A rivulet of cold fear trickled down Raisa’s spine and pooled in her middle. Unfolding the note, she scanned the page. The looping scrawl was familiar, spotted with teardrops.

Raisa, I am so, so sorry. I was so angry with you, and so frightened for Micah, that I did a foolish thing. I tried to follow after Micah to warn him. But I was captured outside the walls. Now Captain Karn says he will torture me to death if you don’t surrender. He will do it, I know he will. He has the eyes of a fiend.

He says it’s only a matter of time before the keep falls anyway. If you surrender, you will be kept as a hostage in the south. I will be married to Ardenine nobility, and the Fells will be a vassal state to Arden. Perhaps that wouldn’t be so bad.

Otherwise, I will die now and you will be executed when the castle is taken.

Whatever decision you make, I will understand. I have no right to ask it, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I am so frightened. Your sister, HRH Mellony ana’Marianna.

P.S. If I should die, please tell Micah that I love him. I love you too, and hope you will pray for me.

Raisa’s heart stuttered, and then hammered a painful cadence under her rib cage. She knew that it was true—that if she went to Mellony’s room she’d find it empty.

An image came back to Raisa—of Mellony as a child, kneeling in the temple next to Marianna, head bowed, sunlight gilding her hair. Her little sister had always believed that if she played by the rules, nothing bad could happen.

That’s the way it should be, Raisa thought. Mellony’s simple faith had been a fragile, precious thing. But she had lost her mother and Micah, and now she stood to die a horrible death. Raisa could not—would not—let that happen.

Kip seemed compelled to fill the silence. “Commander Karn had me and Keith look over anybody who tried to get through the cordon around the castle, because he knew we’d recognize you even if you were in disguise. The Princess Mellony was dressed up as a boy, but she doesn’t look very boyish. I recognized her right away.”

“So you betrayed my sister to the southerners?” Raisa’s voice trembled with rage and grief.

Kip belatedly seemed to realize that confession had its risks. “I had no idea what he intended. I just want this whole thing to be over. You know what’s going to happen at the end of it. Why not save dozens of lives and weeks of…of trouble?” He raised both hands, palms up. “Why can’t you be reasonable?”