Page 89 of Wings of Ice and Steel

Ariadnne tightened her grip on the bars. ‘If you were set up there won’t be any more evidence to find. Someone wanted Melixanthe out of the picture, and you’re the scapegoat. They want you gone, too.’

The Council had given Nieve that letter, luring her to the scene. They’d wanted Melixanthe dead, but they wouldn’t bloody their own hands; they’d used someone to eliminate two birds with one stone—to remove a traitor and Ariadnne’s mate, making Ariadnne easier to control.

Whether it was the entire Council, or select members, she knew the order had come from them—and with that knowledge came the realisation that she would not be staying here, under this roof. She would take her chances with the damn curse. However, she needed to find the person who had killed her mother. They needed to pay—after she’d used them, and their truth, to free Nieve.

‘Sol,’ she growled.

‘Sol?’ Nieve repeated.

‘He’s always there when something happens. Watching. I bet he told the Council about us.’ Ariadnne stepped forwards to place her hands over Nieve’s, her mate’s fingers cool and soft beneath hers.

Nieve’s brows furrowed, confused. ‘Why Sol? Am I missing something? I can’t imagine him doing this.’

Ariadnne pitched her voice low. ‘He’s been acting odd, towards both me and Melixanthe. I think he found out that Melixanthe had a plan.’ Her words tumbled rapidly. ‘She was working with someone to break me out, hide me from the Guild…’

Nieve’s hands tightened on hers as she spoke, but she shook her head. ‘And you think Sol killed her on their orders? I don’t think it was him, Ari. He’s not a bad guy. It could be anyone. You need to find the truth.’

Ariadnne refused to let go of her belief. If it wasn’t Sol, then she had nothing. No way to free Nieve. She ignored the kernel of doubt that stubbornly took root.

‘It has to be him.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I will drag him before the Council by his neck if I have to and make him confess.’

‘But you said the Council are behind this? What good will that do, even if it was him?’

Nieve’s eyes flicked again to the guards.

‘If the confession is public, they will be forced to act on it—or risk revealing how corrupt they are. Melixanthe was well loved. Their best move would be to pardon you, and we can be away before they can act further.’

‘Away? You will run with me?’

‘Of course,’ Ariadnne said quietly, and loved the way Nieve’s face softened with hope. Of course she would. Anything else was unthinkable.

Nieve stroked her wrist through the bars. ‘It feels like there are many things that could go wrong with this plan, Ari,’ she murmured. ‘I hate that I’m trapped here. You’ve no one to watch your back.’

‘I won’t let anything go wrong.’ Ariadnne paused. ‘I can’t. I have to get you out of here.’ Her breath hitched. ‘I’m sorry I doubted you—’

‘Don’t.’ Nieve stopped her. ‘It was set up to make you doubt me, and I’ve felt the grief you’ve been buried in. You’ve had all that to deal with. Don’t apologise.’

Ariadnne hung her head, embarrassed despite Nieve’s words. This was her fault. She’d never harnessed her dragon. Always let it control her emotions.

‘I’ll get you out,’ she murmured, leaning her head against Nieve’s, the bars a hard barrier between them. ‘You won’t be in here for long and Sol will rue the day he messed with our lives.’

‘Ari, you need to be careful. The Council are powerful. If you anger them, or hurt them, you could have thirty varanyen to contend with, plus every knight in the Guild. Promise me you won’t pick a fight you can’t win.’

‘What can they do against the might of the varanya?’ Ariadnne tried to smile, but her mind was spiralling.

Nieve’s lip twisted as she bit it. ‘I don’t want to find out.’

Thirty-nine

Ariadnne

Are we going back to your wing, Miss?’ the skinny guard asked as they trailed after Ariadnne, who was setting a gruelling pace up the stairs away from the cell block.

‘You can, if you like,’ she replied stiffly. ‘I find myself no longer in need of your guidance.’

The guard’s brow rose, jaw clenching as he continued to stride along behind her. Ariadnne rolled her eyes at his obstinance.

She stopped as they emerged into the sunlight, shielding her eyes with a hand as she glanced around the parade grounds.