74

One of the servants stood and fixed her a bowl of oatmeal and a mug of coffee, which she accepted with an exhausted, grateful sigh.

“I did,” she said. “It’s worse than we expected.”

“What do you mean?” Elias asked.

“Rodthar has not just taken the throne,” she said. “He’s made the manor into a fortress. It’s as if he’s brought all of Daybreak with him. There are guards swarming the place.”

“I see,” Elias said coolly. “He’s expecting retribution.”

Kodan nodded. “There’s no way we can get into the castle. Not without a lot of help, and not without killing a lot of wolves.”

“The reinforcements are coming,” Elias said, “but a man like Rodthar won’t hesitate to throw his guards on their swords if he must.”

“I must admit,” Kodan said, “If what Reyna said about Corinne is true, I don’t think we should risk our forces fighting the Daybreak guards.”

“Nor do I,” Thaddeus said. “The wolves of Siena are strong, but few in number. I won’t lead them into a slaughterhouse.”

“No one is going into a slaughterhouse,” Elias snapped. His eyes flashed gold as frustration radiated off of him. I set my hand at his knee under the table and squeezed reassuringly.

“There’s another way in,” I said.

Kodan raised her eyebrows. “Into Efra?”

“No,” I said. “Into the manor.”

Elias relaxed minutely, and nodded. “We don’t need to fight through all the guards,” Elias said. “I only need to get to Rodthar. Just as my father did.”

“The tunnel?” Kodan asked. “I thought that was a myth.”

Elias shook his head. “It was safer to spin it as a myth,” he said, “rather than let others know about the access.”

“You snake,” Kodan said with a slow grin. “I can’t believe you never told me. You told Reyna?”

“No,” I said, smiling, “I found it.”

“Ah, so you’re a snake too,” Kodan teased. “A match made by the gods.”

“You mean there’s a way inside?” Thaddeus asked. “Without alerting the guards?”

“It might still be guarded,” Elias said. “Rodthar might know of its existence. But even if it is—it won’t be defended nearly as well as the rest of the city. I will not hesitate to strike down a few wolves to regain my rightful throne.”

“How do we get in?” Kodan asked. “Is it just a way to move around the manor?”

Elias looked at me expectantly.

I looked at the table in front of me, and then closed my eyes. With a steadying breath, I tried to recall the map I’d studied when I was planning on breaking Griffin out of the dungeon. The tunnels that wound through the map of the manor like veins, and then one that went from the dungeons to the north wing and straight out. I could see it there, the illustration of the exit of the tunnel deep in the forest.

“Do you not know?” Kodan asked.

Elias said nothing.

Was this a trial perhaps? My lips quirked into a small smile as I focused my memory on the image of the map. At least this was one test I knew I could pass.

“The entrance is in the forests northwest of Efra,” I said. “On the east side of the Lake Argoen, below the mountain range between Efra and the old pack lands. There’s an outcropping of rocks on the west side.” I remembered the illustration on the map, three immense boulders pushed together. “The entrance is below them.”

“Lake Argoen?” Kodan asked. “That’s barely two days’ journey.”

“I’ll take a small convoy to the tunnel,” Elias said. “We’ll get into the manor that way. The rest of the soldiers, those of Siena, Duskmoon, and Starcrest, will wait outside Efra, camping in the woods and hidden from view. I’ll take care of Rodthar myself. Once he’s dead, I’ll call for the reinforcements to come into Efra and clear out the remainder of the Daybreak guards. I expect they won’t have much reason to fight back once their king is dead.”

“Simple as that,” Kodan said.

I swallowed. Nothing was ever that simple with my father. “I’ll come with you,” I said.

“No, you won’t,” Elias said. “I need you here. I need you safe.”

“I won’t stay here and wring my hands while you go to Efra,” I said. “I need to be at your side.”

“Come,” Elias said. “Let’s discuss this privately.”

“Your Highness—” Kodan started.

“It’ll be just a moment,” Elias said coolly. “Get some rest, General. We have a long few days ahead of us.”

He stood up, and nodded for me to follow. I brought my mug of coffee with me, following behind him, trying to walk with the easy confidence of a queen and not show any of the imbalance I felt.

Outside, he led me to the side of the building. I thought he was taking me to a private room, or something like that, but instead we just ducked into the narrow alley, kicking up dust on the rarely trodden path. He leaned heavily against one of the barrels stacked against the stone wall, half-sitting on it, and then pressed his fingers into his temples.

He looked exhausted. I realized then why he wanted to step away—he didn’t want Thaddeus or Kodan to see him like this. Not before we were planning to strike at the heart of Daybreak.

I rubbed my free hand over his shoulder. He sighed, then looked up at me with a small furrow in his brow. “Reyna,” he said, “must you make this so difficult?”

I risked a small smile. “What do you mean?”

“Coming with the convoy through the tunnels,” he said. “You should ride with Adora and other reinforcements. As soon the deed is done, you can come into Efra. Once it’s safe.”

“You know I won’t do that,” I said gently. “It’s my father—stepfather—who has taken the crown. I won’t sit back and let him try to take the kingdom again. He’ll stop at nothing.”

“I know that,” Elias said. “I don’t want you there when I do what I must.”

“Which is what?” I asked. “Kill him for treason?”