The Point of A Dagger

Seventeen

"I'm going to kill you in your sleep," I hiss, storming through the closet, out the bedroom doors, immediately flanked by Ronan.

"Wait," Griffin drawls from behind me. "Will you not let me explain?" I spin, nager raging through me. He knew. The bastard knew, and he let us waltz through here.

"No, I will not. Ronan, lock him up. I don't care where, but I do not want to see his face.

"You're overreacting, Cassie," he sighs, but I see a hint of something in his eyes, fear or a warning of some sorts. I'm too angry to acknowledge it.

"Do not call me that." With a wave of my hand, Griffin is hauled off, and I am storming through the tower, toward Rion and Nalise's study.

I process nothing, I hardly process what Griffin told me, as I burst through the doors, startling Rion and Nalise.

"We need to leave. Now," I say, pacing toward them. Nalise stands, meeting me, grabbing my forearms as I look at them frantically.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not safe here," I whisper.

Worry coils in my gut. I've never been one to scare easily, but Griffin did the job just fine. He knows more than I--we--do, and he seems to know all the cards, but won't bleed an inch to us. We are playing a game where everyone has an advantage, but us. Saunin continues to press on us, making us reveal our hands, before the game has even started.

"I trust you," Nalise whispers. Looking into her dark eyes, I can't help but hear the voice of the spirits: Do not trust anyone, anything.

"We need to speak privately. Where no one can hear," I say quietly, so much so that Rion cannot hear me from the other side of the room. Nalise glances back at him, and then looks at me again.

"Are we in danger?"

"I don't know," I breathe.

"Is it the prince?" Without speaking, I squeeze her arm, telling her all she needs to know.

"Come," is all Rion says, the fear evident on his face, shoving aside a bookcase that sat against the wall, revealing a door. "Plora is not the only castle with hidden passageways," he whispers.

"Tell the guards not to come looking for us," I breathe to Nalise, my heartbeat racing. Nalise slips out the door, speaking quickly to the guards, and Rion and I move into the dimly lit hallway. Nalise eventually follows, pulling the bookcase over the entrance once more, casting us in darkness before Rion lights a torch.

"There is going to be an attack," I breathe. Both royals straighten, staring at me.

"How do you know?"

"The prince told me. There are already spies here, in the Grand Palace, crawling over the towers."

"Seafall," Nalise breathes, holding her hand to her heart. "Andres," she says, turning to Rion. His hands move to her shoulders.

"Why? Why is the King doing this? Why now?" Rion demands.

"I don't know," I say. "But he has the crown. One of the dark magic items, one of the six in the Almawt Trove. The Red Queen stole in from Plora during her crusades," I whisper, even though I cannot be overheard, it seems wrong to speak the words aloud.

"How do you know?"

"The prince." Rion scoffs.

"And you believe him?"

"No, but how can I ignore it?" I say, stepping toward them.

"Cass, you haven't thought this through."