Page 147 of The Gilded Cage

Nothing was wrong.

Kiva loosed a relieved sob and searched frantically for Jaren among the crowd, certain he must have given up waiting for her in the River Room by now.

She couldn’t see him anywhere, nor could she see Mirryn, but she spotted Caldon dancing with a dark-haired woman. Fearing it was Zuleeka, Kiva’s heart arrested, before a quick spin revealed her to be someone else.

Kiva tore across the ballroom toward them, her disheveled appearance eliciting gasps and murmurs from those she passed. When Caldon caught sight of her, he halted mid-dance, offering an apology to his partner before striding to meet her partway across the room.

“What the hell happened to you?” he asked, eyeing her from head to toe.

“Where’s Jaren?” Kiva panted.

Caldon rolled his eyes. “Seriously? You two need to —”

Kiva grabbed the lapels of his jacket, shaking him fiercely. “Caldon,where’s Jaren?”

The prince turned alert. “Last I knew, he was with you.”

Kiva closed her eyes, wondering if Jarenhadwaited for her, just as he’d promised. “Have you seen Zuleeka?”

“She was just here, asking where to find you,” Caldon said. “Someone told her they saw you and Jaren heading to the River Room a while ago.” Seeing Kiva pale, Caldon added, “Naari followed her — she can’t get into any trouble.”

Kiva didn’t need to hear more, already turning to sprint back the way she’d come.

“Hey —wait!” Caldon called, his long steps catching up easily as she bolted out of the ballroom and toward the nearest staircase. Keeping pace at her side, he demanded, “What’s wrong?”

“Zuleeka’s dangerous.” Kiva didn’t slow as they climbed to the next floor and barreled along the hallway. “She has magic. Evil magic. And she has a dagger that —”

Kiva and Caldon burst through the doors of the River Room before she could finish her warning. And then she couldn’t speak at all, because the moment she saw her sister standing with Jaren by the window-wall, a wave of blackness speared toward her, rooting her feet to the floor.

It wasn’t like when the queen had encased Kiva’s ankles in ice. Instead, it was as if her veryboneshad fused together, her legs forced apart, her arms stretched out to the sides, her mouth sealed shut, pain tearing through her as Zuleeka’s dark magic manipulated her muscles and tendons to her will.

Beside her, Kiva was aware of Caldon locked in the same position, the two of them entirely trapped by Zuleeka’s magic — as was Jaren across the room, his body immobile while his eyes blazed with fury.

But Jaren wasn’t looking at them. He wasn’t even looking at Zuleeka.

His gaze was fixed on the floor.

Where Naari lay.

Eyes closed.

In a pool of blood.

Kiva’s heart stopped. But then she saw the slight rise and fall of the guard’s chest.

Alive — she wasalive.

If Kiva had been in control of her own body, she would have buckled with the weight of her relief.

And then she realized something else: Naari had felt Zuleeka’s magic before.

Darkness swirled in my vision and my limbs just wouldn’t obey me,the guard had said when recounting the day she’d lost her hand.It was terrible, not being able to control myself.

If only Kiva had known about the dark magic sooner; if only she’d —

“Sister, so good of you to join us,” Zuleeka purred, interrupting Kiva’s woeful thoughts.

A fireball surged from Caldon, making Kiva wonder why Jaren wasn’t using his own magic. Her terror flooded anew, but he didn’t appear to be injured — nor was there any sign of the dagger.

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