He laughed. “I’m sure. You first then, little Crow Queen. Throw away your quiver and friend’s sword, then shut the door once we’re out.”

I locked eyes with Kiva, and she nodded. Slowly, I removed Sinvarra and tossed it aside. Her eyes followed the sword mournfully, and I flung my quiver beside it. Shearen moved back to let me pass, and I slid around them and climbed the stairs. Shearen marched us down the hall and back the way we’d come to the main corridor.

Forcing myself to take slow breaths and stay calm, I worked through our options. Shearen wouldn’t kill me. If I could get him away from Kiva, we might have a chance. I slowed, my gaze sliding toward them. There was no way. Shearen would cut her before I could act.

“What did you mean we weren’t supposed to see the eggs yet?” I asked. A small stain of blood had bloomed on Kiva’s right side. Fury twisted through me.

Shearen smirked. “We know you hatched a crow.”

My heart stumbled, and me nearly along with it. They knew about Res. Frantically, I reached for the cord between us.

It was quiet.

My breath caught, panic rising to fill my throat. How had they found out? Had someone seen the storm and investigated? Panic rose like a wave, my breathing turning shallow. Why couldn’t I feel him? Why—

“Thia,” Kiva hissed.

I jerked back from the edge of my spiral, sucking down a sharp breath of cold air. Losing myself to fear wouldn’t help. But Res… And if they knew about him, then—

My stomach dropped. Caylus. Razel might not hurt the crow, but she had no reason to spare Caylus.

“Thinking about your inventor friend?” Shearen asked, directing us down the hall toward the throne room with a sharp prod into Kiva’s back.

I snarled. “If you’ve hurt—”

Shearen laughed. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you? Does Eri know that?”

Eri. There was something in his voice when he said the nickname. A familiarity Ericen and I didn’t have. What had Shearen said to him out on the tower? They’d almost looked like friends.

“He won’t like what you’re doing right now.” I tried to manage the panic threatening to overtake my voice.

I tugged along the cord again, praying the silence had been a fluke. There was no answer, but the cord hadn’t broken. It felt like it did when Res was asleep but without the gentle contentment, as if I were linked to a stone wall. I pulled harder, trying to wake him, but got only fuzzy humming in return.

“Last I heard, you two weren’t on talking terms,” Shearen said.

“Lovers’ quarrel,” Kiva interjected. “I’m sure he’ll have your head on a stick by morning.”