“Thank you.”
Vicer looked up from where he was talking to Ameri. I nodded at him. He studied my face, and after a long moment, he nodded back.
All I could do was take care of my part of the plan and hope Vicer changed his mind.
It took me twice as long to get back to the castle, but Madinia following me had taught me to be careful. The moment I returned, I asked Daselis to see if Telean would pay me a visit. She sniffed and said the seamstress was an extremely busy woman, but she would see that a message was passed on.
If I didn’t hear back from her, I’d find another way to contact her.
Thankfully, Telean visited before dinner. Her eyes met mine, and even though I had a new necklace, I had a feeling she was remembering the true color of my eyes—her best friend’s eyes—beneath the charm. I patted the spot on the bed next to me, and in a voice barely louder than a whisper, I told her what I needed.
“I will help you,” Telean said. “It will be my honor to give my life for such a cause.”
Give her life? It took me a long moment to understand what she was saying. She thought I was asking her to sacrifice herself. And she was willing to do such a thing.
“You’re coming with us.”
She blinked at that. “You would…want me?”
Did she truly think I would leave her here to die? “You’re my aunt, Telean,” I said gently. “Of course I want you with me. And even if we weren’t family, I would get you out with everyone else.”
Her smile was a beautiful, brilliant thing. And I realized then just how little she’d come to expect from life. From the people around her.
“You’ve been in this fucking castle for too long.”
She laughed. “I have.”
She squeezed my hand. I squeezed back.
We were getting over three hundred people out of the dungeons. Together.
If my brother knew I was trusting Prisca with the amulet we needed so badly—even with a fae vow in place—he would lose his mind.
“Are you sure about this?” Marth asked, echoing my own thoughts.
We stood in my sitting room. Stood, because I couldn’t look at the sofa next to the door without seeing Prisca spread out and moaning for me. Just the thought of the little wildcat drove me to distraction.
I couldn’t blame Marth for questioning my decisions. I’d questioned those decisions myself over and over again.
It had been two days since I told Prisca the tunnel was filled in. Two days since I watched the life drain from her eyes. She hadn’t come to me since. But each glimpse I’d caught of her around the castle had told me everything I needed to know.
Her expression was always thoughtful, eyes distant. It was as if she wasn’t truly here anymore, her mind continually working on her new plan. The plan that no longer hinged on the rebels. Instead, I featured heavily in her plan, just as she featured in mine.
I would help her save the hybrids, and she would find my amulet. She’d refused to tell me where it was, and even if I could bring myself to torture Prisca until she revealed the location, she would likely freeze time and castrate me if I attempted such a thing.
Pride unfurled in my chest, despite the fact that the wildcat was the biggest inconvenience I had encountered in my plans—and potentially my life—so far.
Ultimately, she was right. If we were to split up and help each other, we could both win.
Despite the risk, I knew Prisca would do everything she could to fulfill her end of the bargain to me. Even if it meant she died trying.
That thought didn’t make me feel any kind of satisfaction. No, it just made me want to slit the throat of the closest guard so there would be one fewer alive when she was hunted tomorrow.
“Lorian?”
I forced myself to focus on Marth. “I trust Prisca to get the amulet.”
Marth’s eyebrows shot up. “Who are you?”
I ground my teeth. But I couldn’t blame him for his shock. Just weeks ago, I would have laughed at the idea that I’d trust anyone outside of Galon, Marth, Rythos, or Cavis with anything this important. And yet…I knew Prisca. Knew she would cut off a limb before she left this place without the hybrids in the dungeon below us. Which meant she was trusting me, too.
“If she doesn’t bring the amulet to me, the hybrids die.” Prisca knew she would die herself, but I knew that she’d value those three hundred lives over her own. Which was why I’d informed her of that extra little part of our agreement.
Her eyes had turned wounded at my proclamation. But I had more at risk than she could even imagine.