have the spell. Once we find the entrance to the tunnels, we can use it. It’s what we’d need to do next that I’m not so sure about.

Several moments of silence passed where I felt the woodsy sensation surrounding me. We can try the way we planned to get in.

Through the mines?

Yes. We can try to access them. Or…

My heart thumped heavily. They’ll expect that. There must be a better way.

Fight our way out.

I stopped at the window, staring across the capital. I’m not sure that’s a better option.

Fighting will be our only option no matter what, Kieran reasoned. Either through one of the gates or from inside the Rise and into the mines.

We hashed it out, going back and forth until Kieran decided. The quickest way is to go straight for the eastern gates. We have Reaver. We have you. We can fight.

I worried my lower lip. If we do that—if I do that—we risk people seeing me as a demis. We risk the people believing the worst about us and fearing what is to come.

We do. There was another gulf of silence. But right now, we can’t worry about that. That’s not our concern. Cas is. Getting the hell out of here is. And if that means taking down a part of the Rise, then we take it down, Poppy.

I closed my eyes. The essence in my chest thrummed.

We can’t save everyone, Kieran reminded me. But we can save the ones we love.

A jolt ran through me. I’d known when speaking with the generals that there was a chance our plans could crumble around us. That we’d need to take down the Rises. That there would be untold loss of life. That we’d become the monsters the people of Solis feared.