Tovian doesn’t look convinced.
“Reward me by not taking stupid risks, Sunshine. You’re lucky I happened to be in this part of the Boscage when you stumbled into my jungle.”
“Stop calling me that. I have a name.”
Even if I did lie about it, Arianelle is still technically my name. Sunshine, emphatically, is not. Cute, but all things sunny and golden are Zosia’s domain—except her personality, which is overly serious and, if I’m being honest, a bit despondent. Or was, until Lorcan got her to thaw out a little. The way she brightened whenever he was around…it twists my heart.
In retrospect, I should’ve been more concerned about her. A lot of people should have been. She wasn’t okay, and none of us saw it. Except Lorcan. He paid attention, picked up on what the rest of us, busy with our war plans and introducing our secretive country to the outside world, didn’t want to see.
After all, how could a princess be depressed? What could a beautiful nineteen-year-old woman have to be sad about?
Plenty, as it turned out. I didn’t realize how bad things were between her and her father until he tried to force Zosia to the altar. I thought for sure Cata would talk him out of it, but she supported the plan, even knowing how Lorcan and Zosia felt about one another. I’ll never understand why.
Can’t ask her now.
I feel like I failed Zosia. I failed my two best friends, and I want a chance to fix it.
Tovian’s brows knit together. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. Ari.”
“Oh, that happens, it’s no big deal. I wasn’t even thinking about your dumb nickname for me.” I swipe at my cheek. It comes away damp and gray with grime. I cannot believe this guy thought I was beautiful enough to make out with, when I’m covered in filth.
Is he a keeper or serial killer, that is the question.
If Tovian meant to kill me, he could’ve let Big Ada—Eater—have me for lunch. I get the sense that he’s like me—a lover and a fighter, but the latter only when he needs to be.
Unlike Lorcan.
Lorcan is a killer, through and through. He’s as cold as Zosia is. Both of them have hearts of fire encased in ice.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, head cocked to the side.
“A friend,” I said. “Two friends. I didn’t do well by them.” I adjust my pack. “Can we keep moving?”
“What’s the rush, Sunshine? Are you looking to catch a bullet?”
“With my teeth.” I emphasize each syllable, implying I’m so tough I’ll spit it right back out. “I’m needed there.”
It’s all I dare tell him. If he knew who I really am, Tovian might do anything. Kidnap me. Hold me for ransom. With Auralia’s primary ruler missing, it can hardly afford to lose the backup queen. Not that I alone count for much.
The legends tend to focus on Auralia, at the expense of Reila and Astra, her sisters. The exclusion has led to significant conflict between Auralia’s main tribe and mine, the largest offshoot, most recently the conflict five hundred years ago that sent Tovian’s people into hiding.
Some say that the Skía are an offshoot of that war. Our home-grown, secretive shadow organization bent on overthrowing the Auralian monarchy. For decades, they withered into a scary bedtime story, until, when the country started opening to the outside world, they became terrifyingly real.
First, Zosia’s aunt died under suspicious circumstances. Her mother rushed into marriage—a reasonably happy one, if not a love match. King Rohan and his Queen ruled well together for a few years, producing one daughter. In the interim, her grandmother died. Then the Skía murdered Zosia’s mother, leaving one little girl to carry the weight of centuries of tradition.
King Rohan pushed Zosia hard to fill her mother’s shoes. Being the living goddess was supposed to be hereditary. But hereditary just means you get a certain combination of genetic material. It can’t confer experience. It doesn’t mean you automatically have access to ancient knowledge. He didn’t seem to understand that. The goddess was supposed to guide her, but as far as Zosia knew, the goddess despised her.
Worse, it was Lorcan’s father who led her mother’s guard the day Queen Ilíana was attacked. Zosia did not take well to being used as the vehicle for Lorcan’s redemption.
We all contributed to the pressure on her. I see that with the clarity of hindsight. As long as there’s hope for them, there’s hope for the country, and I keep fighting—cute Ansi boy or no cute Ansi boy.
Which means, I need to get to Oceanside. Now.
“Well, Ansi? Are we going?” I gesture to what appears to be a trail, but might just be a haphazard opening in the underbrush. His teeth flashed, but the smile doesn’t quite meet his eyes.
“This way, Sunshine.” He motions for me to follow him deeper into the jungle.
“I’m pretty sure Oceanside is that way.”
