Page 138 of The Cost of Blood and Bonds

“Can I ask you something?” he says softly.

“Always.”

“Rosie and Finn have been different since Briarwood.” He glances at me sideways, almost carefully. “What happened up there?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I was a little busy not dying.”

His face falls immediately. “Gem, I didn’t mean to⁠—”

“Hey.” I bump him with my elbow. “I’m joking. See?” I spin once on the path with my arms out. “I’m perfectly fine.”

He doesn’t laugh. Instead, he catches my hand when I spin back. For a moment, neither of us moves. Then he blinks at our hands like he doesn’t know how they got there. He lets go and shoves his hands into his pockets.

“It’s late,” he says too quickly. “We should head back. Goodnight, Gem,” he says, already walking back to the castle.

I watch him walk away, biting back a smile. The future King, undone by holding a girl’s hand for a moment. A laugh slips out before I can stop it. Tides, it’s adorable how bashful he gets.

Torchlight flares across the garden path ahead. A guard is at the corner with a lantern held high, scanning like he’s been told to look for something specific.

Tides help me. I stick to the shadows and keep my pace even as I head back. We need to find Mom and vanish before they learn what’s actually been in front of them this whole time.

Chapter 46

Hayesland

The truth about our father sits between us like a lit fuse. “You’re just telling me this now?” Rye says, rooted in front of our fireplace with his fists white-knuckled at his sides.

“I couldn’t tell you before. You still don’t have your magic. And I knew—I knew if I told you, you’d do something reckless, like confront him or challenge him. And he would have killed you, Rye. Without hesitation.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.” My voice cracks. “The trials showed me exactly who he is, Rye. What he does to people who get in his way. Not even being his son would protect you.” I shake my head. “Nothing would, not if you’re a threat to his power.”

Rye goes still.

“I was waiting,” I continue, “for you to awaken, too, so we could figure out what to do together. So, we’d actually stand a chance.”

“Hayes.” His voice sounds wrong.

“I was trying to keep you alive. That’s all I’ve ever been trying to do⁠—”

“He sends me to kill children, Hayes.”

The words stop me cold.

“What?”

I turn, and Rye looks like a man who’s been slowly caving in on himself. And the worst part is, I can see it now, the cracks that have been there. I just didn’t know what I was looking at.

“Twins. He gets reports about families with twins. And he sends me to kill them—I don’t do it. I help them escape. Give them money. But I force them to separate.” He swallows hard. “Father thinks I’ve been carrying out his orders; he thinks I kill them.”

Fury and heartbreak collide, and the only thing that comes out is “How long?”

“Years, Hayes. Not long after your awakening.” He lets out a broken laugh. “I’ve been drowning in it, the guilt of tearing families apart. Because of him.”

“Rye—”

“I could have used you. I needed you, and you were right there. I thought—” A sound escapes him that’s trying to be a laugh. “I thought I was protecting you by not telling you.”