Galen stared at her, his mouth closing and opening as the mortified light in his eyes grew brighter. “I will push you off this cliff.”

Ranka grinned. They lapsed into an easy, amicable silence, and though the rains kept coming, they were gentler now, falling in slow, warm waves. From the city, whoops could be heard in the streets, mingling with the wild laughter of a people relieved to have a break in the drought at last. Even the grass seemed brighter. All of Isodal was waking up, as if the surge of Galen’s magic had reminded the land of something old and alive.

Ranka elbowed him. “My fingers are pruning. Let’s go inside.”

Water dripped off his nose, his eyelashes, his chin. He cast her a wary look. “If you say anything to Percy—”

“Oh, for the love of—it was a joke.” She paused. “I’d like to be invited to the wedding, though. I’m very fun at parties.”

“Ranka!”

She laughed, and he elbowed her, which only made her laugh harder. They made their way back to the palace, teeth chattering in the downpour, Ranka poking fun at Galen, Galen becoming more and more wound up as she teased him. It was nice to see him like this—flustered and smiling, a flicker of his old self returning. To see him finally breathe easy, a boy in love laughing in the rain, momentarily freed from the weight of a country on his shoulders.

A wave of dread dampened her ease. Because in five days, if Ranka couldn’t convince Ongrum that the right course of action was mercy, not murder, Galen Sunra would cease to breathe at all.

34

ARAMIS WAS HIDING SOMETHING.

At first Ranka thought she was being paranoid, but as they moved through their lessons, it was plain the princess was distracted and on edge. But when questioned, Aramis shut her down. It was beginning to irritate Ranka. Something had shifted between them after Foldrey’s death. There was a new understanding that even though she and Aramis could still hardly stand each other, they were a team.

Or so she’d thought.

Now Ranka hid in the stables, waiting for Aramis to show. Something moved in the rafters, but it was only a barn owl, its eyes gleaming like twin coins.

Maybe I’m being foolish.

Ranka was about to leave when footsteps echoed ahead and Aramis stepped inside. She glanced around and threw her shoulder against the hay bale concealing the hatch to the mines.

Ranka stepped out of the shadows. “Going somewhere?”

“Agh!” The princess threw her hands up and toppled backward. Aramis glared up at her and put a hand to her heart. “What are you doing here? You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“What are you doing here?” Ranka shot back.

Aramis scowled at her, and Ranka offered her a hand.