Dell pulled Kassander forward. “We need to get to the royal residence and find Edmund. He’ll help us.”

Kassander veered to the right into a hall flooded with light. Smoke seeped out under a door at the end.

“No guards,” Dell whispered to himself. “Cover your face, kid.”

Dell pressed his arm against his mouth and pushed the door open. Smoke curled around the ornate sitting room, choking the air from it.

Did they leave Edmund to die among flames?

Dell ran forward, stopping when he caught sight of the fire blazing along the tapestries on the wall. “Kassander, stay back,” he yelled.

His eyes stung as he forced open the first door he saw. Empty.

Kassander’s scream echoed through his mind, and he ran back the way he’d come to find a Madran soldier with a knife to Kassander’s throat. Dell pulled his knife free as he met the boy’s eyes, but before he could make a move, an arrow split through the attacker’s head, right between the eyes.

The knife he held nicked Kassander’s neck, drawing a bead of blood, before the man fell back away from the prince.

Dell prepared to fight whoever appeared to take the prince. A figure emerged in the smoke with two others behind him.

“Stev!” Kassander cried, flinging himself at his brother.

Prince Estevan didn’t take his eyes from Dell. “Are you going to put that down?” He gestured to the knife Dell continued to aim at him. “Dell Tenyson, Edmund trusts you, but I’d feel more comfortable if you didn’t try to stab me or the few guards who’ve chosen the right side in this.” He gestured to the men behind him.

Dell lowered the knife. Coughs racked his body, and he covered his mouth to keep the smoke at bay. “Where is Edmund? Have you seen him?”

Estevan shook his head. “One of my men said he’s here along with the rest of my family.” He moved closer.

Black grit streaked down the prince’s face and exhaustion lined his eyes. He breathed out, coughing as he inhaled more smoke. “We need to find them before it’s too late.”

Neither of them said what they were thinking as smoke swirled around them and the light of the flames flickered across the room.

It might already be too late.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The quiet of the tunnel sucked all life from Helena. She didn’t know what was going on in the palace or if her family was okay.

No one was coming to save her.

That thought swirled round and round in her mind until it latched on, refusing to break free.

No one was coming to save her.

So, she’d have to save herself.

She felt for the knife her mother had given her, its solid weight a comfort against the ice in her veins.