You’re one to talk. I managed to keep the words inside my head, but I couldn’t stop my face from contorting with fury.

Razel tilted her head, considering me like a lamb for slaughter. “You think I’m the monster, don’t you? Yet you’re the ones who sent soldiers to decimate entire families, to tear them apart in front of the ones they love.”

“Those soldiers weren’t under orders—”

“Is that what your mother told you? That she didn’t know Lord Turren was planning to kill not only my family but countless Illucian innocents? Innocents like Shearen’s mother?”

Shearen paled, swallowing hard.

“Of course she didn’t,” I said.

Razel laughed. “Poor dear. You’ve been lied to. Your mother knew full well what Lord Turren was doing. She gave the order.”

My stomach flipped, and the ground tilted, even as my mind screamed she was lying.

“Enough.” Ericen’s voice was quiet but strong. I clung to it, reassuring myself Razel was only trying to get inside my head.

She rounded on him. “You’re right, Eri. That’s not why we’re here.” She twirled the moonblade, eyes roving over Kiva. “We’re here because my servant refuses to tell me what she’s done with the letter she took from my room.”

My eyes flickered to Auma, who to my surprise had shed her meek exterior entirely. She stood straight, hands clasped so tight, the knuckles had turned white, as if her hands couldn’t be trusted not to wrap themselves around the queen’s throat. Razel had clearly tried to beat the information out of her to no avail.

“What letter?” I asked.

Razel smiled dangerously. “I was hoping you’d make this difficult.”

She glided over to one of the two hearths housing a strong fire and pulled a key out of her pocket, tossing it into the flames. Tension crept up my shoulders and into the back of my neck.

“I can take your friend away whenever I want. I can take your kingdom whenever I want.” She stalked toward me. “I can make you do whatever I want, whenever I want, because if you don’t listen, if you continue to defy me, I will take everything from you.”

My throat closed.

Razel twirled her moonblade and smiled that vicious, sharklike smile. “Retrieve the key.”

“What?”

Razel stepped past me, holding the edge of the moonblade to Kiva’s chest. “The key is to your friend’s shackles. Get it, or I start carving her pretty snow-white skin.”

My mind refused to process Razel’s words. I stared first at her, then Ericen, whose face had gone pale, before settling at last on the flames. They snapped like liquid orange teeth, waiting to tear me apart.

I have to get the key.