Two Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns #3)(71)

Mirabella laughs and shoves her lightly.

“You are a brat. And you would have drowned when the first of her waves hit.” Her smile fades. “But . . . I am not only coming along to look after you. Though I am sure I will have to do that.” Arsinoe makes a face. “I am coming along because if you are right, and there truly is something amiss on the island, it is . . . our responsibility, is it not? To do what we can. We are still of there; we are still its queens.”

“No we’re not,” Arsinoe says glumly. “It’s thinking like that that’s going to get us killed.”

“Are you still dreaming of Daphne?”

She shakes her head. There have been no dreams since she decided to return to Fennbirn. It is that as much as anything that tells her she is on the right track.

“Have you started to dream?”

“No,” Mirabella replies. “She is still speaking only to you.” She crosses her arms and nods to Billy as he approaches from the other side of the rail. “So you know, this is probably a trap. She is probably going to deliver us right into our little sister’s clutches.”

“Have a little faith,” Arsinoe says as Mirabella walks away.

“Two queens die. That is just how it is.”

“Don’t say that!” Arsinoe calls after her, then turns back to the rail and pounds it with her fist. “Why does she say that?”

“I think she was joking.” Billy leans against the rail. He shells a nut and holds it out.

“No, thank you. Where did you get those?”

“The captain had them. We paid him so much for an afternoon sail that I think he feels he should provide refreshments.”

“You’re in a fine mood. Aren’t you going to lecture me, too?”

He shrugs.

“I trust Mirabella to take care of that. She’ll make a very fine sister-in-law one day. Keep you in line for me.”

Arsinoe scoffs. Then she slides her fingers into the hair at his temple. It is longer now than when they first met, long enough to blow in the strong sea wind. He called her his fiancée when they arranged for the boat. Only a lie, she knew, but it still gave her a pleasurable burst of excitement in the pit of her stomach.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this. Dragging you away from your mother and sister.”

“Don’t be. I told them I was returning to find my father and bring him home. They couldn’t have been more thrilled.” He smiles, perhaps a little bitter. “But it is dangerous, Arsinoe. And you’re a fool for trying to do it alone.”

“Dangerous.” She curls her lip.

“Fennbirn is dangerous. You can’t deny that. Not after what we’ve lost.”

“It’s just as safe on the island as it is back there.” She jerks her head toward the mainland.

“You can’t be comparing the two. We don’t force our girls to compete to the death—”

“Maybe not. But if I stayed there without you looking out for me, I might be killed. Girls like me must be killed there every day.”

“Arsinoe . . .”

“Maybe not executed. But dead anyway. Somewhere right now, a girl like me is being locked away to be forgotten about or thrown onto the streets to starve. Pushed down so far that no one will care what happens to her.” She swallows. “I’d rather have Katharine’s knife in my back.”

Billy blinks and pushes himself up off the railing.

“I don’t know how we’re supposed to make a future there, with you feeling that way.”

“I don’t mean that I can’t—” She stops. There is danger in both places. Danger everywhere. But on the sea, sailing for the island, it feels like sailing home. “Maybe I’m just a part of the island, and you’re just a part of the mainland.”

They stand together, shocked. She wishes she could take it back. But even if she did, it would still be true.

He threads his fingers through hers.

“What if we were somewhere else, then?”

“Somewhere else?”

“Somewhere else entirely. If you could pass through the mist and be somewhere new, where would you want to go?”

She has to think only a moment.

“Centra.”

“Centra. Good. I’ve heard it’s lovely, and I’ve never been there. We could sail there, after this business is finished. After my father returns and we’re no longer in danger of losing the estate. We could go to Centra and be entirely new.”

Arsinoe smiles. “That sounds nice. It reminds me of what Joseph used to say to me and Jules. About our happy ending.” Even though this is not the same ship, her eyes go to that place on the deck where Joseph lay dead in Jules’s arms. She can still almost see him, that pale shape, the blood so washed away by seawater that it made it even harder to believe he was gone. Jules on my queensguard and him on my council.

She wraps her arms around Billy and holds him tight. Over his shoulder, the sky is still clear. But it will not be long before they reach the mist.





THE BLACK COTTAGE




Jules, Caragh, and Emilia stand at the front windows of the Black Cottage, watching Mathilde stare into the small fire she has built on the ground. The first snow fell that morning. Clearing out the skies, Mathilde said. Making it a good night for visions. A good night to see their way ahead, now that they are leaving to continue their journey.