The emir eyed his chancellor. “See that you do.”
“That went well,” said Penelope as we walked back to our rooms, Tristan and Cade in tow. “I’m glad the emir has called the Council of Five. It makes our job easier than visiting all the other emirs’ holdings and trying to convince them separately.”
“Yes, the emir did seem to want to hear us out.” I lowered my voice. “But I got the distinct impression that Varian doesn’t want us sticking around.”
Penelope nodded. “He’s a snake, that one. We will have to be careful. Go back to your room and get some rest. I will speak with Santino and figure out how we should handle Varian.”
I took her advice and went to my room. I was quite tired and a nap would help. I lay down on my bed and looked out at the trees in the walled courtyard outside my room. I wondered what Rafe was doing right now and if he even thought about me anymore. I had to get to Eldoren at some point so I could explain everything to him. But first I had to secure an army from Brandor and find out what Andromeda was up to. Why hadn’t she taken the book to Morgana yet? Where was she?
I heard a scuffle outside my room and hurried over to the courtyard to look outside.
The courtyard was bathed in a dusky glow as the sun began to set over the Red Citadel, the leaves rustling slightly and an evening breeze sauntering through the trees.
Tristan had a man locked in a stranglehold, and Cade had his sword pointed at the man’s throat.
“Tristan?”
Tristan’s sapphire eyes caught the last light of the setting sun. “I found this man trying to get into your room.” Tristan’s arm was still locked around the hooded man’s neck.
The man glanced up as Tristan pulled back his hood. A familiar face looked back at me.
My eyes widened. “It’s all right, Tristan, I know him.”
Tristan released him grudgingly, but Cade didn’t put his sword away. The man bowed as I strode toward them.
“Marcus Gold,” I said breathlessly. “I thought you were dead.”
“I would have been if your friend Delacourt had his way,” said Marcus, shifting away from the big fae-warriors who were still scowling at him.
My spine bristled at the thought of Brandon Delacourt. “He’s no friend of mine. He gave me up to Morgana the first chance he got.” I told him briefly about what happened when I was last in Brandor.
Marcus nodded. “Delacourt knew I was onto him. And just as I was about to warn Rafe, he tried to have me killed. He would have succeeded too, if the innkeeper hadn’t warned me first. So I ran, and when I came back to find you, I heard you had left on Santino’s ship. Calos is still recovering from their docks burning down.” He raised an eyebrow at me.
I looked down. “That wasn’t one of my best moments. But I’ve been in Elfi all this time, Marcus. Everybody knew that. If you wanted to find me, why didn’t you contact me sooner? Why wait until I came back to Brandor?”
“Because,” said Santino, entering the courtyard with Penelope, “he now works for me.”
“Is this true?” I asked sharply, turning my gaze on Marcus.
Marcus nodded.
“Then why were you lurking outside my room like a spy?”
Santino raised an eyebrow. “Marcus, what did I tell you about sneaking around the citadel? You don’t have to anymore.”
“Sorry!” Marcus shrugged, but he did look a bit sheepish. “Old habits die hard, I guess. I have news, and I thought Aurora should learn of it first.”
Santino moved to stand beside me. “Let’s hear it.”
Marcus hesitated for a moment, then looked me straight in the eyes. “Silverthorne is dead.”
The blood drained from my face. I grabbed on to Santino’s arm for support as my legs turned to jelly. I couldn’t breathe; I needed to sit. My head was spinning. No! No! It couldn’t be.
“Dead,” I repeated dumbly, sitting down on the soft earth as I tried to process what he had just said. “How?”
Marcus stroked his wispy beard, his eyes troubled. “The new archmage decided to make an example of him. He was beheaded, executed in front of all the nobility of Eldoren.”
Penelope came to kneel beside me and put her arm around my shoulders. “You need to be strong, Aurora. Without Silverthorne, Eldoren will be chaos. Rafe will need you now more than ever.”
But the tears wouldn’t stop as I thought of Uncle Gabriel. I was too late. I should have been there to help him, I should have rescued him. I should never have listened to my grandmother. She said Silverthorne would be released eventually. But he wasn’t, he was dead, and there was no way to bring him back. It was all my fault for not taking matters into my own hands.
“Where is Rafe now?” I sniffed at Penelope through tears. I didn’t dare look at Tristan.
“Back at Silverthorne Castle, I suppose,” Marcus offered, “but I haven’t got confirmation about that yet.”
Penelope patted my shoulder sympathetically. “Yes, that seems likely. The rebels have been using it as a base for some time now.”
I finally gathered myself, dried my eyes with a handkerchief Penelope gave me, and eased to my feet. “If Rafe can get the other nobles to follow him, he may be able to take back his throne.” My mind whirled with the possibilities.
Marcus shook his head. “Without Silverthorne, that will be impossible. Prince Rafael has no allies. The Blackwaters made sure the other nobles did not dare join him.”
“How can they do that? Surely there are some nobles who can stand up to them and the Dark Queen. The Blackwaters are not that powerful.”
“No, but the new archmage is,” said Marcus, wariness creeping into his eyes. “He has Morgana’s complete support and has imprisoned the
