Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4)(88)

“The king already knows what you did, and he also believes you deserve to pay for it with death.”

Amara watched as clarity, then fury, slithered into Felix’s gaze. “You soulless bitch,” he growled.

He then made the error of fighting back against the guards in an attempt to escape. The scuffle lasted only a few moments before he was overcome, beaten bloody, and knocked unconscious.

The guards dragged him away, bound for the Kraeshian dungeon and a swift execution.

Amara had found that she was starting to fall in love with Felix—and love made one weak.

This necessary sacrifice would make her strong again.





CHAPTER 23


JONAS

KRAESHIA

Jonas had spent most of his life surrounded by dirt.

But for the better part of this past week, he’d been surrounded by nothing but water—miles upon miles of it. The peaceful cool of the waves and the breeze had given him a great deal of time to think. And to mourn.

Now his mind was clear again and he was ready to follow through with his promise to kill the king.

“For you, Lys,” he whispered to himself as he stared out at the coastline of the Jewel of the Empire in the distance. “Everything I do from now on, it’s all for you.”

The ship finally docked. Jonas and Nic grabbed their satchels and headed down the gangplank.

“So this is Kraeshia,” Nic said, staring out at the glimmering city before him.

“I hope so,” Jonas replied. “If not, we took a wrong turn somewhere.”

“See? There’s that cheeky rebel I like.”

“You like me? That’s news to me, Cassian.”

“You’re growing on me. Slowly. Like a fungus.”

Jonas managed a grin. “The feeling’s mutual.”

Magnus had returned a message to the Kraeshian rebels with their original raven, ordering them to meet Jonas and Nic upon their arrival.

“I don’t see Felix,” Jonas said under his breath as he surveyed their surroundings. “I thought he might be here.”

There was one person waiting at the end of the docks, standing still next to a sparkling white beach. They walked toward the tall young man with dark skin and pale brown eyes, who nodded at their approach.

“Jonas Agallon?” he asked.

“That’s right.”

“My name is Mikah Kasro. Welcome to Kraeshia.”

Jonas introduced Nic, then asked, “Where’s Felix?”

“Come with me and I’ll explain everything,” Mikah said, scanning the docks. “Too many curious eyes out here.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me where Felix is. And then I want to know where King Gaius is.”

“What’s your business with the king?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“Everything that happens in Kraeshia is my concern. But I suppose the king’s whereabouts don’t matter much to you now. King Gaius and his new bride left for Mytica several days ago.”

Jonas stared at him. “What did you just say?”

“His new bride?” Nic asked, frowning. “He got married?”

Mikah nodded, his expression grim. “To Princess Amara.”

Nic’s jaw dropped.

This was impossible. Jonas had just arrived, ready to put a dagger in the king’s heart, to die doing it, if necessary.

But the king was gone.

He swore under his breath. “Unbelievable. So Felix went with them, then. Is that why he isn’t here?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then what, exactly?”

“Felix is very likely dead by now.”

Jonas’s chest clenched into a painful fist, and he stared questioningly at Mikah.

“He was charged with a very serious crime and was taken to the underground dungeons. Once a prisoner is put down there, the only way they come out is in pieces.”

“What was his crime?”

Again, Mikah glanced back at the happy crowd on the beach. Jonas followed his line of sight. The Kraeshians basked under the sunshine, all of them seemingly clueless as to the darkness of the Jewel that lay so very close by.

Mikah turned back to Jonas and Nic and, in hushed tones, told them the story of the poisoned wedding celebration—the story that was not yet public knowledge.

When he was finished, Mikah seemed even more certain that Felix was already dead.

But Mikah didn’t know Felix nearly as well as Jonas did.

? ? ?

After their talk at the docks, Jonas and Nic were brought back to the rebel base, a collection of rooms on the top floor of a purple building painted on the side with a floral mural. Such a happy-looking place for such a serious and deadly discussion.

“She’s back,” Nic said as he exited the building to have a private chat with Jonas.

Jonas looked up at the hawk circling above them. “Yes, I noticed her earlier.”

“She’s not going to give up.”

“She should.”

“You should talk to her.”

“I don’t want to talk to her.”

“She could help,” Nic persisted.

“How? By getting someone else I care about killed?” He hissed out a breath. “Fine. Go back inside. I’ll handle this.”