“I’ve got her.” Marshal lifted my sister from the saddle, cradling her in his arms. I reached for my bindings but halted mid tie.
“Kaleah?”
I jerked my head up. The empress stood at the top of the marble steps leading into the palace in a regal mauve gown. Gold hair framed her pale face, her icy blue eyes filled with rage as her lip curled in disgust, making my blood turn cold. Ariadne flew out of the open double doors behind my mother, her brown eyes darting frantically over the courtyard. They lurched from Cassie to Arrow and I, then back around as if she were searching for something. . . for someone.
“No,” she moaned, shaking her head as her eyes widened. “No!” Her pained shriek punctured the air, ripping at my heart. Ariadne fell to her knees at the top of the steps, her normally composed self gone, her face twisted in agony and rage as her eyes met mine. “You!” she screamed, jabbing her finger at me. “You were the one who was supposed to die. Not him!”
Tears slid down my face. I hadn’t wanted to believe Ryker, but I could no longer refute the truth. Had Ari known that Alex was going to die?
“What’s the meaning of all this?” the empress snapped. Her narrowed eyes drifted from Cassie as Marshal passed her heading into the palace to Ari, sobbing beside her and then back to me.
“Mother, I can—”
“Don’t ‘mother’ me,” Lilitha snarled. “You lost that privilege when you took off to Lucifer knows where, and now it’s apparent you’re paying the price for your sins.”
“Please,” I begged, fumbling with the last of the ties. I half fell, half stumbled out of the saddle. “You have to save Cassie. There was an assassin; he killed Alex and poisoned her—”
“Enough!” Lilith snapped. Ari’s sobs increased, breaking my heart, but the empress didn’t look moved in the least, fury contorting her beautiful features into something harsh and ugly. “If you think you can just up and leave without a word and then expect to come back here begging for my help the second something goes awry, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“P-please,” I stuttered, tripping forward over the cobblestones. I couldn't blame her, Lilitha’s ire was deserved, but if she understood the truth, maybe she would forgive me.
“I’ll hear no more of this.” The empress clapped her hands and several guards rushed forward. “Escort Lady Ariadne to her quarters. I’ll deal with her later. As for the Princess, confine her in her rooms. I don’t want to see that pretty face of hers again until I’m looking in the mirror.”
“Wait!” I surged forward, trying to break through the line of guards surrounding me as two grasped my upper arms, several others leading a subdued Ariadne back to the palace. “She’ll die!”
“And whose fault is that?”
I froze. Ryker had been right; she didn’t care about us. I bit down on my lip to keep it from trembling and my shoulders slumped, the guard’s grip the only thing keeping me standing. “She’s blood of your blood.”
A thin sneer pulled at the empress' lips. “Blood I’m willing to sacrifice to make it perfectly clear what becomes of those who defy me, and to teach you a lesson—”
“What’s the point? I’ll be dead in less than a week. Is that not good enough for you?”
“No. This is a warning for any and all who think they can oppose my will.”
My eyes burned as I stared at the woman who I’d respected and worshiped for the better part of my life. Who I’d honored as my mother and who I’d agreed to give my life to, to allow her to continue her reign upon the earth. “Do you really have no heart?”
Thick silence filled the courtyard for all of two heartbeats, every servant, maid and guard gawking at me.
“How dare you,” the empress snarled, sweeping up the edge of her skirt as she descended toward me, eyes blazing.
My heart caught in my throat, but a loud screech filled the air and I tore around. Arrow raced across the courtyard, raking her talons over one of my guard’s arms and sending his sword flying. Warm blood splattered my face and clothes, and I gagged.
He released me with a shout, and the griffin snaked her neck toward my other guard, who dropped my arm to draw his sword. I fell to the cobblestone, the rock biting into my hands as I scrambled for the fallen sword.
“Someone, restrain that creature! And I want its head served for dinner,” the empress shrieked, halting her descent with a look of disgust on her face as Arrow hissed at her.
“No!” I jerked up, taking the heavy broad sword with me. “Arrow, run!”
The griffin danced nervously from one foot to the other, her predator eyes darting from me to the horde of guards and golems headed our way. Warmth rose within me at the griffin’s loyalty. She wouldn’t leave without me.
“Stop her,” the empress demanded as I charged forward.
Gripping the edge of the saddle, I hesitated. I could leave. I could find Ryker and still have a life. . . maybe even a life with him.
No. I shook my head, clearing it of the delusional thoughts. I would never leave my sister, no matter our fates. Raising the sword, I slid the tip under the saddle’s cinch, severing the leather. The saddle crashed to the ground, making Arrow shy to the side.
“Go,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to her feathered one. “Be free.”