Page 87 of The Witch Queen

He pins Jacquetta with a dark look, his gemstone-colored eyes like daggers.

But my own mind whirrs. I think of what Shade told me about Nox’s disappearance. Jacquetta’s stories about disturbances. What if the Dwarvesdidn’tjust leave on their own? If Nerissa didn’t? What if there is someone else out there?

Someone better than you,that voice taunts.Stronger.

Fear threads through my veins.

“Just…ask around, will you?” I say, shaking away my worries for the time being.

Roland grumbles something under his breath.

“Fine,” he relents at last. “I’ll do what I can. Butbothof you Mistress Witches had best pray that none of mine discover your little guest here. I won’t be able to hold them back if they do. And I won’t want to, do you understand?” He shakes a finger at Jacquetta. “I don’t care what agreement you two have cooked up. You coven witches have plenty to answer for at the end of this war. And I’ll see to it that you do.”

With that, he storms over to the nearest wall, summons a door, and then slams it shut behind him.

“Well, that went about as well as it could have, I suppose. With any luck, he’ll…” I trail off, noticing that Jacquetta is staring at me. “What?”

“Wehave plenty to answer for?” she asks, accusing.

“What did you expect? After the Mines, Roland can hardly—”

“But he doesn’t know why we attacked them in the first place, does he?” Jacquetta interrupts. “He doesn’t know what you did.”

“He’s aware that I broke the Veil, if that’s what you’re getting at,” I say. “Hedoesn’t mind. In fact, Roland forged my crown.”

“And does he know you control Malum?” she presses, pointing her makeshift weapon at me. “That the entire reason the covens are involved in this war is becauseyou’restealing our magic?”

A log collapses in the fire. Jacquetta reads the truth in my silence.

She laughs, low in her throat. “And you accuse me of dishonesty. Of becoming someone I’m not. You can’t even admit what you are to those closest to you.”

Her words hit like a slap. Shadows dart around me.

“Why didn’t you tell him, then, if it bothers you so much?” I ask.

Jacquetta lifts her chin. “Maybe I should.”

Malum expands behind my sternum. Shadows creep closer.

“Do it,” I dare her, sensing the darkness spread behind me like wings. “Then you’ll never find Nerissa. You’ll never leave here alive.”

She looks at me, firelight flickering over the hard angles of her face. “This is all you really care about, isn’t it? This stupid court. A crown. A prophecy. None of it’sreal,Ayleth.”

“It’s more real than you are,” I retort. Thanwewere. “And at least it’s mine. Something I built.”

“Perhaps,” Jacquetta says softly. “But sooner or later it’s all going to come crashing down around you. What’s going to be left when it does?”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ayleth

Wood splinters as lances slam into each other, followed by the crunch of metal and bone as one of the riders is unhorsed. The crowd roars, practically feral with enthusiasm. It’s been years since we hosted a proper joust at the palace. The event was banned due to Callen’s accident—and because I despise the sport. Margaret, however, demanded that one be added to the week’s festivities. And so I’ve spent the past few hours crammed into the royal box in the freezing weather, watching idiots charge each other with large sticks.

But I can hardly focus on the matches.

It’s all going to come crashing down around you.

Jacquetta’s warning slinks through my mind no matter what I do to bury it.