In response, Zofi pulled his face to hers. Their lips collided. He tasted like smoke from the fire, like the earth after rain. He was warm and solid and real, his body taut against hers, and as her lips parted to let him in, the world shrank to just the two of them.

For the first time since she’d left Kolonya, something finally felt right.

13

Florencia

Four days. Four days of pacing her chambers. She counted twenty steps from the main entrance to the bathing chamber. Ten steps bed to window, ten more from bed to serving entrance.

Ren had long since memorized the voices of the various Talons outside. She’d nicknamed the ones by the serving entrance Gabby and Snarky, the former always complaining about something, the latter responding with bemused sarcasm. But even Snarky didn’t defend Ren when Gabby went on a tirade about his cousin who drowned at Burnt Bay.

When she wasn’t listening to Talon gossip or counting steps, Ren occupied herself as best she could. Mama visited a few times, though she usually brought more disheartening tales. Stories of nobles arguing in favor of Ren’s execution. Lord Rueno was the loudest of them all.

Audrina wrote to say she’d visit when she could. Ren wrote her more than a few letters in response, though she tried to stick to mundane details. The sort of things they used to talk about, back before their friendship strained under the pressure of Ren’s new position. She hoped Audrina read the letters, understood that Ren wanted things to go back to normal between them.

Not that it would much matter, she supposed, if Rueno took her head.

She wrote to Akeylah most often. She begged for news of their father, word from Zofi, updates on what was happening in the Keep. Akeylah sent back one-line answers. No change in Father. No word from Zofi. Keep under control. More when I have time.

None of the details Ren craved. What’s happening out there? she wanted to scream.

The only information she’d received so far had been from Danton. He told her about all the appointments Akeylah had been taking—the council of lords, individual petitioners, even a regional council meeting yesterday. In it, Danton told her, Akeylah had spoken against putting Ren on trial. She supposed that was something. Though from his description, it would only be a matter of time. The other ambassadors pushed for more direct action. Ren knew Akeylah wouldn’t be able to delay much longer.

On the morning of her fourth day locked in this bedroom, the sort of chamber she’d once coveted, but which now felt impossibly small, Mama visited again, this time carrying breakfast.

“Mama.” Ren flung herself into her mother’s arms before she had a chance to set down the tray. It had only been two days since Ren had seen her, but that felt like an eternity in here.