Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)(53)

“Look,” she said, awed. She’d heard of fireworks, but she’d never seen them before.

Asa wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and together they watched the show. Nomi gasped at a huge, glittering blast of green and purple, and sighed at the feathery white tails it left as it faded.

Asa kissed the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. The last firework trailed golden threads to the sea. Gradually the smoke cleared, revealing the stars once more.

“They’ll come looking for us soon,” he murmured.

Nomi leaned her head back against his shoulder. She didn’t want to go anywhere. But if they were caught, Serina would never be freed.

She reached into her bodice for the letter. When she tried to hand it to him, he shook his head regretfully. “I’m sorry. I know I said I could deliver it to Trevi tomorrow, but I won’t be able to go into town as I’d planned. Father has scheduled weapons training for me, of all things. My swordplay is as bad as my dancing.”

“What do we do?” Nomi asked in dismay.

He ran a hand down her arm. “I should be able to leave the palace in three days. But I am at the mercy of my father, just like you. He could change his mind about my activities at the slightest provocation.”

Nomi tried to quell the panic rising in her chest. That’s not enough time.

“The Heir is taking us to the city tomorrow, to a perfumery. Where is your contact? Could I deliver the letter?”

He was shaking his head before she finished her question. “It’s too dangerous. If someone were to see you—”

“You’re not saying it’s impossible,” she said, cutting him off.

Asa ran a hand through his hair. “Trevi is in the market in the grand piazza. You’d likely take a carriage from there. So, you might see him, but—”

“I can make it work. Somehow, I will.” Nomi refused to think about the risks. It was her fault Serina was in Mount Ruin. If Nomi got caught trying to save her, then at least she’d be paying for her own crime this time.

“Nomi, I don’t know. If we just wait—”

“We can’t,” she said. “It takes six days to reach Lanos, and six days back. The masquerade is in fourteen days.” She touched his face, tentative fingers on the stubbled skin of his cheek. “There’s already so little room for error.”

He sighed and pressed his face into her hand. “You must promise to be careful. If you can’t find my man, or there’s no chance to break from the group, you must abandon your effort. Promise me, Nomi. If you can’t do it, we’ll find another way.”

She kissed him lightly in answer.

His arms tightened around her as he said, “Trevi is a small man, older than my father. He wears a blue waistcoat with brass buttons. He works a stall of knives in the piazza. You’ll have to find an excuse to wander off a little distance. He won’t get close to the carriages. But he won’t balk at you giving him a note if you tell him it’s from me.”

Nomi nodded.

A sudden burst of laughter outside the door startled them both.

“You have to go,” Asa said, nudging her toward the door. “I’ll follow in a few minutes. If Malachi or anyone asks, tell them you were feeling seasick.” He checked to make sure the note was fully hidden in her bodice. “The man who brought you here, Marcos, is loyal to me. If you need to get me a message, you can trust him to deliver it. He has shifts in the Graces’ chambers. But don’t trust anyone else. Not even your handmaiden. Do you understand?”

Nomi nodded, flustered. Suddenly, everything seemed to be happening very quickly.

“You will see your sister again, Nomi,” Asa murmured. “I promise. Now go.” With a quick kiss on her temple, he pushed her out the door.





TWENTY-SEVEN



SERINA


ORACLE AND EMBER didn’t let go of Serina until they were well away from the amphitheater. Serina stumbled over the rutted path.

The moon glowed, illuminating the hard lines of Oracle’s face. In the distance, a strange light burst up along the horizon. Serina couldn’t be sure, but she thought it might be fireworks.

The rest of the Cave crew followed. She didn’t look behind her; she knew what she’d see—disappointment. Rage.

The slash on Serina’s forearm ran with blood.

They were all silent by the time the crew flooded into the cave. Someone stoked the fire, sending sparks up toward the soot-crusted rock.

Serina expected Oracle to pull her off to the side for her lecture, but Oracle turned on her in front of everyone. “You have betrayed us, flower,” she said harshly, the standard endearment sounding more like an insult. “You had a chance to win.… Petrel died to give you that chance. Now we’ll starve.”

“Because I wouldn’t murder someone,” Serina burst out. She would not feel guilty for learning the line she could not cross. She couldn’t kill someone in cold blood. Even to feed her friends. Even to save herself. “Can’t you see how wrong that is? The guards are forcing us to kill each other for their amusement. We should be working together to make sure no one starves.”

Oracle’s eyes flashed. “I told you what happens when we refuse to fight. Not just four girls die. Everyone does. I will not put all our lives at risk because you were too weak to do what is necessary.”