Page 131 of The Gilded Cage

“I can explain,” Kiva blurted when Rhess’s eyes came to her.

“Are you hurt?” the healer asked.

“I’m fine,” Kiva answered. “But I need to tell you —”

Before she could apologize for their predicament, two of the largest men she’d ever seen walked out from behind a row of stacked boxes, one covered in tattoos, the other pale as milk.

“Which one of you is Kiva?” the tattooed man asked.

His strong accent made Kiva still, her mind clearing as the pungent drugs left her system, enough for her to remember that, according to Caldon, her sister hadn’t been the only one to try and abduct her nearly a fortnight ago.

“I am,” Rhessinda answered.

Kiva gaped at her and quickly said, “No,Iam.”

Rhessinda shot her a look and hissed under her breath. “Shut up, and let me handle this.”

The words startled Kiva into silence. Looking at Rhess, there was no trace of the fun, friendly healer whom Kiva had come to know and adore. In her place was someone new, someone different, her face hard and her eyes staring at the two men as if her gaze alone could incinerate them.

“You put up quite the fight, dollface,” the pale man said to Rhessinda, his voice also thickly accented. He pointed to a long scrape down his forearm, then a deep scratch across his cheek.

“Loosen these ropes, and we can go for round two,” Rhess said sweetly. There was no fear in her voice, as if she waseagerto fight him.

Something wasn’t right here. Something Kiva didn’t understand. Something she —

The pale man slashed his equally pale eyes to Kiva, cutting off her train of thought. “You’re here for two reasons, girlie, one of which is to remind your sister that our king is growing impatient. The Rebel Queen might be dead, but Navok still expects her side of the bargain to be fulfilled. Zuleeka Corentine has a debt to pay on her mother’s behalf. Onyourmother’s behalf. Make sure she knows that debt is overdue.”

Kiva felt the blood drain from her face, her sister’s words from Oakhollow returning with a vengeance:King Navok was more than happy to make a deal with the Rebel Queen.

Everworld help them, what had their motherdone?

But Kiva didn’t have time to dwell on it, not when she now had confirmation that Zuleeka wasn’t behind this kidnapping. And perhaps worse, the burly man had just revealed exactly who Kiva was — and who her family was — to Rhessinda.

Dread flooded her, but when she turned to the healer with a denial on her lips, Rhessinda didn’t seem the slightest bit alarmed.

Or surprised.

“Gods,” Kiva rasped out as realization hit her, “are you —”

“The second reason you’re here should be obvious,” the tattooed man interrupted loudly, kicking her boot. It didn’t hurt, but it did make her scramble backwards until she hit a wooden crate. “You’re the bait.”

“Last time some of our people tried to take you, they weren’t prepared, but today things are different,” the pale man said with a dark grin. “Even so, it could be a while before your handsome prince discovers you’re missing, so if you want to keep that face pretty for him, you’ll hold your tongue. Once he and his guards arrive, we’ll have our own party. It won’t be a masquerade, but it’ll be just as unforgettable.”

You’re just very tasty bait for a much larger fish.

Caldon had been right all along, Kiva realized. King Navok had sent his people to capture her after the River Festival, for this very same purpose — to lure the crown prince. They knew how much she meant to Jaren; they knew he’d come for her.

Caramor and Mirraven are frothing at the bit to launch an invasion, waiting for the slightest hint of weakness.

Kiva was Jaren’s weakness.

The pale man’s grin widened as he saw understanding flood her face. “Mirraven has big plans for Evalon,” he declared. “Today we’ll be offering a taste of what’s to come.”

Kiva shut her eyes as if it would help block out the words.

She should have kept them open.

Because if she had, she would have seen the hand reaching for her face, the approach of the pungent cloth that slammed over her mouth again, right before the tattooed man said, “This’ll help pass the time. Sweet dreams, girlie.”

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