Those were Lamia’s words…

“Alexis, you mistake me.” The desperation in her voice mirrored that twisting in her gut. “I’ve barely enough for Lily, much less two of them. They’ll both go hungry.” But Lily was half human, and would suffer more for it.

“Find a way to make it work.”

“It’s impossible.”

Alexis let go of her shoulders. “Then you must prioritize. And if the Princess does not thrive, you will suffer the consequences.”

“Lily’s your daughter, too!” The words slipped out, and she desperately wished to take them back, because she knew how he would respond. And she didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want the fragile hope that he would change the laws for her sake to fall into pieces.

“The life of a bastard half-blood destined for servitude means nothing compared to that of a princess of Trollus.”

Her hope shattered, and she took a step back.

“Anushka, you know I love you.” His lips brushed hers, and she cringed. “If you love me, you’ll do this. Don’t make me resort to threats.”

As if she had any choice. Escape was impossible – she was as trapped as they were. The only option was to do what he asked, and then when they dug their way out, she’d flee. Take Lily and as much gold as she could get her hands on, and run as far away from this cursed Isle as she could get. Back to the north, where folk knew ways to resist the fey.

I opened my eyes to find my mother staring back at me. “Has that changed?” she asked, face full of an old sorrow.

I wanted to say that it had, that Tristan was trying to rid Trollus of slavery and oppression, but then I thought of Lessa. “What happened to her?”

“I’ll show you.”

Anushka sat in the royal nursery, exhausted and afraid, but determination burned in her heart. The trolls were close to freedom – Alexis had told her himself. It was only a matter of time.

For two weeks, she’d nursed the two babies, favoring the Princess as was required, while the hungry cries of her own daughter broke her heart. She plotted her escape; and at every possible chance, she wandered the rooms of the palace, stealing gold where she found it. One more day, he’d said. One more day.

“Freedom is very nearly upon us.”

A woman’s voice: soft, cultured, and troll to the core. Lamia.

Anushka rose, then curtsied low. “Your Majesty.”

The troll queen was dressed in a plain black dress that emphasized an almost painful leanness, her face beautiful, but in a sharp and angular way. She did not look like a woman who often smiled, but I suspected she was not often given cause.

Lamia walked to the Princess’s bassinet and ran fingers softly across the girl’s forehead. “She appears well.”

“She thrives, Your Majesty.”

“And in somewhat less than an hour’s time, she will no longer be your burden.”

There was no threat in the Queen’s voice, but Anushka all but shook with terror. Slowly, she edged her way toward where Lily lay sleeping, but an invisible barrier had materialized in her way.