“Aye . . . dear . . . don’t worry about me. Leave me . . . if you must.”
Before Aerity could respond, a shadow stepped out from behind a tree.
“Still a slave to the monarch, Lashed One? Pity.”
Aerity’s skin prickled with heat at that voice. Vixie and Wyneth stepped back. Mrs. Rathbrook stood up, eyes narrowing as Rozaria Rocato materialized, smiling.
Vixie pulled out her bow and quickly nocked an arrow. “Not another step.”
Rozaria stopped, sizing up Vixie. “Ah, you again? Still trying to prove yourself?”
Vixie minutely shifted her stance, tensing.
“She has nothing to prove,” Aerity said. “She has my full permission to kill you right now.”
“I think we both know she doesn’t have it in her.”
“I just killed one of your soldiers!” Vixie’s voice trembled, despite her confident stance.
“Were you looking him in the eye, as you do now with me?” Rozaria spoke softly.
Vixie didn’t answer, asking instead, “Where’s your friend? The one who hides and sneaks?”
Rozaria appeared amused by her tone. Aerity remembered now that there was a girl, always watching over Rozaria, often in hiding. Her eyes darted around at the trees and shadows. Wyneth turned to look behind them and her eyes grew. “Harrison!”
He crested the hill, looking worse for wear with his uniform torn, dirtied, and bloodied, but he was upright and not at all as winded as they’d been. He stopped and surveyed the scene. Aerity noticed he had no sword. He must have been disarmed in battle and ran to see them off after all. She couldscarcely make out his face in the dark distance.
She wondered if he was thinking what she was: that the smart thing to do would be to order Vixie to kill Rozaria now. But Aerity didn’t want to force her sister. She’d been shaken after killing the man from afar. Aerity would do it herself, and she knew Harrison would as well, but in the time it would take to get the bow from Vix, Rozaria could have her hands on one of them, or run and escape. She had to trust that Vixie wouldn’t let Rozaria get away again.
“Keep the arrow aimed at her at all times,” Harrison said. “Everyone else stay clear of her.” Now he focused on Rozaria. “You’re under arrest for conspiracy against Lochlanach. You’re a prisoner of war—”
A burst of mad laughter issued from Rozaria. She laughed until a savage roar rang out, causing her to abruptly shut her mouth and peer down the hill. Aerity caught something glinting from beside a nearby tree, then the glint moved.
“Watch out!” she yelled, and the object flew straight toward Vixie. In a blur, Furball threw himself in the path of the dagger, letting out a raging snarl as the weapon pricked underneath his front leg.
Vixie released her arrow and hit the Lashed girl beneath her collarbone. The girl stumbled out and fell beside Rozaria, the arrow protruding.
“Nicola!” Rozaria moved to block the girl from the rest of them.
“That was my only arrow,” Vixie whispered in a panic.
“I will heal you, Nicola,” Rozaria murmured down at the writhing girl. “Be still for a moment while I finish them.”
Furball growled. Rozaria lifted her gaze and stared at the creature in wonder.
“He’s one of mine, isn’t he?”
“Not anymore,” Harrison told her.
“We’ll see about that.” Rozaria snapped her fingers with authority and clicked her tongue at the beast. Furball gave a pathetic whimper and went back on its haunches, as if afraid or confused.
“This . . .” Rozaria pointed at the creature. “This is that useless cub!” She laughed again. “How did you obtain him?” Then she stared at Aerity in a new way. “You . . . that wasyouat my camp. And Paxton . . . he knew all along.” Aerity felt a clench of fear until remembering it made no difference now. Rozaria laughed darkly, sounding maniacal. “It matters not. You will both suffer tenfold.”
She began to squat beside Nicola, careful not to turn her back to them.
“Don’t touch her,” Miss Rathbrook said, stepping forward. “She tried to kill the princess. You will not heal her.”
“Howdareyou command me,” Rozaria spat. “You are the worst kind of Lashed, a traitor of magical blood!”
