Page 100 of The Rose in the Shadows

Absentmindedly, I mused that this occasion called for an invisibility bangle. The very weapon Hyrax had once scoffed at. I wondered how things may have been different if he had appreciated that gift more. Would the Gods still be locked behind the veil? Would I still be under attack because of my heritage?

I shook my head to clear it of the unhelpful, wandering thoughts. Thinking of Hyrax did me no good. He wasn’t here to help me.

I had to do this alone.

My plan was simple. I couldn’t risk injuring myself from another fall out my window, so I needed another way out of the castle. From my room, I would send my power out in waves, shaking the castle like a quake of the Earth. Most of my guards would go to investigate, leaving Dimitri alone. Then, I would stop the blood flow to his brain, just long enough for him to pass out, but not enough to cause actual damage.

After that, once I was free of my guards, I would go through the castle, hoping no one would see me under the hood of my cloak. Clay would still be in town if the Gods were on my side, leaving his rooms empty. I would only need to get into his suite and use that back chamber to escape into the gardens, with no one noticing. I would get Netta from the stables and make myway to Hyrax Estate, where, away from the masses of people at the castle, I would finally call Camilla to me.

That was the part of the plan that made me most uneasy.

I had never tried to move my thoughts into someone else’s consciousness, but I suspected I could. It couldn’t be that different from burrowing into a mind to pull out memories through compulsions. So, tonight I would move my thoughts into Camilla’s mind. I would focus all my magic on bringing her to meet me at Hyrax Estate. And when she and I were finally alone, I would finish this.

After getting dressed and armed, I knew it was time to put the plan into motion. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I closed my eyes and picturing the Grand Hall. I imagined the thrones, the crystal chandeliers, the oil portraits hung high in golden frames. I imagined them quivering, ever so slightly at first, but then so much so that the portraits fell and the crystals shattered. The feeling of the vibration was subtle against my body at first, but as it grew, I heard the unmistakable shouts of Dimitri giving orders and the sound of boots on the floor as the guards ran to the threat.

Phase one was complete.

I stood quickly, preparing to make my way to the door, but a sudden rush of dizziness sent me stumbling. I reached out, bracing myself on the wall.

That was odd.

Groaning, I worked to push myself off the wall only to struggle through my next steps as a sudden pain reverberated through my skull.

I stumbled to the foyer, waiting for the head rush to pass, but my legs grew heavier with each step. The room spun abruptly around me, and I fell heavily, grasping onto the bar cart to catch myself. The glasses we’d been drinking from fell to the ground ina clattering mess. Gasping, I attempted to center myself and stop the wave of nausea.

Something was very,verywrong.

It took all my strength to lift my head as the door to my suite opened and shut swiftly.

“Oh good, the poison is working. I was worried it would take too long to set in.”

I choked on my own breath as I met her eyes and gasped.

After Lorelai had died, I was sure my heart couldn’t break any further. But I felt everything in me shatter as I stared at Geia’s slight frame as she picked up the wineglass from the ground and returned it to the cart. That was the very wine glass she had served me not so long ago. She had brought it to me alone, then returned to get drinks for herself and Nessira.

Geia, the small young girl I had always considered my friend, had betrayed me.

“Why?” I cried.

She took hold of me, guiding me to the couch in the foyer, where I slumped heavily. I fought against the fog pressing in on my consciousness.

“I’m truly sorry, Lady Moore, but it’s for the best.”

She even had the audacity to sound sad about it.

“You were helping her all along,” I realized. “It wasyouwho put the hex bag in here and you saw me going back into the castle alone right before the explosion. All this time, I thought you were my friend, and you were trying to kill me?”

Geia smoothed my hair and hushed me. “I’m sorry it had to be this way. But when Camilla explained why it was necessary, I knew I had to do it. This is the only way to protect us all. Now, rest, Lady Moore. The others will be here soon, and you’ll be back in the Underworld where you belong.”

Exhaustion pressed in on me. Shoving her away from me, I pushed myself onto my feet towards the door. And when I fellonce more, I crawled. But in the end, the poison was too strong and my eyes closed.

“Are you ready?” The old man asked from his throne.

“For what?” I questioned, holding my pounding head between my hands. The pain had followed me here.

He grinned knowingly, with a raised brow and a happy smirk. Around us, the room warmed as the fires in each lamp post flared without warning. In the distance, a beast roared in a victory call.

“For them to all finally see what you are.”

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