The Reckless Reign (Book 3, The Culled Crown Series)

Chapter 3

The Palace Library.
Oredison Palace, Gazda.
Less than two weeks before
Sanctus Aurelia.

I waited until Igell and Ross had settled back into their places before I opened the Galanthus book. I expected an envelope to fall out, or a sheet of paper, but there was nothing—just a book on snow flowers. I flipped through the pages, trying not to draw too much attention to myself as I searched for whatever Kai had meant for me to find.

But as I flipped through page after page of clean text, I considered that maybe someone else had already made the connection. Maybe the keeper had noticed and taken the book—found the note—and given it to Caine. I closed my eyes against that thought.

If Caine knew, he'd hurt me. He'd make Kai watch while he did something terrible.

No. Caine couldn't know. Kai would be more careful than that.

If he'd waited this long to try to reach out to me, it was because he'd been searching for a safe way to do it. And while I was mad at him, I knew he still cared about me. I saw it in every hurried glance, every twitch of his fingers—just when I thought he might reach for me. Kai wouldn't have left something in this book unless he believed that I'd be the only person to see it.

I continued to scan pages, looking for something, anything. But what was I supposed to see? It was possible I was wrong. I could easily be looking too far into this. There might not be a hidden note at all.

Maybe I'd simply found his sketchbook on accident.

It was possible he'd written the code for the book down so that he could reference it when drawing the flowers. That was something he'd do. It may mean nothing at all. The message I'd hoped for—expected—could be a figment of my imagination.

I flipped open the sketchbook and examined the image of Uri he'd drawn.

It really looked like her. He'd captured her smile—the way her posture was always so perfect, even when she was relaxed. The smile she was giving those kids was the same smile she'd given me that first day on the train. As if she held a secret.

Good goddess, I missed her. All at once, I was hit with a pang of guilt—a feeling so intense tears sprang to my eyes. I blinked them away and forced myself to focus.

A few yards away, Ross was shifting on his feet. Eventually, they'd get tired of standing there and they'd force me to go back to my room. The clock was ticking and it wasn't working in my favor.

I set the sketchbook down and flipped through the pages of G894 one more time. As I did, a group of maids darted down the hall outside the library, their laughter and conversation echoing throughout the quiet room. One of the keepers shushed them. My guards leaned around one of the taller shelves, trying to get a look at the passing girls.

I didn't do more than glance at them. My attention was fixed on my task as I flipped to the back of the book, hoping to find something inscribed there. I found only a glossary of terms. I sighed and made to shut the book, but paused as I caught sight of a crease in the pages—one folded corner. It seemed almost accidental as if the page of the book had been crushed by someone closing it carelessly.

I looked up, making sure my guards were still preoccupied before I turned to the marked page. My breath escaped me in a quiet, surprised exhale and I pulled the book closer to me.

Kai had written in the margins, his handwriting blending seamlessly with the detailed diagram of the Galanthus. He'd shaded around the words as if they were a part of the image, another piece of art. Without the slight fold in the pages, I would have missed it.