The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

My gaze lowered to my hand. I turned it palm up and, in
the glow of the candlelight, saw the marriage imprint
shimmer. I closed my hand, squeezing my eyes shut against
the burn.
I hadn’t cried.
I wanted to. I wanted to cry for Ian. I wanted to cry for
Lyra. I wanted to cry for Tawny because I feared she’d never
open her eyes again. I wanted to cry for Casteel because I
knew what he faced, even if I could imagine what he must
be thinking or feeling to know that his brother had not only
betrayed him but would also become one of his prison
keepers.
Anger had grown with each mile we got closer to
Atlantia. If we had known the truth about who the Queen
really was, we could’ve better prepared. We would’ve known
it was impossible for her to be an Ascended. We would’ve
known that anything was possible. Instead, we’d gone into
the meeting hobbled by lies. No part of me believed for
even one second that Eloana hadn’t known the truth.
Possibly even Valyn had known. The knowledge they’d
withheld could’ve changed everything.
Because it already had.
A soft knock drew me from my thoughts. I rose and
stiffly walked to the door.
Kieran stood there. “Can’t sleep. None of us can.”
Beyond him, I saw several shapes sitting around a small fire.
He looked over my shoulder. “How is she?”
“Still asleep.”
“I know you haven’t slept.”
I shook my head as I stepped out into the cool night air,
closing the door behind me. I glanced over at the bent and
bowed trees as I walked with Kieran over to where the
others sat.
Vonetta glanced up as I sat beside her. She offered me a
flask, but I shook my head. I’d apologized to her and to