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Back The Alcazar Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. Part Two
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. Part Three
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. Part Four
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. Part Five
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. Part Six
  41. 32
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. Acknowledgments
  48. About the Author
  49. Books by Amy Ewing
  50. Back Ad
  51. About the Publisher

“The northern islands would not support me without an heir, you see,” Ambrosine said. “But then I heard you had applied to the university and I knew . . . Alethea’s daughter was returning to Pelago at last, to take her rightful place in the family. You were the linchpin I needed, Agnes. And once I am queen of the north, you will be a princess, won’t that be grand?”

She was beaming at Agnes like she was offering her a large serving of chocolate and not domination over a territory. A princess? Agnes had no interest in being a princess. She was supposed to study at the Academy of Sciences. She hadn’t come here to rule over anyone except herself.

Ambrosine reached out to take Agnes’s hand in both her own. Her fingers were bony but surprisingly strong.

“Oh, Agnes,” she said, triumph ringing in every word. “Don’t you see? We will finally be who we were meant to be—a family, all together where we belong. I wouldn’t want to start this journey with anyone else by my side. I had thought perhaps my son’s wife could—” She stopped herself and shook her head. “But that was foolish of me and makes no matter now. Think of it—when you have daughters they will be princesses, and then their daughters and theirs after. We will make the Byrne family live in the minds and hearts of our people for generations to come. We will truly leave our mark on this world. And it all starts now, it starts with us together. It is everything I have ever wanted.”

But Agnes didn’t want to have daughters. Or sons. She didn’t want to leave a mark on the world or start a new line of queens. Her grandmother pulled her to her feet and wrapped her arms around her, engulfing Agnes in the scent of lace and jasmine, and it was what Agnes had always dreamed of and yet not at all the way she’d pictured it.

Ambrosine released her and held Agnes by the shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. “I see her in you,” she said. “Not the way she lives in Leo. But I see her.”

“Really?” Agnes asked, her spirits soaring because this was truly all she had ever wanted to hear, her whole life.

“Really,” Ambrosine said, and then kissed her lightly on the cheek. “We have so much catching up to do! I’m sorry to spring this all on you so suddenly, but there simply wasn’t time to waste. Much has happened since your flight from Ithilia. Now, come. Let’s get some hot food in you. And I’m sure you will be wanting to see your brother and Sera.”

Agnes allowed herself to be led from the room, her thoughts in turmoil, her homecoming not going at all the way she had expected.

28

Sera