A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3)(105)

“Then he has my gratitude,” says Rhen. His eyes meet mine.

I’m not sure what to say. Silence swells between us for a long moment.

The space between me and him suddenly feels like a mile, too. He yielded to me in the hallway, and he saved my life as a monster—but he is still the crown prince. His army still surrounds this castle.

It’s almost as if he realizes this at the same moment I do, because a new light sparks in his eye.

I’m not the only one who notices. “Emberfall’s army still blocks our exit, Your Highness,” says Captain Solt, and his accented voice is very low. “We should bind him. So we have leverage.”

“I will face my army on my own terms,” says Rhen darkly. “I will tell them to stand down.”

“I do not trust this,” says Solt.

Rhen glances at Harper. “Trust is built by action.” He looks back at me. “I should have trusted you when it most mattered.”

“So should I,” I say. I look at Solt. “Rhen is not our prisoner. He is my brother.”

“Indeed,” says Rhen, and to my surprise, his voice isn’t heavy with emotion. In fact, he sounds lighter than I ever recall. “Let us face my army. Let me introduce them to the rightful heir.”

I startle, then stare at him in surprise.

Rhen smiles, then holds out a hand. “For the good of Emberfall.”

I clasp it. “For the good of all.”





CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

LIA MARA

With a small group that needs no cover, we’re able to ride hard across Emberfall. I remember sneaking through the woods with Grey, how every mile seemed to take an hour, but now we seem to fly. My stomach churns with anxiety, and I feel as though I haven’t eaten in days. I’ve never believed in fate for a day in my life, but Grey does, and now I find myself begging fate.

Let him survive.

Let him come back to me.

Keep him safe.

Please.

The officers from Rhen’s army ride at our front and at our back, acting as escorts as promised. At first my own soldiers were wary and reluctant, but we’ve made good time without incident. When we stopped to water the horses, I saw one of the Emberfall soldiers lend a piece of flint to one of my officers when hers dropped into the depths of the creek. This morning, one of my own soldiers helped one of Rhen’s when the girth of his saddle began to fray. Noah moves between both groups easily when we stop, treating minor wounds when necessary, but he mostly sticks to my side.

We slow the horses to a walk near daybreak, and Noah rides alongside. He offers me a heel of bread. “You should eat.”

I shake my head. “I’m not hungry.”

“Well, your body needs some food, even if your head doesn’t think so.”

I take the bread because I know he’ll be relentless if I don’t, but when I tear a piece with my teeth, I just want to throw up on my horse.

I shake my head and take a pull from my water skin. “I’m too nervous.”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment, but I can feel him studying me. “Small bites,” he says.

“How far are we?” I ask. To appease him, I take a tiny tear of bread.

He looks at the horizon. “We passed the turn to Silvermoon an hour ago. If we keep up this pace, we’ll make it to the castle before sunrise.”

“Sunrise!” I look at my soldiers. “We rest for no longer than five minutes.”

Noah chuckles. “Don’t you remember Jake punching Grey when he didn’t want to rest?”

I look into his eyes. “Aren’t you worried, too?”

That sobers him. “Five minutes.”

“We should make it three.” I draw up my reins.



I love the mountains in Syhl Shallow, but there is something peaceful about the rolling hills of Emberfall, especially when sunlight first breaks along the horizon, sending early streaks of purple across the sky. The horses blow steam into the air, their hooves pounding the ground. I recognize the territory surrounding Ironrose Castle now, the wide swath of forest that surrounds the castle itself. There’s one final hill to crest, and then we’ll be there.

My heart beats hard against my ribs. We’re here. Grey, we’re here.

Then we sail over the hill and see the soldiers. There are hundreds of them. Thousands of them. All in formation.

Clanna Sun hauls on her reins. “It’s a trap!” she cries. “Fall back!”

My soldiers and officers skid to a stop, too, horses rearing in protest. They quickly swarm to surround me. A shout goes up from the army at the base of the hill. The Emberfall soldiers who’d been escorting us look alarmed.

“Hold!” I say. I put up a hand and glare at Clanna Sun. “I said, hold!”

They hold. The horses stamp and prance, jerking at too-tight reins. I look across at Jamison, whose gaze goes from us to the soldiers waiting in formation in the valley.

Before I have a chance to say anything, he says quickly, “Your Majesty. I will ride down to them. I will explain.”

A group of Rhen’s soldiers have mounted horses, and they’ve begun to ride toward us. It’s too dark to see much very clearly, but behind them, I see the shadows of archers with bows sitting ready.

“Go,” I say to Jamison.