Page 85 of Burning Crowns

‘Only just,’ said Shen, begrudgingly. Then he sighed. ‘Rose is right. My cousin is the strongest warrior witch in my entire kingdom.’

Anika arched a brow. ‘I’m not sure I can stand another minute of suspense.’

‘Let’s just get this over with,’ said Celeste.

Shen unbolted the door and turned the key in the lock. It yielded with a keening groan, and he stepped inside, ushering the others to follow.

To Rose’s complete and utter surprise, the room didn’t look like a cell at all. In fact, it looked very similar to the other luxurious bedrooms she had seen inside the Palace of Eternal Sunlight.

‘Hello, Queenie,’ came a smug voice that Rose recognized all too well. Sitting in the middle of the room, lounging on a low sofa, was Kai Lo himself. ‘Did you miss me?’

Rose gaped at Shen’s cousin. His hands were wreathed in golden chains, but he was clearly more than comfortable in here. ‘This is not a dungeon! This … this … this is luxury!’ she fumed.

‘These bedsheets are finer than my own,’ remarked Anika, who was taking a tour around the room.

‘And why does he need more than one pair of boots?’ said Celeste, peering into the wardrobe.

‘Shen!’ said Rose. ‘Explain at once!’

‘Heismy cousin,’ said Shen, rubbing his brows. ‘And Lei Fan’s brother. He spent some time in the sand dungeons, but he’s been upgraded. For good behaviour.’

‘Good behaviour!’ Rose exclaimed. ‘Shen, he tried to kill you!’

‘It was your idea to ask for his help,’ he reminded her.

‘My help, huh?’ Kai perked up. ‘I see how it is. Lock me up when I misbehave a little bit—’

‘Misbehave!’ Rose’s voice cracked. ‘That is certainly an understatement!’

Kai steepled his hands in front of his mouth. ‘Listen, Queenie. I’ll level with you. Did I attack Shen? Yes. Did I then try to attack you? Also, yes. But these past few months in the dungeons,I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I did, and you have to see that it was all because of my father …’ His eyes darkened, the truth casting gravel in his voice. ‘He was manipulating me all along.’

‘Feng admitted as much in the sand dungeons,’ said Shen. ‘Where he will be staying for a long, long time.’

‘Fine by me,’ said Kai, bitterly. ‘This was all his idea to begin with.’

‘And what?’ said Celeste, with a snort. ‘You were easily led?’

‘I can be very impressionable.’ Kai flashed a flirtatious smile. ‘AndI can make quite the impression.’

‘Not on me,’ said Celeste, with another snort.

‘Stars save us from the arrogance of burly men,’ muttered Anika.

‘Enough small talk,’ said Kai, sinking back into the sofa. ‘Did you just come here to insult me or do you actually need my help with something?’

‘I’m afraid so,’ Rose relented, deciding to come right out with it. They had wasted enough time already. ‘My undead ancestor Oonagh Starcrest has returned and is building an army. I want you to help me kill her before she sets foot in Eana and tries to seize the throne.’

Kai blinked. ‘Well,’ he said, scrubbing his jaw. ‘That’s quite a predicament, Queenie.’

‘No greater than your own, cousin.’ Shen crossed his arms, as he looked down on him. ‘Do you want your freedom or not? This is your chance to prove your loyalty.’

‘Of course I want my freedom.’ He looked at Rose, his brows hunching. ‘Give me the chance to earn it.’

Rose locked eyes with Kai and remembered all the terrible things he had done to her, to Shen. For a moment,she wanted to march out of this room and throw away the key.

Freeing him felt dangerous, not to mention utterly reckless.

But these were dangerous times. Reckless times. And Rose wanted every possible advantage over Oonagh. The other warrior witches would have to stay behind to defend the Sunkissed Kingdom but given that he was a prisoner here, she knew Kai would not be missed.

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