The land and its spirits had made their own sacrifice to mend the Raven Crown, giving up to Cordelia as much as she had given up to them. Now all of their vast green power lay in Cordelia’s control, just as it had for the Raven Kings and Queens of old … and she would never be anyone’s helpless pawn again.

“I’m not having any regents, and you’re not taking control of this kingdom.” Spiky bushes of thorns erupted from the grass around her as Cordelia stalked forward in her bloodstained old green linen gown, the earth rumbling underneath the dukes’ and duchesses’ feet. “You will release Connall from those cuffs right now,” she snarled, “free Alys from wherever you’ve put her, and take off that horrible collar from my mother, or I’ll pull down that castle to do it myself!”

“She can,” Rosalind told them, “and she will. But even if she didn’t …” She lifted her square chin proudly. “I’d get Mother free with my sword, no matter how many soldiers stood against me!” The memory of victory rang in her voice, until Cordelia could almost see the remnants of those shattered arrows before them.

“Actually,” said Giles firmly, “we would do it together. Our family will never be separated again. Not by anybody. We will all be safe and respected in my sister’s court.”

Every duke and duchess opened their mouth at once to argue … but the ground leaped up beneath them before they could utter a word and tipped them all into obedient bows.

As they reluctantly lowered their heads in acceptance, Giles’s best performing smile broke across his face. “Excellent,” he said. “Now you may all lead us to our mother.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

It took an absurdly long argument before Cordelia could finally start up the circular staircase to the castle tower where Mother had been imprisoned. The dukes—Arden and Lune in particular—were adamant that, as queen, Cordelia should sit in state in the grand throne room and wait for Mother to be summoned to her side. Nothing that any of the children said made any difference—until Rosalind finally cut through all of their bluster.

“Don’t waste any more of your breath,” she snapped. “We already know exactly how the two of you have kept her, so there’s no point in trying to hide the ugly details. The three of us saw her in that prison cell days ago.”

“You … did?” Lune’s eyebrows shot up.

The duchess of Solenne looked smug.

Arden’s face reddened with furious chagrin.

The sidelong looks that they all gave one another were anything but reassuring.