Page 108 of These Vile Hearts

“What made you change your mind? Was it your guard’s declaration of love or the sweetness of the mortal girl’s lips?”

I fix him with a look of incredulity. “How did you know about—”

With a snap of his fingers, two golden guards show up on either side of Durian. “The prince has requested to be locked away in the Bloodwood Tree,” he says as if he’s merely informing them of what wine I prefer. “Be sure he gets there safely.”

Both guards exchange a brief bemused glance before moving to grab me by the arms, but I step out of their reach. “That’s quite all right. I can walk myself.”

“Don’t worry, brother,” Durian calls after me. “I’ll be sure to come visit.”

The Bloodwood Tree towers directly behind the citadel walls, accessed by a hollow branch lined with prison cells for lesser crimes. The sound of drunken merrymaking echoes behind me as my head tilts back to take in the monstrosity that will soon be my new home. A sea monster come to life, bursting from the ground and growing hundreds of feet, waiting to devour any who dare come near it.

My ears start ringing, dulling the music of the last SylverisSolstice I’ll ever attend. The last time I must pretend I actually want to be there, ignoring the looks of disgust from Redwood courtiers and frightened intrigue of the Myrtlewood dryads. It’s almost a relief.

I approach the entrance with my chin held high, flanked by Durian’s guards decked in golden feathers like a pair of gilded birds that should have gone extinct a long time ago. If I’m going to step foot in this prison again, I’m going to do it with dignity. Unhinged dignity, but still.

“Castor!” a painfully familiar voice calls out. “Castor, wait!”

Pausing, I turn to see a frazzled Tam emerging from a shadowed pathway, thundering up to me. His neck is covered in a blood-spotted bandage and his leather armor is scratched and torn on one side. An hour ago, I wrapped Tam in a silent hug—the first in twelve years—under the assumption it was the last time I would see him alive. I told him to stay with Maddox in my branch while she slept. I didn’t tell him what I was planning to do because I was afraid he’d try to stop me. Like he’s doing right now.

The sight of his wide copper eyes and narrow, panicked face is almost enough to unravel me.

“Tam? What are you—?”

“No, Cas. What areyoudoing?” he asks breathlessly.

The guards hold their spears up, forcing him to stop short. He raises his hands, eyes only on me.

“I told Durian that he won the pact. This is what’s best for everyone. You of all people should know that.”

“No, no, I don’t know that. Your curse isn’treal, Cas,” he says with a desperation I’ve never heard from him before. “Durian made it all up. He’s the one who has been killing everyone who gets close to you.”

I snort a humorless laugh, shaking my head sadly. “I understand you think this is dramatic of me, and maybe it is, but don’t insult my admittedly lacking intelligence by—”

“I’m telling thetruth.” Panic fills his words. “Durian sent three woodlings after me. They tried to slice my throat when they thought I was sleeping. The king has been spying on you through wood sprites. They’ve been watching you and reporting back to him. Remember the one that disappeared after I told you I loved—”

“Stop,” I grind out. “You aren’t making any sense. Cyperus died because of my curse, remember? Redwood brothers can’t kill one another. Your theory doesn’t hold up. I’m sorry, Tam. I know you don’t agree with me, but I have to do this.”

“Durian blamed you for Cyperus’s death because he knew you’d believe it.”

“Just stop. You aren’t making this any easier.”

“Cas.”His voice comes out like broken glass. “I need you to listen to me—”

The guards have clearly had enough, each taking hold of one of my arms. “Enough sappy goodbyes for you two. Let’s go.” The one to my right pushes me forward.

“No, wait!” Tamarind dashes to stand before the entrance of the citadel prison. “Maddox is the one who figured it out. She knew because herfatherwas the mortal man who killed Cyperus. He made a pact with the Myrtle Queen to kill the king. It had nothing to do with your curse.”

I falter. “Maddox’sfatherkilled—?”

Suddenly, black vines burst from the ground, slithering around both Tam and me, constricting like a pair of deadly snakes.

“This precious little farewell has gone on long enough, I think.”

The last thing I see before the vines tighten around my neck, blackening my vision, is Durian, wearing a caustic smile.

~

I come to in a wooden cell with rounded walls covered in blackened bark that moves ever so slightly in and out. Like it’s breathing.