Page 173 of Bound to the Shadow Prince

“He’s what?” Riza leans over me, her face full of urgency. “Tell us what you know.”

Even though my face feels numb, I tell them what I can of that dinner. Of Ajaxi sabotaging Nemeth with comments to make me angry. Of Nemeth attacking his brother. Me heading to the stairs—of course there are stairs, because Meryliese is there—only to find Ivornath’s dead body in his room and Meryliese lurking in the shadows.

Both Riza and Erynne make unhappy noises when I’m done.

“It makes sense,” Erynne says. “Ajaxi’s been getting bolder lately. He won’t let Nemeth live, though. As long as he’s alive, the throne passes to him. I know he was furious when Nemeth arrived, but at the time I thought it was because of the goddess’s curse. Now I know it’s because he wanted him to die. I have no doubt that Ajaxi didn’t send the shipment of food to the tower, expecting Nemeth to starve to death like a good, honorable prince.”

Except he didn’t, because he fell in love with a shameless, self-centered Liosian princess. I’m a little proud of myself in that moment. “He’s not with them,” I tell my sister and Riza. “We have to help him.”

“He’s safe for now. But if Ivornath is dead and Ajaxi is getting bold enough to poison Candra, we need to act quickly.” Riza’s face is full of urgency as she gazes at Erynne. “We must act soon. If he’s taking out his rivals, Second House is next.”

And that means Nemeth is in danger no matter what they say. “Then help me up,” I tell them. “Because the sooner I’m on my feet, the sooner we can take Ajaxi down.”

And the sooner I get my Nemeth back and we can talk about the secrets he’s been keeping.

It’s stillhours before we’re able to leave the root cellar. No one wants to teleport me because they’re afraid that in my weakened state, it’ll kill me or harm the baby. So we wait, and then, extremities numb, I stagger between Erynne and Riza out of the root cellar and into the kitchens. From there, a human slave leads us down a twisting hall and a secret passage that takes us all the way to a storage shed. There, Second House meets us.

Plans are discussed, but the poison in my veins exhausts me, and with no Nemeth to give me his blood, I’m forced to rely on Riza to make me a potion. We’re missing some of the ingredients, so it doesn’t quite do the job I want it to, and I collapse into bed, fatigued and exhausted.

I’m missing the uprising, but I don’t have the energy to protest, much less carry a weapon. Erynne will be the figurehead they need for the humans. Which is fine, because I’m not much of a leader.

I just want Nemeth.

I’m so weak that I can’t get out of bed for what feels like forever. I’m vaguely aware of the others in Tolian’s home, of a cacophony of voices arguing over when is the best time to storm the palace. Of human voices mixed with Fellian. Of my sister Erynne speaking angrily, followed by Riza’s more measured tones.

Some hero I am. I sleep and can’t rise even to relieve myself. Someone has to come in and drag me to the nearest garderobe, because my legs are still numb and weak. The only comfort I have is that the baby in my belly bounces and dances against my bladder as if it has taken all my energy for itself.

I doze in and out of dreams of Nemeth, dreams in which I’m still in the tower. Dreams in which I’m oiling his wings as he reads his atrocious war poetry by the fire, and we’re so happy and content that it feels physically painful to wake up and find myself alone, muscles stiff and aching from my near-death.

At some point, I wake up to see Riza’s face near mine. She’s dressed in pants and a cloak, her expression worried as she presses her fingers to my brow. “You feel warm.”

“I’m fine,” I manage, even though I’m very clearly not. For the first time in what feels like days, the house is silent. Second House practically echoes with how empty it is, and something about that makes my skin prickle. “Where is everyone?”

“They’ve gone ahead,” Riza says. “Tonight is when we take over First House. Your sister will be overthrown. Ajaxi will be captured.”

“Nemeth,” I whimper, sitting upright. It takes a great deal of effort but I manage. “What of Nemeth?”

“They have instructions to leave him be. We’ve made it as clear as we can to the others that he’s not to be harmed.”

I don’t trust it. I’ve seen how incensed Erynne can be around Fellians. And if Second House wants to take over, they have to get rid of First House. What’s to stop any of them from harming Nemeth? They can say it’s an “accident” and no one will be the wiser. That something happened during the uprising. Ajaxi could decide he’s safest if he kills Nemeth before he can fall into the wrong hands.

Nemeth needs me. If nothing else, so I can shield him from the other humans. So I can warn him to be wary of his poisonous brother and my vile sister Meryliese.

So I get to my feet. Or I try to. I stumble and flop onto the floor, breathing hard.

“Princess!” Riza gasps, bending over me. “You must rest!”

I shake my head. “Nemeth needs me. We have to go find him.”

“You’re not well?—”

I manage to pull myself off the floor, clutching at her clothing. “Do you think anyone’s going to wait for me to feel better?” When she hesitates, I have my answer. “I don’t care if it takes me all day and all night to get to Nemeth, I have to. I’m the only one that can stop them if they’re determined to hurt him.”

Riza hesitates, and then purses her lips at me. “Wait here. I’ll get a cart.”

Chapter

Eighty-Two

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