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Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. Acknowledgements
  62. Discover More
  63. extras
  64. meet the author
  65. A Preview of "The Foxglove King"
  66. A Preview of "The Stardust Thief"
  67. BY ANDREA STEWART
  68. Praise for Andrea Stewart

Her hands ached, her back ached, and all she could smell was juniper and all she could hear were screams. But she could feel a change in the pace as they worked side by side, a turning of tides.

At last, only three bodies remained. She reached back and no shards met her palm. “Coral?”

“I’ve no more.”

Nisong dared to turn. The first thing she saw was Frond, laid out on the stones of the courtyard, his knife still clutched in his hand. An arrow was embedded in his chest. Nisong crept to him, exhausted, already knowing what she would find and dreading it.

Rain dripped onto his sightless eyes, running into the furrows by his eyes. He’d not carve any more figurines. She’d promised him freedom and a life outside of Maila and had brought him death instead.

She pushed aside the guilt. They’d already suffered losses on this march toward Imperial; they would suffer more before the end. Nisong scanned the courtyard.

Only a few scattered combatants remained, cornered into the walls by the constructs. The rest of the soldiers had retreated.

She sagged to the paving stones, her hand still on Frond’s chest. They’d won.

18

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Lin

Riya Island

Thrana screeched again and fear lanced through me, white-hot as a lightning bolt. I barely felt the ground meeting my feet as I ran to the entrance hall and up the palace stairs. I wasn’t sure what I’d do when I got there; I carried no weapons. I just knew that I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

I burst through the door to my rooms. Something struck me on the side, carrying me to the ground. Someone was on top of me, his face swathed in dark cloth, a knife glinting in his hand.

My bones hummed with energy. I slammed a hand at the assassin’s wrist and saw the blade go skittering away.

And then Jovis was lifting the assassin off me, his face enraged. He threw him to the side and his body struck one of the chairs in my sitting room. The assassin groaned but rolled to his knees.

Thrana.

I caught glimpses of movement as I thrust myself to my feet. One more assassin, circling Mephi and Thrana. Only Mephi was fighting back. Even though Thrana was larger, she shrank away, letting out pitiful shrieks each time he tried to strike. Mephi’s muzzle was bloodied, though I couldn’t be sure if that was his blood or one of the assassins’.

I kicked the door behind me shut. “I can help,” I said to Jovis, my voice low.

“I’m the Captain of the Imperial Guard,” Jovis said. “I’m supposed to protect you.”