Page 130 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

And beneath it all, I thought of Rydian.

Despite everything, I fought the urge to find him first. To make sure Duron hadn’t hurt him like he’d done to Callan.

Stupid, I told myself.He doesn’t need you.

I kept going.

My footsteps were soft but swift as I navigated the narrow twists and turns. Just like before, the passage descended lower and lower until I felt like I was being swallowed by the earth itself. My pulse roared in my ears, louder than the quiet shuffle of my cloakbrushing the walls.

Suddenly, a noise echoed from up ahead. I froze, my heart slamming against my ribs.Voices?

Gods, no.

I pressed myself flat against the wall, holding my breath as the distant murmur of voices—servants, from the sound of it—drifted through the passage, barely audible but unmistakable. They were close. Too close. My fingers clenched into fists, the familiar tug of magic pulling at the edges of my mind, begging to be released.

I forced the magic back down, clenching my jaw as I waited. Seconds stretched into an eternity, the cold stone biting into my back as I stayed perfectly still. My breathing was shallow, quiet, but each exhale felt like it echoed off the walls.

Finally, the voices faded, drifting away into the distance.

Slowly, carefully, I started moving again. Every step felt like a gamble. Every moment, I expected to hear the clang of swords being drawn, the rush of footsteps coming for me.

But they didn’t. And after what felt like forever, I found myself at the end of the passageway where Vanya and I had come through earlier. From here, I’d have to get to the exit using the main halls. My chest tightened at the thought of who else might be out there.

I listened intently before easing open the portrait. The door swung out, and I slipped through before gently clicking it back into place. Then, I waited, straining to listen.

Silence.

I crept around the furniture draped in cloth, careful not to disturb the dust. At the doorway to the storage room, I paused again.

Footsteps sounded faintly until they disappeared.

I didn’t let myself second-guess it before slipping into the hall. With my hood pulled low, I strode confidently toward the back door. If anyone stopped me, all I had was royal arrogance. The absolute belief that I was allowed to go where I pleased.

I prayed to the Fates it wouldn’t come to that.

The grand doors that led out of the castle were just ahead, and it took all I had not to break into a run before I reached them.

Even when I shoved them open and stepped outside, I braced for a guard to demand to know what I was doing. But the exit was empty. Overhead, a sliver of moonlight filtered through the clouds—just enough to see the path that led past the stables to the hillside Rydian and I had visited earlier—but mostly, the night was wreathed in shadows.

The Fates were smiling on me.

I didn’t bother with a horse, despite wishing I could bring Shadow. Risking the stables would only get me caught. Maybe I could come back for him one day.

I kept moving, and when I got to the hillside, I nearly lost my footing, thanks to my harried pace. Every snap of a branch, every rustle of leaves felt like a threat. But I forced myself to slow, picking my way carefully down the rocky slope.

The trickle of the stream reached my ears.

Almost there.

At the bottom, I grabbed handfuls of my cloak, lifting it, and ran, my feet flying over the uneven ground, my heart thundering in my chest.

My legs burned as I pushed forward, stumbling over roots and rocks, my breath coming in short gasps. The cold bit at my cheeks, but I kept running, faster, harder. The river was close—I could hear it now, the water growing louder with each step. If I could just get across it and to the forest on the other side, I would be free.

Just a little farther. Just a little?—

Suddenly, a figure loomed out of the darkness, grabbing me by the arm and yanking me to a stop. I gasped, instinctively reaching for the magic that simmered beneath my skin, ready to unleash it on whoever dared to?—

“Hello, Furious.”

---