Page 93 of The Prince's Sacrifice

He caught sight of the captain of the guard waiting by the entrance and turned to her. Darmila had a gash across her forehead, and she was cradling one arm. As soon as she saw that he’d finished, she strode across the room to greet him. Her expression was worryingly serious. His stomach sank.

“Your Majesty.” She bowed.

“What happened?” he demanded.

“The fire seems to have been set as a diversion,” she said crisply.

“My wife?” he demanded. “The baby? My brother?”

“The Queen has been secured in the secondary location.” Darmila hesitated for a moment. “Prince Torex is no longer in his cell.”

Var felt a headache coming on. “Are you saying that a force used the cover of that fire to liberate my brother?”

Tor would know that Var could put it out, but he wouldn’t have been able to know exactly when Var would arrive or if anyone would be harmed in the meantime. Surely, he wouldn’t put people in danger like that, not deliberately. Var frowned.

Darmila hesitated again, and she wasn’t someone who normally hesitated. Var’s stomach sank.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“Part of the attacking force appears to have made their way to the dungeons,” she confirmed slowly.

“And the other?” He couldn’t keep the sharpness out of his voice.

Her jaw tightened. “Went after the Princess, Your Majesty.”

Var felt the blood drain from his face, a moment of light-headedness that he couldn’t give in to. Urgently, he asked, “Where is she?”

Darmila’s jaw clenched. Stiffly, she said, “The fighting was intense, Your Majesty. There are dead on both sides out in the corridor. Everyone on our side was dead by the time the door was brought down. By the time reinforcements arrived, there were more dead in the nursery.” Another brief pause, and then she admitted. “We can’t reach the cradle. The ceiling caved in. We have yet to find the body of the Princess or her nurse.”

Black spots danced across Var’s eyes, and he gulped in air. There were a thousand things he wanted to say, all of them crowding up into his throat, but he didn’t let any of them out.

After a momentary struggle, he said simply, “Take me to my wife.”

Darmila bowed and led the way. There were an absurd number of guards outside the receiving room—or so Var would have said in any other circumstances. Clearly, it could never be enough.

“May I continue the recovery efforts, Your Majesty?” Darmila asked carefully. “We’re searching the castle from top to bottom.”

“Yes,” Var told her, glad that she had a plan, because Var felt entirely at sea, and like there was no land in sight.

Darmila bowed and withdrew. Var strode into the room. Yomil was there with Ferna, and they both turned when Var arrived.

Ferna cast herself into his arms, wailing. “Var! Your brother! How could he? The baby!”

Var looked up, and Yomil, looking very grave, said, “It pains me to report this to you, Your Majesty. I was making my way to ensure the safety of the baby myself when I heard the mercenaries crying for Prince Torex, who was at their head.”

Var stared at the man with incomprehension. They were saying that hisbrotherhad gone after Cala, had led mercenaries to kill her? He knew everything had gone wrong, but to attack his baby? No. That wasn’t possible. Surely not. It made Var’s brain spin in useless circles, frantic but with nowhere to go.

The door opened, and an apologetic guard stuck their head in. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but it’s Lady Nawila, and she says it’s urgent. She has Pamuna with her. They—”

“Send them in!” Var bellowed. “Immediately.”

The guard bowed, and a moment later, the two disheveled women appeared. For some reason, Pamuna was wearing a blanket like a cloak.

“Pama!” Ferna cried. “Oh, Pama! What happened?”

“Your Majesty,” Pamuna said. Her face was streaked with blood, and she bowed. She cleared her throat. “I was bid to come to you, and you alone. I’m sorry for the delay.”

She flipped back the blanket, and Var sucked in a sharp breath even as Ferna cried out. His baby girl was curled up against Pamuna, wrapped in the sling that she liked to use when she wanted to be held forever and ever.