Page 41 of To Steal the Sun

“Is that even possible?” Dane asked doubtfully.

Count Oswin exchanged a look with his son. “I think I can help with that. It can be done.”

“Wait.” Jett held up his hand. “Don’t say any more details now. I trust you know what you’re doing, and the less we all know ahead of time the better.”

He cast a look around the group, and Charlotte expected to hear protests or at least looks of discontent at the implication they weren’t trustworthy. But all she saw were grim nods of approval. Apparently after twenty years, the rebels were past personal affront, their focus only on the success of their mission.

They discussed who would be present and how large a force they would need, the conversation washing over Charlotte since she recognized none of the names. The rebels who lived nearby started leaving, willing to brave the city at night if they lived in the neighboring streets.

As each one left, Easton and the count took them aside, murmuring at what time and from which direction they should enter the palace grounds the next day. From the occasional overheard whisper, Charlotte gathered they would be trickling in forces all day rather than risk a larger group attracting attention.

Others—those who lived in different parts of the city—were staying the night. They still gave their farewells and received their information, however, departing for the beds prepared for them on the upper story.

Eventually, Charlotte was once again alone with the original core group.

“Is it really that simple?” she asked.

The count sighed. “I imagine the reality will be anything but simple, but there’s only so much we can prepare in advance.”

“Talking about preparing in advance…” Patti hauled herself to her feet. “We’d better do some preparations for the morning meal now.” She gave her husband a significant look before seizing an arm of each of her children. “You can all help me.”

Both Natalie and Baden protested, but she swept them firmly from the room, her husband trailing behind. Charlotte threw a confused look at Easton, but it was the count who explained.

“They’re going to stay behind tomorrow,” he said. “If something goes wrong, we need someone left who can coordinate whatever rebel forces remain.”

“Jett and I want to be with our son,” Lydia said softly, “but Natalie is only fourteen, and Rebecca is even younger. Patti and Dane want to keep their children here safe, and we understand that.”

“And we’re needed more than they are, anyway,” Easton said. “None of the city rebels know the palace like me and my parents do. We’ll be the ones to meet each incoming pair and lead them to the hiding place.” He looked at the count. “Which means we need to know where it is.”

“My son’s apartment,” the count said immediately. “It’s large enough to fit everyone.”

“And it won’t be suspected?” Easton asked skeptically.

“You wouldn’t be aware since you haven’t been here,” the count said, “but this is the first time my son has been at any rebel meeting. He’s been part of our cause from the beginning, but the queen has been starting to grow suspicious of me—something I have long feared was coming. In preparation for such an eventuality, my son and I have cultivated the appearance that we’ve fallen out and barely tolerate each other. Most of the court believe we only maintain any contact because of Emmett. Everyone knows I wouldn’t do anything to risk losing contact with my grandson. As a result, while Celandine has started excluding me where possible in the last weeks, my son still holds his position of respect as the leader of the trading groups that cross the mountains.”

Charlotte turned a disapproving look on the younger man who had been almost silent the entire evening. She didn’t appreciate working with someone responsible for snatching innocent valley folk to become slaves for the queen. Easton was regarding him with the same cold look and visible shame washed over the nobleman.

“I’m not unaware of my own wrongdoing,” he said in a low voice. “In the early days, I thought…” He sighed. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. But I came to realize my mistake and—” He turned to Easton. “Ask your princess. She can confirm there haven’t been any new captives for a long time.”

“Except for Henry,” Charlotte said, ice in her voice.

The count’s son—whose name she didn’t even know, she realized—looked at her guiltily.

“That’s different,” he said. “He wasn’t intended as a long-term captive. We thought he would break the enchantment and allow us to free everyone—the mountain people and the valley captives—from the queen. We didn’t know—” He glanced at Easton and grimaced.

“We’ve done the best we can,” the count said firmly. “And, more importantly, we’re doing our best now to fix our mistakes. If you want to insist on retribution anyway, we all might suffer.”

Charlotte deflated, her cheeks flushing. She was the last person who should be raking someone over the coals for past mistakes. The pressure of Henry’s arms around her and the feel of his lips on hers filled her mind. When he had woken to find her with him in the palace, there had been no lingering trace of judgment in his eyes for her own colossal mistake.

Easton nodded. “If the mountain kingdom is going to have a new future, we can’t begin with a pointless game of assigning blame. Celandine is the problem, and we all need to be focused on removing her and her loyal guards from power.”

“What about the remaining loyal members of court?” the count’s son asked, his voice tentative. Charlotte wondered how many of them were his friends.

“The newest piece of information about the illegitimacy of Celandine’s reign should help in their case,” Easton said. “I believe that when they realize they were tricked, it will be enough to sway them into accepting the reality of the change of power.”

Both Count Oswin and his son relaxed. Had they been worrying about a bloodbath after Gwen took the throne? If so, they didn’t know her very well. Charlotte herself had only known Gwen for a short time, but she knew such vengeful violence wasn’t in her nature. Gwen had cared for Charlotte from the moment they met, even when they were virtual strangers.

“What about the queen?” Jett asked. “Do we have a way to restrain her during the change in the ceremony? Because without that…”

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