“Even then,” I said, “you’ll be hard pressed to make her knee touch the grass.”
She took this in with darting eyes, as though watching a scene play out before her. “And the other two?”
“Liora’s a survivor, a strategist. She’ll kneel if it means another six hundred years to scheme. Iseris will fall in line with Liora.”
The thud of horses’ hooves on the leaves made us turn. In the almost-darkness, the guard Eury had sent cantered one horse through the trees while holding the reins of a second one.
“I can’t let her live,” Eury murmured.
I glanced at her, eyes narrowing.Let who live?
All Eury’s focus went to mounting—two quick steps, and then she was seated up high. She gazed down at me as the guard dismounted and offered the second horse’s reins to me.
“Lead on.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Eurydice
We rodefor the Killing Fields. Dusk became night, and we rode. The night deepened, and we rode. The night waned, and we rode.
We didn’t stop. We couldn’t, or I would forfeit the trial, my crown, probably my life.
As we rode, a plan took form in my head. Crude, but less so the longer I thought on it. When you were barely a queen, your resources limited, you only had blunt objects to work with.
I didn’t have their experience. Didn’t have their training with magic or with bows or swords. I hadn’t even had a proper night’s sleep.
Who knew if I even had Dorian.
When he stood before me, I felt nothing could pull us apart. When he turned his back to me—as he did now, ridingahead—Caustrix’s words slithered through my head.He’ll betray you. He already has.
But I had the dagger. And I had me.
I had begun to understand—to trust—that I, Eurydice Waters, was a greater asset to myself than any weapon, any man, any god. I would always be with me. Through life, through death.
I could trust myself.
Dawn forecast its arrival with gray bands peeking through the canopy. Still, we rode hard with no end to the forest in sight. If we didn’t make it in time?—
I felt it then. The tailwind.
Dorian was using his magic again. Fuck. If he overdid it…
“Dorian,” I called.
He didn’t look back. “Don’t talk. Ride.” And then, as though to punctuate the command, the wind kicked up even higher.
It’s his choice, Eury.
So I rode. I sat low over the horse as the wind blew over me, because I had no other choice. It was either arrive at the fields in time or fail trying.
The light shifted as we passed through the forest. Dark gray soon became light gray, and light gray became gold.
Dawn had arrived.
Then I saw it: the forest’s edge. Empty plains like a promise.
I spurred the horse on. We thundered toward the tree line. Dorian burst into the light first, his horse’s chestnut coat sparkling. Then I followed, and the light poured over me so brightly I had to squint.