Ezaara’s eyes pricked. “Remember, not a word to anyone.”
“Of course,” Threcia said. “Master Roberto may have accomplices.”
Adelina? She hadn’t thought of her. Ezaara left, and ran, drums pulsing beneath her feet, Erob’s howls filling the tunnels. She had to find Adelina. And, despite him being a killer, she yearned to see Roberto, one last time.
§
Heart thudding, Ezaara tried one passage after another. Strange—most of the corridors were empty. Finally, she found a tunnel with stairs winding down into the bowels of the mountain. It was cold down here, so cold. She pulled her jerkin tighter.
Feet pounding stone, she came to another tunnel with a locked door. Guards blocked it, swords drawn. “No admittance to the dungeons. Only the traitor’s sister may see him.”
Ezaara mustered her haughtiest tone. “Please move aside for the Queen’s Rider.”
“Sorry. Master Lars said you weren’t to see him. It’s for your own protection.”
Nothing would sway them.
Ezaara tried to meld with Roberto. Nothing.
She’d have to wait for Adelina. She retreated along the tunnel, ducking into a deserted chamber, ricocheting drumbeats throbbing through her head, and her boots gnawing a hole in the stone.
Time seemed to last forever.
The drums stopped. Erob’s keening died. The sudden silence stifled Ezaara like an overly-thick cloak.
Finally, along the tunnel, the door thudded. A small cloaked figure bolted past the chamber.
“Adelina,” Ezaara called out.
Adelina sped up. She mustn’t have heard.
“Adelina,” Ezaara yelled.
Adelina raced up the winding stairs. She was deliberately ignoring her. No one could’ve missed that.
Ezaara quickened her pace, following Adelina along the deserted tunnels. When they’d walked so long that Ezaara was in a passage she’d never seen before, Adelina stopped outside a door.
She whirled to face Ezaara, eyes red-rimmed. Her usually cheerful face was closed. Hard. “I know you’re following me, but don’t.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“No, you don’t. You’re the last person I want to talk to.”
It was a knife to her gut. “I want to check you’re all right.” And Roberto … she wanted to see him.
Adelina rolled her bloodshot eyes.
“What have I done?”
“What. Have. You. Done?” With each word, Adelina stabbed a finger in Ezaara’s face. Eyes fiery, she snapped, “You’ve sentenced my brother to death.”
“No!” What? Ezaara reeled, gut-punched. “No, Adelina, he poisoned Jaevin.” The pot of dragon’s bane, his confession, had sealed his fate, not her. “Tonio saw him with the pot …” The scathing hatred on Adelina’s face stopped her.
“You’re as dumb as Fleur.” Adelina thrust open the door, strode through it and slammed it in Ezaara’s face. “Go away!” she yelled through the wood.
That hurt. But not as much as Adelina was hurting. Hang on, this wasn’t Adelina’s cavern. Whose was it?
Ezaara pushed the door open. It was Roberto’s. Erob’s ornate saddlebags were leaning against a wall. Adelina was slumped on Roberto’s bed, one of his jerkins in her hands. The cavern smelt like him—mint and sandalwood and male. A memory of flying with him came flooding back. Of him holding her, safely cocooned, after her stunt. She tried to swallow it down, but couldn’t.
“You don’t get it, do you?” Adelina wrung his garment in her hands. “I asked Roberto to tell the truth, but he refused.”
“But he did tell the truth. At the trial, he said—”
“How could you be Queen’s Rider and be so dumb?” Adelina’s face was frankly incredulous. “My brother sacrificed his life to save yours. He’s innocent.”
“Oh!” Ezaara’s stomach was a hollow yawning chasm. She was spinning, dropping into an endless void. “I—I—” She’d been too angry, too blind, too stupid to see …
“Why didn’t you vouch for him?” Adelina demanded.
“He made me promise not to argue with him …. What about that pot Tonio saw?”
Adelina bit her lip. “The night you arrived. Oil for your cane.”
Adelina’s mother’s cane. Roberto had freshly carved and oiled it, after only just meeting her. He’d cared for her, right from the start. And how had she repaid him?
“My brother would never poison Jaevin. How could you believe that?”
“When I told him I had the antidote, he said to keep it secret. Not to heal Jaevin … it seemed off. Why would he keep the remedy secret?”
“Well, think about it.” Adelina tapped her foot against the bed like a mad woodpecker. “Do you trust Fleur?” Adelina’s glance stabbed Ezaara. “Oh, figure it out yourself!”
Oh shards. He’d been preventing Fleur from destroying the remedy. She’d been a double fool. Now they’d lose him. But it wasn’t too late. Surely she could do something. “I have to talk to him. Have to vouch for him, tell Lars.”
“It’s too late. He’s gone.” Her voice hollow, Adelina slumped on the bed. “Didn’t you hear the banishment drums?”
“Yes, but—”
“When the drums sounded, everyone went to the main cavern to jeer at the traitor before the blue guards loaded him into saddlebags. I couldn’t bear to go.” She wrung his jerkin, twisting it into a tight coil. “He’ll never survive the Wastelands. Never.”
Oh shards, her brother. Her only living family member. This was so much worse for Adelina. Ezaara reached out to hug her, but Adelina shoved her away.
“My brother’s life is worth more than a cheap apology. Just go.”
It stung like tharuk claws raking flesh. This was her fault. She should have realized. Believed in him. Spoken up. Now it was too late.
Secret Plans
Ezaara ran to Zaarusha’s den and threw herself against her dragon’s side. Zaarusha’s scales were warm, but nothing could ease the dark icy hollow inside.
“It’s been a grueling day. How are you faring?” Zaarusha snuffled her hair, her breath tickling Ezaara’s neck.
“Terrible. Adelina blames Roberto’s banishment on me. Says he did it to save me.
