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“Princess, I really think—”

Thicket’s brain drowned him out as a blur of movement caught her eye. Someone darted against the crowd. Their features were obscured by a thick black hood, so unlike the vibrant colors decorating the city. If they wanted to be inconspicuous, they were doing a terrible job. She was about to turn away when someone from the crowd bumped into the hooded figure's shoulder, jerking their body to the side with enough force that a sliver of hair fell across their shoulder.

Thicket only knew of one person who had hair like that. She darted into the crowd. She heard Marcellus shouting after her, but Thicket didn’t stop to explain as she closed the distance between her and the hooded figure. They must have heard her approach because they picked up their pace.

“Wait!” Thicket raced through the streets after them, cutting off shoppers and nearly running into a courier pushing a wagon filled with woven fabrics. “Sorry!” Thicket called over her shoulder but didn’t slow. With how busy the streets were, she would lose them if she didn’t catch up. But the crowd moved like congealed honey, trapping her in their midst.

“Vynt!” A gust of wind propelled Thicket onto the roof of a nearby building. She ran along the top, using the height to keep an eye on the figure as she jumped across rooftops. The figure turned off the main road and down a shadowed alley. Thicket hopped down. Though the wind eased her fall, she still felt the shock of the impact vibrate through her shins.

“Stop,” she called after the figure. “Please!”

They kept running, weaving in and out of alleyways until they came across a dead end. Thicket slowed, gripping her knees as she fought to catch her breath. She had them boxed in.

Before she could get a word out, the figure turned and yelled, “Fya!”

A fox sprung forward, conjured from deep purple flames. As its paws swiped at her, Thicket caught sight of a second color swirling along its underbelly. Her eyes widened. She was so distracted by it that she leapt back too late and her forearm was singed by the fox’s fiery paw.

Thicket hissed, cradling her burnt arm to her chest. The fox bunched, ready to attack again. “Stop!” Thicket said, holding out her injured hand. “It’s me!” She unwrapped her scarf, revealing her unruly hair and freckled face.

The figure paused. “Thicket?” The fox winked out as Alouette threw her hood back, letting her long, shimmering gold locks fall down to her waist. “Is that really you?”

“Princess!” Marcellus flew into the alley, expression livid. He skidded to a stop when he noticed the burn on her arm. His jaw hardened and his eyes cut towards the hooded figure, sword drawn and ready to draw blood. He stilled when he saw Alouette, eyes going wide. “What are you doing here?”

Alouette gave Thicket a once over, most likely taking in the bloodstains haphazardly covered by their scarves. “I could ask you the same question.”

“We heard you were captured,” Thicket said. “We came to rescue you.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but I had everything under control.” Alouette’s eyes narrowed. “You should be on your way to Minloc right now.”

Thicket winced. “I would have been, except Dymree withdrew their alliance after you got captured.”

Alouette cursed. “My damned father…” She peered around the corner. “We can talk more later. For now, we need to get out of here before the guards find me. After the attention we drew, they are sure to be here any second.”

“We need to find Lotta and Elian,” Thicket insisted. With Alouette’s escape, there would be even more guards than before. She wanted to believe they could take care of themselves, but didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

Alouette stared thoughtfully down the alley, brows pinching. “Come with me. I will take you somewhere safe. Guard,” Alouette said, looking at Marcellus.

He crossed his arms. “I respond to a lot of things, but not that.” His eyes flicked up and down, unimpressed. “Not from you.”

Alouette ignored him. “A few streets over you will see a tavern. It looks a bit shady, but it is away from prying eyes. Bring Elian and the maid there.”

“I am not letting the Princess out of my sight.”

“Between the two of us, we will be fine.” Alouette gave him no room to argue. “Besides.” She tossed Thicket a knowing smile. “We are the only two in the world who have been blessed with blue fire.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Smoke flooded Thicket’s lungs as she followed Alouette inside the tavern. She coughed, waving her hand to clear it. “What is that?”

“Incense. You’ll get used to it.” Alouette’s hood was drawn over her head once again. Thicket took it as her cue to do the same. Almost everyone in the tavern hid their faces, leaving only their dark, leering eyes to follow them as they took a seat in the back. While most buildings she’d been to so far had some sort of cooling enchantment in place, the tavern had none, trapping all of the dry, desert heat within its walls.

“How do you even know about this place?” Thicket asked.

“I toured the Continent for a year two summers ago, spending time in each and every kingdom, taking in all the cities and sites they had to offer. It was partly to get acquainted with the kingdoms I would be coordinating with once I assumed my father’s throne.” A glint entered Alouette’s eyes. “But it was also to find places like this, where people deal in rumors and secrets. The dark kind.” She gave a little self satisfied smile, as though she had been talking about all the orphanages she had recently donated money to. Thicket was reminded once again that this princess was definitely one she wanted on her good side. “I recommend you do the same at some point, however as the sole ruler… It might prove difficult.”

“I would love to. A trip like that sounds like Bern’s—my friend’s—dream.”

Alouette’s eyes lit up. “Bern. How is she?”