She returned to her bedchamber to find the fire in the hearth was nearly out. Fortunately, she had plenty of experience reigniting one. Before no time at all, the flames were reaching up into the chimney, the heat emanating as far into the room as her vanity. Kestrel grabbed the book Barnabus had sent up for her, plopped down in the armchair closest to the fire, and read.
The story consumed her. Chapters flew by as she read about a brave young woman searching for a magical cure to her sister’s ailment. The farther into the pages Kestrel went, the more she thought about the task ahead of them. When theyventured into the Hollows, they’d be searching for a cure as well, although one that no one seemed to even know existed. Stranger still was the fact that it was even in the Hollows to begin with. Micah had told her that the Hollows were created long before the Cursed Night, so it struck Kestrel as odd that the cure to the queen’s curse had been in the bottom of a lake there all along.
Unless it also served another purpose.
Maybe it wouldn’t just reverse the curse in its victims. Maybe there was something else it had been designed to do.
A soft knock tapped at her door, pulling Kestrel out of her thoughts and out of the book in her hands. If it had been Marion’s knock, she might’ve ignored it—she was already halfway through the story and honestly was curious to see how it ended, just in case some of the story might be useful to them during their time in the Hollows.
But this knock had less gusto behind it than Marion’s powerful raps. And if it were the queen, or someone else coming to tell Kestrel they were ready to leave, she didn’t want to miss it.
Leaping from her chair, Kestrel kept a finger wedged in the middle of her book as she answered the door.
Elora stood on the other side of the door, one arm crossed over her chest self-consciously. It was the most un-elegant Kestrel had ever seen her.
“Oh!” Kestrel shoved the book behind her back. “Princess Elora. What are you—are the others ready to go?” She wasn’t sure why she hid the book, but it felt like the best way to show that the princess had her full attention.
Regardless, Elora hardly seemed to notice. She looked deep in thought, and like she couldn’t decide between certain choices that Kestrel wasn’t privy to—though she wanted to be.Sometimes it felt as if Elora’s mind was as fortified as these castle walls, and Kestrel was stuck outside trying to figure out what lay within them.
Finally, Elora sucked in a breath and blurted, “Why did you do that for me?”
“Sorry?”
“In the throne room. You told the queen that I should be unbound when we entered the Hollows and I—I don’t understand why.”
Suddenly Kestrel didn’t understand either. She thought the princess would be relieved. “Is that not what you wanted?”
“No—I mean yes!” The silver ink of her crown scrunched in time with her face. “Of course it’s what I wanted. But…nobody has ever advocated on my behalf like that before. No one has ever suggested the hailstone be removed, not even temporarily.”
Kestrel shrugged. “Well, as much as I’d like to take credit for being so heroic in your eyes, it was also just what the vision showed me. It’s what needed to happen.”
But Elora was shaking her head. “Vision or not, it would’ve been easy to leave that part out of your retelling. For your own safety, as well as everyone else’s.”
“Please,” Kestrel said, blowing air between her lips, and waving the book in Elora’s direction. “I don’t believe you’d hurt me for a moment. Or anyone else for that matter.”
A sad smile returned to Elora’s lips. “Well, you might just be the only one.” Kestrel watched as Elora’s eyes deepened to the darkest shade of magenta she’d ever seen. So dark it almost reminded her of blood. It wasn’t the only thing to change. Elora’s entire expression collapsed, her chin wobbling. “Besides, you shouldn’t be so certain. My touch is death. Itcouldkill you, whether I mean for it to or not. The hailstone is for everyone’s safety.”
If she was trying to convince Kestrel to change her mind, it wouldn’t work. They hadn’t known each other for very long, but Kestrel already knew that this woman was not as terrifying as everyone else made her seem. She was fragile and tender. She had a kind heart and a respect for life. Not to mention her resilience and strategic mind for survival. But nowhere in that mix was she dangerous.
“That’s just how they justify it,” Kestrel reminded her. “It’s how Thom justified keeping me in the dark and locked away as well, I think: out of fear.” With Thom though, she wasn’t sure if he had been afraid for her safety, or afraid that her magic might turn out just like her mother’s. She may never know… Kestrel shook the somber thought from her mind. “There was no way I would’ve ever omitted that part of the vision, not just because it was the truth, but because it honestly should’ve been said sooner. And I’m sorry I didn’t think to.”
“That’s not something you need to apologize for. You have done more than enough, and I am truly grateful.”
“Is it though? You’ve been granted, what? A few hours of freedom and then they’ll return you to chains again?” Kestrel shook her head. “No one deserves to be a prisoner…”
But as the words left her mouth, she regretted them immediately. Not because they weren’t true, but she couldn’t help but think back to one of their last conversations, how heated this topic had become for them. Elora wasn’t the only prisoner. And even though they had made amends after their argument about Thom, it still felt like dangerous territory to embark upon again.
Besides, Kestrel didn’t want to argue with her. Especially not now, right before they were supposed to set off into the Hollows.
To her relief though, Elora didn’t seem to be thinking about all of that. Once again, she had retreated into thefortress of her mind, a place shut off to Kestrel. Thankfully, she didn’t make her wait long to share what was inside this time.
“Are you busy right now?” Elora asked.
Kestrel, still clutching the spot where she’d left off in her book, tossed the thing onto her bed. “Not anymore. Why?”
Elora’s eyes flashed a metallic shade of magenta as one of her rare smiles slowly ticked into place. “I’d like to take you somewhere then.”
Kestrel’s stomach dipped, a giddiness making her want to prance. “Lead the way.”
