Page 108 of Cursed Crowns

Rose was already braiding her hair away from her face. “How soon can you ready your horse? We have to leave at once.”

There was an awful beat of silence.

“I’m not going with you, Rose.”

Rose bristled. “Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t leave you here with them. What if they attack you again?”

“I’ve spoken to my Captain of the Guard.” Shen cracked his knuckles absently. “We’re going to deal with them tonight.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

“It’ll be safer if you’re not here.”

“Safer for who?” Rose demanded. “You need a healer by your side.”

“I’ll be all right. And so will you.” He gestured at the note. “Anadawn needs its queen, Rose.”

Rose’s eyes prickled. “But you won’t be there, and neither will Wren.”

Shen smiled at her. There was such sadness in it Rose had to look away. “You were always going to rule, with or without us. And Wren will be back soon. I’m sure of it.”

“And what about you?”

He hesitated. “I’ll come see you when things are more settled here.” Thunder rumbled overhead, drawing his gaze back to the window. “I’ll leave you to get changed.” He nodded to a platter of fluffy buns on the bedside table. “I’ve brought you another of Grandmother Lu’s specialties. They’ll be good for the road.” He stalked across the room, his hands twitching in and out of fists. Rose could tell he was nervous, but whether it was because of their imminent goodbye, the gathering Arrows, or the confrontation with Kai and Feng that would come after, she couldn’t tell. “I’ll meet you in the courtyard. Don’t forget your cloak.”

It was still raining when Rose found her way to the courtyard.

Shen stepped out of the shadows and grabbed her hand. “Come on. This way,” he said, pulling her after him. “We’re taking the back route out of the city.”

“Why all the secrecy?” she said, hurrying to keep up. “Nobody here cares what I do. That has been made abundantly clear.”

“I don’t want anyone coming after you. Or tipping the Arrows off.” Rose knew he was talking about Kai. Her stomach twisted at the thought of meeting him again in one of these dark lanes. “He knows I’ll do anything to protect you. Which means he could use you against me.”

Lightning flashed overhead, casting shards of silver across the sky. Thunder growled after them as they wound their way through the sodden city. Rose took heart in the rattle and crash of the storm. It meantLei Fan was helping them. And if the tempest witch knew Rose was in danger, Shen must have trusted her enough to tell her what had happened at the festival.

Finally, they came to a narrow door hidden inside a flowering trellis in the south wall of the city. Shen pushed it open to reveal the wide-open desert beyond. “Grandmother Lu told me about this place.”

Rose’s cheeks prickled with relief. “Looks like you’ve got more allies than traitors in the palace.”

“Just about,” said Shen, leading her out into the desert.

Storm was there waiting for them.

Rose smiled as she stroked the horse’s muzzle. “Another ally.”

“She’s yours now,” said Shen.

“I’m only borrowing her,” said Rose. “She’ll be waiting for you at Anadawn. We both will.”

Shen’s smile was sad, and Rose had the sudden terrible feeling that she’d never see that perfect dimple again. Or those molten eyes. “Shen,” she said, but she could think of nothing to follow it. She didn’t want to say farewell.

Shen cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Her hood fell as she threw her arms around his neck, the desert storm soaking them both to the bone, but she didn’t care. She kissed him back fiercely under the lightning-struck sky, her heart as loud as the crashing thunder.

Finally, Shen pulled away.

“This isn’t goodbye,” said Rose, clinging on to his cloak “We’ll see each other again. Soon.”

He chuckled softly. “Still giving me orders, even though I’m a king now?”

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