Page 52 of Daughter of No Worlds

“The insane always think they do,” Nura said to the Queen, ignoring him.

“I knowexactlywhat I say, and I will face the consequences for it if necessary.”

No one needed my particular gifts to hear the dare in that statement.

Nura looked at Max as if he reallywasinsane, and frankly, I was beginning to wonder, too.

The hooded guards’ graceful bodies shifted in minuscule, lethal movements, like coiling cats.

The Queen’s lips were pressed tightly together, her doll-like eyes glistening, fists trembling at her sides. For the first time, her Valtain companion moved. He stepped forward, placing one hand on her shoulder.

As if to silently say,Don’t.

But she looked only at Max. “You cannot talk to me that way. I am the Queen. My father would be proud of what I’ve done to avenge him.”

“Your father would—”

“Enough!You—”

The Valtain’s hand tightened at her shoulder. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. Then stepped back, leaving Queen Sesri standing there with her chest heaving, a furious internal battle warring across her face.

“I know you saved my father’s life,” she said at last. “So in his memory, I grant you mercy,once.”

I choked out a strangled breath.

But the Queen was not done.

She whirled around, lips curling into a furious sneer. “Butyou.” She pointed at Lord Savoi, who knelt on the steps. “Youare a liar.Youare a traitor. And I will not repeat my father’s mistakes.”

“Please, my Queen—” Lord Savoi touched his forehead to the stone ground. His whole body shook. When I looked at him, a terror that did not belong to me flooded my veins. My vision was beginning to blur.

“I know you lie. I know you conspire.”

“I do not—”

“I know you do!”Tears glided down her cheeks. “I am young. But I am not naive, and I am not weak.”

“Please—” Max jolted forward, a hand outstretched.

But then, so quickly that their movement made time feel like it had skipped forward —

Two of those hooded guards drove their spears through the cowering man’s back.

The world went silent as his blood spilled over the Palace’s golden steps, dripping down in syrupy waterfalls. It pooled around Max’s feet.

One of the guards used her boot to remove Lord Savoi’s twitching body from her spear, kicking it down the stairs.

“Let this be proof,” the Queen said, but I doubt anyone heard her. We all stood in silence as she and her soldiers and her Valtain ascended up the steps, that long, blush gown trailing behind her.

As soon as they disappeared behind the gates, I leapt to Max, who stood perfectly still as he watched the blood soak into the soles of his boots. I felt it soak through mine, too. Still warm.

Like Esmaris’s had been. Like mine had been.

Before I could speak, Nura whirled to us, fire glinting in her colorless eyes.

“If you want to die so badly,” she spat, “hang yourself like every other sorry bastard. I won’t put myself in that position to save you again.”

I was surprised at how quickly a barbed defense lurched to the tip of my tongue. I had to catch in my teeth, reminding myself that I needed Nura’s favor.

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