“Ifshe did?” Isla yelled, standing.
Oro stood too, towering over her. “There are thousands of Moon-lings on this island. I will not sentence them all to death because of the actions of their ruler.”
Her arms shook. But he was perfectly fine allowing the entire Nightshade realm to die. Her hands clenched and unclenched. Her head throbbed. “What about Azul?” He had nearly killed Celeste. “He obviously has some sort of plan to overtake power on Lightlark. He can’t be trusted.”
Oro shook his head. “I told you. At the second Centennial, Azul’s husband died. Each Centennial since, he does not work to break the curses, or form alliances, or overtake anything. He only tries to speak to his beloved one last time.”
“What about his plan?” Isla demanded. “I heard you both.”
Your plan is madness,Oro had said.You will be sentencing thousands to death.
A realm has to die, Oro,Azul had responded.
“His plan?” Oro said, taking a step toward her. “His plan was tosacrificehimself. Give himself up as the ruler to die to end the curses. He knew the island’s days were numbered after my demonstration. He was willing to sacrifice himself, his people, if it meant saving everyone else. They have a democratic rule. His realmagreedwith him. They voted for it.”
“That’s not true. He tried to kill Celeste,” she growled.
“I don’t know why he would do that. I’m sure there’s a reason—”
Areason.The king seemed to have endless excuses and empathy, but only when it suited him.
Azul and Cleo both had their own agendas, she knew it. But Isla realized then that they must have had help. Cleo had killed Juniper after somehow finding out that Isla planned on meeting him. Celeste had been found away from the Carmel celebration in the gardens, as if she had been led there ...
Only one other person knew about Juniper’s letter to Isla and Celeste.
One person knew about Celeste’s poisoning before anyone else.
One person had complete access to the castle and could move freely, practically unnoticed.
Ella.
Isla’s eyes burned; her throat was dry. She didn’t know anything anymore. Was she wrong? Or right?
She had worked tirelessly to find the heart.
Little did she know, the entire time, she had only been guaranteeing Grim’s death. If Isla refused to kill him, Oro would. She knew that.
You could choose him,a voice in her head whispered ... choose his realm to save. And see if Oro might choose Moonling or Skyling to die over Starling.
No. Isla knew Oro would choose Starling then. It was the weakest of Lightlark’s realms, with the smallest population, because of their curse. Celeste was the youngest ruler, besides Isla.
The choice was clear. Either Celeste, or Grim.
Tears streamed down her face. Angry, hot tears.
“Not him,” she demanded. “Please.”
Why did she think he would choose Cleo? Just because the Moonling ruler had tried to assassinate her? Because Oro had saved her?
She was a fool to think he cared, to somehow allow herself to believe that Oro was anything but the king of Lightlark. A cruel ruler who would do wicked things to serve his people.
And Nightshade was their enemy.
Oro’s face was expressionless. He was the king at the dinner table sneering at her wet hair, putting a heart on her plate and demanding she eat it.
“I saw his flair, Isla. He can travel between Lightlark and Nightshade in a moment. Do you know how dangerous that is? When the curses are broken and Nightshade decides to attack again while we are still vulnerable, still healing, he can transport his entire army here in the blink of an eye. Without warning.”
“But you didn’t evenknowabout his flair until now! Which means he could have done that exact thing in the war. And he didn’t, did he?”
