Page 74 of The Gilded Cage

Kiva hurried straight over to Rhessinda, who stood upon her approach.

“What’s with the royal bodyguard?” she asked, tossing her ashy braid over her shoulder.

“Not a bodyguard. More a well-meaning but frustratingly clingy babysitter.” Kiva shook her head. “Never mind about that, I need your help. Can you take me to the apothecaries’ garden?”

Rhessinda didn’t waste time asking questions. “Sure. It looks like you’re in a rush — we can cut straight across the sanctuary.”

Kiva turned to Caldon, miming that she would be back in a few minutes. Part of her was surprised he didn’t follow when she and Rhess set out across the grass, but then she reminded herself that she wasn’t a prisoner — Caldon was spending the day with her to keep her company, something that he thought she would want. ThatJarenthought she would want. At any other time, she would have been humbled by their thoughtfulness, and for the hours Caldon was sacrificing to show her the beautiful city.

“Want to tell me what’s going on?” Rhess asked casually as they crossed a narrow brook and passed through a small grove of citrus trees, hints of orange, lime, and lemon scenting the air.

“I need to ask a favor, but I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Kiva answered.

Rhess snorted. “Please. Do I seem like the kind of person who worries about trouble?”

No, she didn’t. And that was why Kiva had come to her for help. “I need to get away from Vallenia for the day.”

“Back to Oakhollow?” Rhess asked as they headed toward an impressive greenhouse. It hadn’t been part of Kiva’s tour the first day, when she’d seen only the apothecaries’ workroom where the medicines were made and readied for collection.

“Not Oakhollow. Somewhere else.”

As much as Kiva was growing to value Rhess’s friendship, she still had many secrets that couldn’t be shared. But the healer didn’t press, and only asked, “What do you need?”

Kiva quickly explained about Caldon dogging her steps and how she needed to take him out of the equation, finishing with, “I’m thinking a sleeping remedy. Perhaps a combination of moradine and rosaron.” Normally she would only use moradine — like what the queen had given Tipp the night of Kiva’s abduction — but the addition of rosaron would ensure a deeper sleep for a fully grown adult like Caldon.

“That should definitely work,” Rhess said without a hint of judgment.

They reached the outer edge of the apothecaries’ garden, a small picket fence hedging in numerous rows of medicinal plants. Had she the time, Kiva would have spent hours wandering the aisles and exploring the greenhouse at their center, but today wasn’t the day for sightseeing.

“Where to?” Kiva asked Rhess, indicating the large garden.

The healer hesitated, and Kiva wondered if she was having second thoughts about helping her steal from the academy. But then Rhess stepped over the small fence, striding with purpose toward a mounted signpost. Seeing it, Kiva realized she could have left Rhess out of her plan entirely, since the sign offered a detailed map of every bed in the garden.

“Moradine and rosaron, right?” Rhessinda asked.

“Right,” Kiva confirmed.

Rhess searched the map, found them both listed in the same garden bed, and led the way in their direction.

“So you plan to drug Prince Caldon and then sneak away from the palace to some unknown place?” the healer said as they wandered along the path. “Sounds wise.”

“I’m visiting family,” Kiva said.

“I thought you already did that.”

“Differentfamily.”

“As long as my aiding and abetting doesn’t result in you getting hurt,” Rhess said. “Or lost. Where are you headed?”

Kiva bit her lip as they approached the desired garden bed, realizing that she’d forgotten to consult a map. “Blackwater Bog. Do you know it?”

“Oh, sure, that’s just up north a bit,” Rhess said as they came to a halt on the path.

“Where the Wildemeadow meets the Crewlling Swamplands,” Kiva recited.

The healer turned to look at her, squinting. “You have no idea where you’re going, do you?”

Kiva sighed and shook her head.

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