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“The princess speaks only sense.”
“The real traitor is here, and it’s not these poor women!”
“She’s a liar!” Kirwan bellowed. “None of this is true, you must believe me!”
Facing the priestesses, I bowed. “Thank you for allowing me to speak as an ally to Lyrica and to peace. I give all that I’ve said to the judgement of Meya, for she is wisdom and truth. She will make the right decision here today.”
“She will, and she has,” said the priestess. “Meya declares these women innocent—”
“No!”
“—release them at once.”
“NO!”
I stood, rising up beside Kirwan. “I told you,” I whispered. “Everything you do to my mother, I’ll do to you—tenfold.”
Kirwan stilled. Flicking down, he latched immediately on my darkening ends. The ebony had climbed high enough to be unmistakable. “You...”
I brushed past, flashing a smirk that was just for him. “Have fun in the Burning Plains, bitch.”
He shook, face turning an alarming shade of purple. “You!”
Kirwan lunged at me, slamming into my back. We crashed to the floor in a shower of punches, roars, and screams.
“Imposter! It’s her. She’s Callidora!”
“Help me!” I shrieked, covering my face. “He’s gone mad! Help!”
“Get off of her!”
Half a dozen coudarian crystals were whipped out, but none were so quick as Bradach. He grabbed Kirwan under the arms, wrenched him off, and threw him at the stone wall. His bones collided, snapping on impact, then dropped the wretch groaning and broken on the floor.
“Arrest him,” Salman shrieked, showering spittle. “Execute him!”
“Can you stand?” Bradach whispered, dropping next to me. “You must leave.”
I lifted my face and he blinked, jaw slackening. There was something on Emiana’s face that shouldn’t be.
“We must go now!”
I didn’t need to be told again. Shoving up, I bowed my way out of the room—keeping my head lowered. Escaping out into the hall, the peasant queen and the bird man ran. Ran as fast as their feet and wings allowed them.
Bradach shot me a smile. “You never cease to impress me, keva. All of Elva has met their match in you.”
I winked. “You should see what I can do to a man with a brick and a few berries.”
Our laughter rang through the hall.
I ROCKED HER IN MYarms, listening to her giggle, babble, and coo.
“I can’t believe I ever forgot you, sweet girl.”
Savia shrieked, equally outraged by the insult.
The front door swung open, beckoning in a wild-haired, panting Meliora. She landed on me sitting on the couch holding Savia—the real me. The last traces of Emiana faded by the time I stumbled barefoot to my family’s new home.
“Calli!” Racing past the twins, she threw her arms around me, hugging me as tight as our baby sister allowed. “I can’tbelieve it’s you. It’s really you.” She snapped back. “But where have you been? We’ve been worried sick! We thought you were killed by the faeriken until Riordan brought all those jewels, and we figured they had to be from you. But how could that be possible? You—”
