“Except to her reputation.” Ren crossed her arms. “You of all people should understand how important appearances are here in Kolonya.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rozalind scowled.

“Stop it,” Akeylah tried to say. But her voice stuck behind a lump in her throat.

Luckily, a deafening knock interrupted. Akeylah left the two glaring daggers at each other and crossed the chambers to peer outside.

“My lady.” A Talon in full uniform, leadership medals glinting on his chest, bowed. “I have come to receive my orders from His Majesty.”

“I’m afraid my father is indisposed at the moment.” Akeylah wedged her foot behind the door, so it would only open a crack. “I will inform him that you visited.”

The Talon frowned. “His Majesty and I have an appointment. He’ll be expecting me.”

“Something has come up.” Just a few weeks, and the Keep had made her a practiced liar.

The man’s eyes narrowed. “This is urgent. We need to know how to proceed regarding Lady Zofi. Your father told us he would decide by morning whether to hold a full trial or pass sentence in private. It is now early afternoon, well past his deadline. We require an answer.”

Behind her, Akeylah heard footsteps. Felt the familiar cool graze of Rozalind’s fingertips at the small of her back. “Thank you so much for coming.” Rozalind smiled. Akeylah eased the door open a little wider, both of their bodies blocking the Talon’s view. Behind her, she heard the swish of Ren drawing the bed curtains.

“As Lady Akeylah told you,” Rozalind continued, “my husband is currently occupied. But he has asked us to act as his go-betweens.”

“My father sees this as a family matter,” Ren said, joining them. “Not a spectacle for public consumption. He has decided against a trial.”

“I see.” The Talon hesitated. He clearly wanted to hear this from the king directly. But even a high-placed commander couldn’t question the authority of the king’s daughters—let alone two of them, plus his wife. “In that case, what are we to do with the prisoner, my ladies?”

“Release her,” Akeylah replied at once. Below the hems of their dresses, she felt Rozalind step on her heel. On the other side, Ren dug an elbow into her rib cage.

The Talon’s jaw dropped. “Release her? My lady, this is a dangerous prisoner, one your father instructed me to arrest with extra guards. I cannot believe his mind so utterly changed—”

“He doesn’t mean to release her into the Keep,” Akeylah amended quickly. The Talon wouldn’t believe her if she asked him to liberate Zofi completely. But maybe she could find another way around this. A way to give Zofi her freedom without arousing suspicion.