Dell wiped his own tears away. So, this was how it ended. A dead king and queen. A murdered princess, and a captured prince.

Estevan pulled back. “Find Quinn. He’ll help you keep them safe.”

Them. Them. Dell stared into Helena’s pale face. She didn’t need to be kept safe any longer.

Guards hauled Estevan to his feet and formed up around him.

As another gripped Edmund’s arm and yanked him forward, he met Dell’s watery gaze. “Get Helena and Kassander to the docks. Bemus will help you. If they had word of the rebellion, the ship would have waited for us.”

The ship. Corban.

This wasn’t the end after all. If he made it in time.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The final look Cole Rhodipus gave his sister would be forever burned into Dell’s mind. Eyes blazing with both fury and desperation as he watched her breathing slow. A jaw clenching and unclenching as he fought to keep any emotion from flickering across his face.

It was painfully obvious to anyone who watched him.

He may have hated his lot in life, but his sister had existed outside of the burning embers of his pain. She’d been the light in the otherwise dark world.

Dell knew because she acted as the same guiding force for him. And they were both going to lose her.

Cole issued orders to his men to escort Dell from the palace along with the near-dead princess. Estevan bent to kiss her cheek, a single tear breaking the facade of strength he emitted.

“Go.” Edmund’s voice thickened. “I’ll be there soon. Make sure she stays with us, Dell. Don’t you lose her.”

He only nodded, the words he wanted to say clogging in his throat.

He’d come to the palace to protect Helena. No other reason. And he’d failed. But he wouldn’t fail in this.

Bemus disappeared with one of the guards, returning a moment later with the half-conscious Kassander cradled in his arms.

A second guard attempted to lift Len from Dell’s lap.

“No.” Dell shifted Len to the ground and stood. He couldn’t stand the thought of rebel hands on her. He bent, sliding one arm underneath her back and the other under the bend in her legs. Her hair fell loose of her bun and fell in wild waves over his arm.

“Keep pressure on her wound,” Bemus said, leaning in. “And don’t let any of them know she still lives.”

Dell nodded, wedging the ball of cloth against him to keep it pressed to the gash as Helena’s life continued to seep from her.