Chapter 223

Kit sat in her prison cell far longer than she expected to before anyone brought the morning meal. When the soldier came in and set it down on the table near the window, he said nothing, certainly didn’t question how she’d managed to change gowns. That had been several hours ago. The uneaten porridge sat crusting over in the bowl, the core of an apple, the only food she’d eaten, lay next to it. She was glad to have her tea, the special blend Armant had her drinking several times a day while she was in the midst of her Choosing. Though it tasted a little bitter, and she had never much cared for it, at least it seemed like a bit of normal.

Staring at specks she assumed were people was all she had found to entertain herself, and even then her mind often wandered to the ones she missed most, that and how she was supposed to incite a revolution when she couldn’t even leave the room. Footsteps on the stairs had her turning her head away from the window. Whoever was coming wore heavy boots, and there were more than one pair.

A rattling of keys alerted her that the door was about to open. Kit turned her head back toward the window, not wanting them to think she was waiting for her release. The voice that filled her ears was familiar, but not in a good way. “Princess Katrinetta, you’ve been requested by your mother, the queen.”

Kit turned to see scar face—Vin—accompanied by a few other of Rona’s guard. A few of them had blood on their clothing, and it looked fresh. It was alarming, but Kit didn’t bother to ask who it belonged to because she knew full well they wouldn’t tell her anyway. Without speaking, she turned and followed all but Vin out of the door. She imagined he was having a look around her room before he trailed her down the stairs.

They’d only managed to get a few steps before he asked, “However did you manage to change your gown? You can’t reach all of those hooks on your own.”

“I’m quite talented, Commander.” Kit didn’t turn to look at him, afraid her eyes might divulge her lie. Thankfully, he didn’t press the issue, and they walked all the way down the long, winding staircase in silence.

The hallway that led to the throne room was equally long, and no one spoke, not even the servants who hurried past. Kit saw familiar eyes glance up at her when Blankka stopped for the party at an intersection. She prayed she’d rush off and tell her men that Kit had been released, at least temporarily, but the girl’s feet remained planted until Kit had passed by, and then the princess could not see where she may have gone.

Her mother was seated on her throne, a bored expression on her face. She wore a shade of purple so deep, it looked black, as she often did whenever she was reminding everyone that she was the sovereign. Kit bowed and said her required greeting. Her mother allowed her to stand almost at once, and taking a deep breath, the queen came off her throne, dismissing the guards who had accompanied the princess into the room, save Vin. Back in the corner, almost hidden by a shadow, Kit saw Pierce’s outline and wondered if he would be listening in on the queen’s conversations from now on.

“Katrinetta, how was your stay in the tower? I regret having to keep you there, but these are strange times, and I felt it was the safest place for you. Did you sleep well?”

“It was less than luxurious, Mother, but I managed.”

“Good, good.”

“Does this mean my time in the tower is over? Have you found Father?”

Rona let out a sigh, studying the red carpet runner and marble floor for a long moment before she shook her head. “Your father seems to have disappeared, Kit. I fear it is possible he may have been kidnapped by those who would begin an insurrection. Or perhaps a neighboring kingdom has infiltrated our fortress. These are troubling times, Katrinetta. I can’t even begin to tell you all that has transpired since I hastened you away to safety.”

A pang hit Kit squarely in the center of her abdomen as if her mother had punched her there as all of the possibilities of what may have gone wrong worked their way to her mind. “What is it, Mother?”

Rona shook her head and pressed her spread fingers against her forehead. “It won’t be easy for me to tell you any of this, daughter, but I fear I must.” The queen looked up and met Kit’s eyes. “Eliason Goedwig has been killed.”

Kit’s hands flew over her mouth, her heart stopping for a long moment as she prayed it wasn’t so. Perhaps her mother was still under the impression that Eli had been murdered by her shoulders instead of a man of lesser consequence. Still, the possibility had her breath catching in her throat. Trying not to panic, she asked, “What... what do you mean?”

“Last night, when the military was searching for your father, he was found in the home of one of the village women, a woman of ill-repute. When the soldiers insisted he return to the castle to face punishment for breaking the rules of the Choosing, he refused. A fight broke out, and in the aftermath, Eliason was killed. I am sorry, my darling daughter. I know he was important to you.” Rona laid her hand on Kit’s shoulder, and tears began to stream down Kit’s face, despite the fact that she was certain now that her mother was lying. The possibility of part of it being true, the finality of it all, was enough for tears to spring to her eyes.

Rona’s hand was cold and devoid of emotion. She withdrew it, folded her hands in front of her, and continued. “Beyond that, a member of the military was found hanging a rebel flag from the North Tower early this morning. He implicated the ringleader of the revolt to be another of your Representatives. I was shocked to hear, but Vin was able to get a full confession from the man.” Rona’s head continued to wag in front of Kit. “Unfortunately, he is not willing to name his accomplices, but the men downstairs will be able to get that information from him, I’ve no doubt.”

“From who, Mother?” Kit’s heart raced in her chest, waiting for the answer she dreaded to hear. One of the men she loved was, apparently, in the dungeon, and Kit had no question the fresh blood on the uniforms of the Queen’s Guard was his as well.

“I’m afraid it will be too much for you to bear.” The queen looked genuinely troubled. “It was heartbreaking to me, and I’m not even the one who planned to potentially marry him.”

“Mother? Please, just tell me.”

Rona took a deep breath and paused for effect, and Kit braced herself. “Cassius, Katrinetta. It was Cassius.”