“I lost not a sister in battle to these men, who are not warriors,” Ophelia stated, throwing a hand in the direction of the battlefield, such as it was. “However, if I did, I would be even more infuriated than I already am with my sister lying abed, her future survival unlikely, not twenty feet away. Not to mention having to ask my sisters to ride under the threat of any battle, this being that they may be harmed or killed. And I can share with you that a condemnation of the event without any teeth in it coming from the Dome City would not appease me in the slightest.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?” she asked.

He nodded. “I truly do. However, I am but one man. And the enormity of this issue is paralyzing those who might have some power to do something about it.”

“This is not good enough. For we took prisoners. We will interrogate those—”

She stopped speaking when she saw Agnes galloping toward them on her horse.

Liam turned and they both watched as Agnes reined in when she was close before she swung off.

She wasted nary a second leading her steed to her queen.

“We’ve received a bird,” Agnes declared. “The Rising launched another attack. They somehow infiltrated the temple during Prince True’s wedding.” She cast a filthy glance at Liam before she finished, “Queen Mercy was slain.”

Ophelia took a step back, such was the blow.

“One of True’s guard was severely injured,” Agnes carried on. “Two others took arrows, but they will be fine. Farah also took an arrow. A flesh wound. She, too, will recover.”

Without hesitation, Ophelia launched in at Liam.

“We regularly beat back those who wish to bring down The Enchantments. But that,” she stabbed a finger in the direction of Notting Thicket, “that will not be abided. There will be no understanding thus no acceptance that these are not the actions of,” she spiked her finger at Liam, “your people. All of you. If True does not wrest control, your temples will be overrun. Your priests will be in danger. You must communicate immediately with this level of priests you speak of who discuss these things and urge them strongly to renounce this Rising. If you do not, your home, your followers, your teachers and physicians, your entire faith will be in jeopardy.”

He was shaken, she could tell by the paleness of his skin and his whisper of, “I did not know they had this planned.”

“That doesn’t matter. Now you do,” Ophelia snapped. “Get thee to a goddess-damned bird.”

He nodded, turned and did not dally.

He took off running.

Agnes’s voice was much changed when she said, “My queen, we have also located the maimed one.”

Ophelia’s head turned to her lieutenant.

“The one who perpetrated this atrocity, has he been identified?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“And he is alive?”

“Yes.”

Ophelia nodded. “Let us see to this matter without delay.”

“Yes, my queen,” Agnes murmured.