Chapter Seventeen

The three days leading up to the Awakening passed in relative quiet, with no further visitors to the suite of rooms. It wasn't surprising that the demons would have their own tasks to attend to, but Tanitha was still oddly frustrated with the reprieve; traditionally, the days before the Awakening were a time for ritual purification and introspection, and the last thing that she wanted at that point was to drown in her own thoughts and fears. She would have welcomed a distraction from that, even if it had been in the form of antagonistic needling from Alethia or Naratha.

Fortunately, there was another distraction readily to hand. She immersed herself in practice and study, and Lithra stayed at her side from dawn to dusk to assist, urging her as far as she could go with each thing she tried.

The day before the dawn that would herald the Awakening, she and Lithra had made a few token attempts at traditional observances, sending for meals associated with cleansing and purification, but otherwise they kept at their dogged practice. So it was a surprise when, as evening was just beginning to deepen, a summons for both Lithra and Tanitha arrived from Prince Kaion.

Though still quite uncertain of how much she trusted Kaion herself, Tanitha still offered quiet reassurances to an obviously concerned Lithra as they followed the guards who'd been sent to fetch them. The guards took them to another quarter of the palace altogether, finally stopping in a broad hall edged on one side by a balcony that was partially blocked off by beautifully embroidered screens and diaphanous red silk curtains.

One of the guards drew aside a curtain, bowing slightly as Tanitha and Lithra passed him. As the curtain fell back into place behind them, Prince Kaion stood from where he'd been seated. Tanitha barely noticed, however; her attention was much more immediately taken up by the woman beside him.

"Good evening," Alethia said. Unlike Kaion, she hadn't risen from her chair. Her gaze lingered on Lithra, who'd gone quite pale. Alethia gave her a long look as if sizing her up, then nodded.

"You were right," she said to Kaion. "She'll do."

"She'll do for what ?" Tanitha asked sharply, crossing the room to position herself directly between Lithra and the two demons. "She's under Prince Darius' direct protection and has been for weeks," she said, trying not to look at Kaion for reassurance; he'd be of infinitely less help to her if it became obvious that he had the tiniest amount of sympathy for her. She couldn't rely on any displays of goodwill.

She took a stiff breath. "Just leave Lithra be," she said.

"There's no need to be so anxious," Alethia said, with the faintest hint of an eyeroll. "She's in no danger. At least, that's true so long as everyone adheres to their roles tonight." She looked at Tanitha with a faint challenge in her gaze.

"Lithra isn't a part of this," Tanitha said flatly, though her mind was racing, trying to understand what ‘role' Alethia might be referring to. "You'll have what you need from me in whatever charade is necessary," she said. "But you're going to leave Lithra alone."

Prince Kaion cleared his throat. "Alethia is correct that this will not endanger your sister, Tanitha. We simply need her for a public appearance."

Tanitha might have tried to moderate the edge of distrust that she knew had hardened in her eyes when he spoke, but then decided that it wasn't worth the effort. In fact, it might benefit her if Alethia thought she was on less-than-friendly terms with him. Even if she felt that might rapidly be becoming the truth.

"Why," she asked slowly, "might Lithra be needed for a public appearance?"

"Traditionally, a prince's intended must be presented to the people, and the Awakening would be an ideal time," Kaion said. He seemed to be trying very hard to avoid Alethia's gaze. "Since…"

"Since it was previously announced that I would be presented in that way," Alethia finished for him sweetly. He rubbed his temple once before giving a reluctant nod. Alethia looked back at Tanitha. "And of course, it's also expected that Prince Darius fulfill his ceremonial role in the Awakening."

Tanitha's heart leapt. "You're releasing him?" she asked.

"For the evening," Alethia affirmed coolly. "Though there is a difficulty. Given his present state, we can't allow you within a thousand paces of him," she said, her gaze hardening as she looked Tanitha over. "Which is where your lovely sister comes into play."

"We need to be certain that Darius is motivated to fulfill his role tonight and do nothing else," Kaion said, before Tanitha could protest this. "So, Tanitha, you will spend the evening in Alethia's company, and Lithra will come with me. She'll stand in for you at the ceremony. No demons present would think it odd that we might use a decoy for you, for several reasons, but they would think it odd if Darius isn't in attendance."

"And if I refuse?" Lithra asked. Tanitha looked back at her. There was obvious strain in the set of her shoulders, a faint tremble running through her body, but her gaze was nonetheless direct as she looked at Alethia. "If I don't agree to play a part in this little pageant you all have running?"

Alethia leaned against the back of her chair, her posture languid and relaxed. "I suppose we could simply allow Tanitha to attend," she said, lightly touching one hand to the underside of her chin in feigned consideration. "Of course, we would be obligated to remove her tongue first, to mitigate the most serious risk she poses…"

Tanitha felt herself go pale. Lithra made a horrified noise. Alethia waited, eyebrows slightly raised.

"All right," Lithra said, her voice a bit strangled. "All right. I'll do it."

"I'm glad we're all in agreement," Alethia said, with easy equanimity. "Prince Kaion, you'll see to Lithra?"

Tanitha held her peace— barely— while Lithra left with Prince Kaion. Alethia maintained her relaxed, casual posture until they were gone. The moment they were, however, she stood up abruptly, her manner making a quick shift from nonchalance to tight resolve.

"Now that he's out of the way," she said, a faint edge to her voice, "let's go."

Tanitha eyed her. Her wariness of Darius' brother notwithstanding, she didn't believe that he'd leave her with someone who meant her imminent harm… but that was only if he knew she meant imminent harm.

"And where, exactly, am I to be kept this evening?" she asked. Knowing Alethia, wherever they were going, it was bound to be somewhere deeply unpleasant. She struggled to keep a sardonic edge from her voice as she added, "Somewhere damp with an excess of rats, I presume?"

Alethia gave a quiet scoff. "It might surprise you to learn that I have more important things to do than sit with you in some putrid dungeon. I have been assigned to ensure you stay far away from Darius— I should probably tell you that you should not hope for him to attempt to rescue you, since I've been instructed to kill you rather than allow that to happen— but that's far from my most pressing duty tonight." There was something odd in her manner, a hint of strain that Tanitha had never seen in her before. "So, let's be off. You and I have other places to be."

She flung aside the deep crimson curtains. Tanitha didn't move.

"Where?" Tanitha asked flatly. Though she was trying to seem unbothered and unthreatened, her heart was beating hard. Alethia was going to have at least two more chances to see her dead through the Trials. But that didn't mean she was unlikely to try something underhanded if the opportunity presented itself.

Alethia cast an impatient look over her shoulder before turning to face Tanitha fully. "The stables. And I recommend you not waste my time."

"The stables," Tanitha repeated.

"Yes. You have a Trial to accomplish."

Tanitha's heart stuttered. " What ?" she demanded, completely abandoning her efforts to seem unruffled.

"There has been an incident," Alethia said, her voice still very level. "One Her Majesty believes you should address."

" Tonight ?" Tanitha asked in open disbelief—what manner of Trial could possibly occur the night of the Awakening? "What kind of incident?"

"You'll see when we arrive. And the faster we manage that, the more time you'll have to accomplish your task," Alethia said. "Let's go."

Kai pushed the last of the iron grates that had stood between Darius and freedom aside. The courtyard they emerged into was completely silent, empty except for the trees whose fronds swayed gently in the cool evening breeze. Darius wasn't surprised by the quiet; Kai had clearly been fastidious about ensuring that no one would see the crown prince emerging from a dungeon.

He stepped forward, stretching out his wings in a way that hadn't been possible in the confines of the basalt cell. The warmth of the last rays of sun settled over him from above, and he took a slow breath as it caressed his skin even through the ceremonial robe that Kai had brought him.

He had not realized how much he missed the light.

Just at that moment, though, something else struck him. A sense, a strange sensation like a rippling over his spirit. He straightened, going still as realization struck.

Tanitha. Free from the meters of stone and earth that had dampened his senses, he could feel her.

"Darius." Kai's voice brought him back to the present. He looked at him. Kai's gaze was hooded and weary, but there was a note of understanding there that clearly told Darius that he knew what had just struck him.

"You're remembering what I told you?" Kai asked, his voice low. "You're remembering who she's with right now?"

Darius' stomach clenched with anger. He was, in fact, remembering. Tanitha was being kept somewhere, presumably in the palace, with none other than Alethia, who apparently was under strict instruction to murder Tanitha rather than allow her anywhere near Darius. And Darius was supposed to let that stand. He was supposed to just leave Tanitha in the grasp of someone who would harm her in any way she could simply for revenge on him.

For a moment, the warmth of the sun and the sensation of air finally flowing free around him gave rise to a feeling of recklessness. He could do it. He could transform into a hawk and trace his bond with Tanitha to find her. Alethia was strong and vicious, yes. But if he was quick, and stealthy until the last moment…

"Darius," Kai said sharply. Darius gave himself a little shake. Now wasn't the time. He'd already decided the best moment to make his move, and this was not it. "She wouldn't thank you for it."

Darius looked at him sideways. "What?"

"She wouldn't thank you for it," Kai repeated. "Tanitha. She doesn't want the kind of life that an escape would lead to. Or, for that matter…" He trailed off, apparently thinking better of whatever he'd been about to say.

Or the kind of death that an escape would lead to . Although Kai hadn't actually said the words, they still rang harsh in Darius' ears.

Darius clenched his jaw. He almost asked how Kai knew Tanitha's thoughts on the matter, but then, a memory that had been lurking just under the surface since the moment it had occurred resurged in his mind. The moment that Kai, just minutes after assuring Darius that he could help him, had instead brought Naratha straight to him.

Darius could ask Kai how he knew what Tanitha wanted, yes. But he had no way of knowing if the answer would be truth or a well-meaning lie. It was already abundantly clear that Kai would do as he saw fit regarding Darius' safety. Whatever Kai chose to do, it would be done absolutely irrespective of Darius' opinion on the matter.

So instead of asking, Darius just gave Kai a reproachful look. "I wasn't thinking about doing anything," he said.

"You were," Kai said flatly. "I know you well enough to know that."

"I'm glad one of us feels like they know the other well," Darius retorted.

Kai rounded on him. "I didn't want any of this, you know," he said, a quick lance of anger in his tone. "Everything I did, I did to protect you."

"I don't need your protection ," Darius snapped. "I am not in danger. But she is. If you really care to help me, then try protecting her! "

Kai looked like he was forcing down any number of sharp responses, but then slowly, a tired look of defeat spread across his features. Finally, quietly, he said, "That is exactly what I am doing when I beg you to cooperate tonight. I promise."

Darius let his shoulders drop, as if he were feeling that same exhausted defeat. He needed Kai to think him weary and pliable for the evening, if his plan was to work.

"Can you guarantee me that Alethia won't hurt her out of spite?" he asked, his voice low with feigned weariness.

"Oh, she would if she had the opportunity," Kai said, his mouth forming a grim line. "She absolutely would. But she doesn't have that opportunity tonight, and she knows it. I made sure she remembered that you'd be able to sense Tanitha the moment you were clear of the dungeons. She won't risk the consequences of you sensing pain from Tanitha, even for a moment."

That was likely true. Vindictive though Alethia might be, she wasn't a fool, and she was nothing if not strategic.

And yet, Darius could sense pain from Tanitha. No fear, though. Just a pained, quiet sort of longing.

Suddenly, realization struck him. That longing, that reaching of the soul toward him… she could sense him, too.

He closed his eyes for a bare second against what felt suspiciously like tears, though he couldn't even remember the last time an open display of emotions had threatened to overwhelm him.

He wanted so badly to go to her. But he had to wait. Just a little longer. He could do that. And then… and then Tanitha would be free of all this.

"Come on," Kai said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Lithra is waiting for you."