Page 142 of The Mad King and the False Queen

“And everything is okay? With your violin playing?”

“Yes.”

“And Prisha? The store?” Laila continued.

“Everyone is fine,” he assured her, bringing her in for one more close hug. “Gods, I thought I’d never see you again.”

“How long has it been?” she stepped away from him for the first time. This time, Magda saw her face. She was only slightly shorter than Ravi, with bronze skin and shiny-black hair with a slight wave that fell to her waist. Her hands were stained blood-red. She was very thin, likely from not being fed well in the jail cell. Besides being caked with dirt and grime, she was absolutely stunning.

It only made Magda despise her even more.

“Ten months,” Ravi answered.

Laila nodded.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked, staring at her hands.

“No, nothing like that,” she admitted, “it’s not mine.”

Ravi gave her a stern look.

“Stop it. I’ve had a lot of time down here to think. If I had to go back, I’d do it all over again.”

“But none of this was your doing.”

“I wouldn’t leave yet anyways even if I could. I think the other prisoners have more answers than I do.”

“I don’t like this, and I won’t make you stay here alone.”

“What was your plan, anyways? Break me out of here and commit treason?” she asked. “Get locked up right beside me?”

Ravi stared at her. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“Typical. Of course you didn’t,” Laila rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air, but her expression remained playful.

“I just had to know if you were alive. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you or of what happened the day you were taken. If we hadn’t gone to Azurem, none of this would have happened…”

Azurem? Magda’s thoughts were running wild. When did Ravi and his mystery girl travel there?

“Don’t remind me,” she shrugged. “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid, and you’ll leave this place right now.”

“I…,”

Suddenly, there was the light sound of footsteps echoing off the walls of the tunnel. Someone had come through the doorway and was heading for the dungeon. They would see the unconscious guards, and Magda would be spotted as soon as they entered the jail.

Someone had been following Magda.

Laila’s voice was urgent, “Hide.”

Before Ravi darted away, his hands lingered on hers. He looked at her with a strong gaze, as if he was silently promising to return, before whipping around and heading to a hiding spot—Magda’s hiding spot.

Ravi dashed behind the boxes, and terrified to face him, Magda jumped back as to not be seen. However, her foot kicked over a pail, sending a clattering noise through the stone jail and spilling water onto the stone floor. Ravi, startled by the abrupt echo, instinctively pushed her figure up against the tall crates. He had one arm pressed against her throat as he yelled:

“Who are you?”

His face melted when he recognized Magda. “Dagmara, what are you doing here?”

Odie snarled, growling at Ravi as he pinned Magda against the boxes, and immediately, Ravi released her. “Odie, it’s just me,” he said.

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