Page 126 of The Faceless Queen

There was only one more thing to do. I imagined Olivay, conjuring her face, her dark eyes, her pink cheeks, her full lips, delicate nose, and neck. I saw her in the cave, my reflection in the mirror beside her. Shielded by the cloak and the dark, I shifted my red hair back to Olivay’s dark waves, then restored the long cloak back to my riding cape.

And at that moment, I finally heard the words I’d been praying would come.

“The crown prince! He returns! He lives!”

Brennan was back.

“Be quick,” Erick hissed.

“Maybe we should move her,” said Donovan.

I sent a burst of magic to my throat, using all I’d taken from them, because I had one shot at getting this right. If I was going to scream, it was going to be the loudest thing they ever heard. I was going to make sure the right person found me, the one who’d make these fuckers pay with their lives.

“BRENNAN!” I screamed, my voice loud and scared, and all Olivay. “Brennan! Help!”

“Shut up,” hissed Stephen. “He don’t care about you!” His hand swung at my face, but I sent magic down my arm. I could finally stop holding back. I broke free and blocked his hit.

He let off a wave of terror. And I fed, gleefully.

“Yes, he does,” I hissed. “I’m Princess Olivay, of House Kanos! The crown prince’s betrothed!”

“No, you’re not!” Erick said. “You’re a Godsdamned witch. You’re Azete! Demonos!”

“I am the princess,” I roared. Then I screamed for help again, my voice perfectly mirroring Olivay’s desperate cries in the cave.

“Olivay?” Brennan’s voice called back. “Olivay!”

“Where is she?” someone else yelled.

“I don’t see her! Olivay!” Brennan cried out.

“In the trees! Help me!” I screamed again.

“No, no!” Donovan let go of me at once, stumbling backward. He was already weak from my draining. He would be passing out very soon.

“You lie!” Stephen sneered, pointing his knife at my throat. “I saw you!”

“Are you so sure?” My voice shook. “Pull back my hood. And take a look.”

“Get a fucking light!” he yelled.

Erick stumbled to his feet, and I managed to sit up, pushing my skirts back over my legs.

“No,” Erick yelled. “Fuck—no! No! The fucking princess! I’m not dying for this shit. Fuck!”

“Fuck! Fuck!” Stephen roared, his hands on his head. “Why didn’t you fucking say?”

“Because you covered my Godsdamned mouth!” I snarled.

“No! No, she can’t, she—” Donovan was spiraling. “She doesn’t speak like a princess. She didn’t look like one—we saw her, we tracked her—she’s the witch.”

“Could it be a trick?” Erick asked. “Maybe she shapeshifted.”

I stiffened, but before they could finish the thought, fire flared through the trees, moving closer, until it lit up the plot of dirt they dragged me to. Brennan led the charge, holding a torch in his hand. His eyes found mine at once, and he took exactly one second to observe the scene before roaring Olivay’s name with the vengeance of a God.

Rowan rushed out to join him, and half a dozen guards, their blue cloaks flaring behind their shoulders. A sight I never thought I’d be happy to see.

Brennan didn’t hesitate. There was anger rolling off his body I’d never seen before. He swung his torch, fire crackling and hissing as he used his fist to punch out the man closest to me. I heard the cracking sound, and then the thud as Donovan flew to his back.