Razel held it up. “I was just going to take the crow, but with your feelings for the boy, I thought he might be useful for motivating you to do as I say.”

She tossed the paper into the flames. I lurched, watching as glowing embers ate away at the edges of the drawing until nothing but ash remained.

Out of the corner of my eye, I vaguely registered Ericen’s shocked then hurt expression.

Razel pounced on it. “Oh, Eri dear, didn’t you know? I thought she would have told you.”

I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t even know if I should say something to him. My heart cracked open, releasing a storm inside my chest. Everything was happening too fast, and it was all out of my control.

Razel smiled. “This is the problem with having people you care about—they can be used against you.”

“What do you want?” I snarled.

“The secret, of course.”

To hatching.

Slowly, things fell into place. By marrying me to Ericen, Razel would not only gain control of Rhodaire if something happened to Kuren and Caliza, she’d also gain control of the crows. She could hatch as many as she needed year after year, because she would have me, and my blood, and my experience.

She’d have an army perfectly suited for taking control not only of Rhodaire but the entire continent.

I swallowed hard. That was what Ericen had been looking for in the library in Aris: information on crows.

Razel approached me, and I tensed. “I intended to wear you down, to break you until you did as you should and obeyed me. Come the winter solstice, I’d have an army. Imagine my surprise when I learned I didn’t have to wait so very long.”

The girl holding Caylus smirked. She must have known what had happened when Res had lost control of his powers and gone straight to her queen.

Razel stopped a step away. My fingers twitched, desperate to snatch Res from her hold. “Now, Thia dear, you will hatch me my army.”

“No.”

She smiled and then nodded to the female guard beside Caylus. There was a cry, and I spun as she knocked Caylus to the ground. She kicked him again, driving her foot into his ribs, his legs, his back. He curled into a ball, trying to protect his stomach.

“Stop it!” I yelled.

Razel raised a hand. The guard froze midkick and lowered her leg.

“The secret,” she said.

“Don’t!” Caylus rasped. “Don’t do it, Thia.”

I stared at him, paralyzed. Razel would kill him if I didn’t, but I couldn’t give her what she wanted. She would destroy everything.

“Is this really necessary?” Ericen demanded.

I whirled around to face him.

He stared imploringly at his mother, his hands clenched. “You’re forcing her to make a difficult choice. Give her time.”