Page 218 of Of Nine So Bold

Nothing happened.

Clay’s brow rose and fell. “Okay, well, how the fuck are you still alive, man?”

Lars winced at his brother’s words. “No offense,” he added on Clay’s behalf.

“My family has served the throne for seven generations.” Harran tucked the bucket down by his side, the same rigid propriety in his bearing that I’d seen every day of my childhood. “We have survived worse than this.”

Rot began climbing the walls behind him, while tree branches pushed through the cracks between the stones.

The steward blanched, retreating from it. “Perhaps notmuchworse.”

I shook my head, trying to dispel my shock. “Okay, um…”

Gods, how would he react to the fact I was in league with honest-to-the-godsgiantsstorming the castle?

Ironic futility rose in me. Like it mattered?

“We need to find something,” I continued. “It—” I glanced to the side. Footsteps carried down the hall, but thank the gods, this time it wasn’t vampires or monsters. The others were here at last.

My relief faltered when it was the demon, not Roan, who rounded the corner first, my other men on his heels.

Harran gasped at the sight. “Get behind me, princess!” He flung himself between me and the demon.

“It’s okay!” I grabbed his arm before he could hurl the empty bucket at the demon. “He’s on our side.”

Eyes wide, the steward turned to gape at me.

“Harran, this is Demon.” I nodded at him. “And that’s Ozias, Dex, Niko, Casimir, and Byron. Guys, meet Harran, the castle steward.”

The demon’s eyes narrowed at him. “You are small and bear a foolish weapon, but you still defend my princess.” He nodded to himself. “You should stay behind me too.”

Harran blinked in shock.

I gave the steward a wincing smile. “It’s a compliment. Sort of.” Turning to the others, my relief returned. I longed to reachout to them, but I restrained myself to saying only, “It’s good to see you.”

They nodded, echoing the sentiment.

“Any sign of the others?” Niko asked.

I shook my head, worry bubbling up at the thought of having lost Ignatius and our new allies among the giants.

And Ruhl.

With effort, I pushed down the fear trying to overwhelm me. We’d find the shadow wolf or he’d find us. But either way, I had to focus.

“We need your help,” I said to Harran. “We need to find the place where my stepmother did the magic that caused”—I gestured around me tightly—“this.”

“Ah. That.” Harran nodded. “At first, they used the tunnels. But lately, the queen seems to have concluded the royal tree is a greater source of power.”

I cursed under my breath.

Harran’s eyes went wide with affront. “Princess!”

My men ignored him. ”What is it?” Lars asked.

I shook my head, trying to find a way to explain. But it made sense. Of course she’d used the royal tree. I’d thought the apples were a cruel joke, a twisting of the symbol that had defined the Aneiran queen for generations.

But what if it’d been more than that?

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