Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3)(42)

Jonas took a long swig of the strong drink, and the liquid burned going down his throat. “I have to save her.”

“If what you’ve told me about Lysandra is true, she knows the risk you’d be taking. She won’t want you to lose your head over her.”

Lysandra wasn’t the type to want to be rescued by a boy. She’d probably be furious that Jonas had continued to obsess over her rather than focusing on bringing down the king.

She knew that, more than anything, Jonas wanted to be the one who dealt the fatal blow.

“Well, what do we have here?” Felix said. “There’s a cute little thing looking right at you, friend. Please tell me you’re willing to share.”

Jonas frowned and glanced over his shoulder at a girl who stood about a dozen paces away, eyeing him through the crowd. She pushed back the hood of the dark cloak she was wrapped in to reveal her short hair and dark brown eyes. She caught his eye, then made her way over to sit down at the table.

“Nerissa,” Jonas said, his mood immediately lightening. “It’s good to see you.”

She flashed him a grin. “You, too.”

Seeing Felix eye the pretty girl with interest, Jonas flicked him a glance. “Nerissa Florens, this is Felix Gaebras.”

She assessed Felix with guarded interest. “Where’d you meet him, Jonas?”

“Traveling.”

“You trust him?”

“Yes.” And that trust had been proven yet again tonight—money wasn’t as important as loyalty to Felix.

Her expression grew pinched. “I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I hold back my enthusiasm. He looks like a hired thug.”

“Such charming words.” Felix shifted to the seat next to her, his smile widening. “And from such a charming mouth. Can it do anything besides talk?”

She held his gaze boldly. “It can bite.”

“Good to know.” The warning only seemed to intrigue Felix more.

He’d better be careful, Jonas thought with amusement. Nerissa wasn’t joking.

“I have news,” Nerissa said. “And a message. Which do you want first?”

His lightened mood vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

“The news,” Jonas said.

“The executions are set for the day after tomorrow. Midday in the palace square. The king’s arranged for a large group of his most ardent supporters to surround the execution stage to ensure their cheers will be the loudest.”

The world slowed and darkened around Jonas. “It’s too soon. I can’t—I don’t have enough time to do anything.” He swore under his breath, damning the Auranian rebels for not even hearing him out tonight. “How am I supposed to stop the execution of four rebels?”

“Two rebels, I’m afraid.” Nerissa’s expression was grim. “Two have already died in the dungeons.”

A fist slammed through his chest and clutched his heart. “Who still lives?”

“Tarus and Lysandra. Cato and Fabius were both killed trying to escape.”

He drained the rest of his ale. The thought that he’d lost anyone at all was painful, but he couldn’t help being silently relieved that Lys and Tarus had survived.

Only to fall beneath the executioner’s ax in less than two days.

Felix clasped his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

He’d failed Tomas. He’d failed Brion. He’d failed his rebels as he marched them to their doom.

Everything he touched turned to ash.

“What’s the message?” Jonas asked, his throat tight.

Nerissa pushed a folded piece of parchment across the table toward him. He broke the wax seal and unfolded it, holding it closer to the candlelight.

J—

The king seeks the Kindred. He believes the crystals exist, but he doesn’t yet know where or how to recover them.

We must find them first. They cannot fall into his hands, or else he will be unstoppable.

I will send another message when I know more. Tell no one about this.

—C

Jonas’s heart beat louder and faster with every word. He read Cleo’s note twice before holding it over the candle and burning it.

The Kindred. Once he would have scoffed at the idea of magic, but no more. He didn’t doubt the truth of the princess’s message for a moment.

“What did it say?” Felix asked.

He would honor Cleo’s request to tell no one, especially since there was nothing in the message that could help them—only a hint of more information to come. “The king refuses to leave the palace, fearful of a rebel attack.”

Felix snorted. “What a coward.”

Bang!

Jonas started and Nerissa shrieked, gripping the edges of the table. The tavern fell silent and the patrons turned with alarm in the direction of the noise outside.

“Young Petros, always making trouble,” one woman grumbled. “He’s going to kill this entire village if he’s not careful.”

Peals of laughter rang out, and then the patrons returned to regular conversation.

Jonas was silent, lost in the thoughts now swirling around his mind like a tornado.

“I can save them.”

“What?” Felix studied him.

“Lys and Tarus. I can save them.”