Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly

Author:MarcyKate Connolly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blink
Published: 2020-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

When dawn approaches, bathing my lonely bedroom in a faint red hue, I hear our front door open and close. I have not slept all night and Papa’s footsteps, quiet as they may be, sound like explosions to my exhausted ears. Mama has not slept either; I know because, despite her best efforts, I’ve heard her crying in her own room. She’s heard my father arrive as well and meets him in the kitchen. I tiptoe to the bedroom door and whisper the spell to amplify sounds. I must know what news Papa brings, where he’s been all this time.

The first thing I hear is the sound of a fist slamming into the metal counter. I jump back from the door, frayed nerves flailing.

“He won’t help us.” Papa’s voice trembles with rage. “He’s ordered us to wait until we hear from the Council.”

“Coward,” Mama growls. Then more softly, “Here, give me your hand.”

For a moment, all I hear is her murmuring a spell. Probably one to heal Papa’s hand. It reminds me of all the scrapes and scratches Zandy and I got when we were little and running free in the Chambers. Mama always used magic then to fix us right up. But ever since we moved to Palinor, we’ve learned to carry our scars.

“You didn’t let on why we need her back, did you? He hasn’t guessed?” Mama asks. I’m surprised to hear the fear in her voice. It is not an emotion she shows often.

“No. I gave him no reason to think she’s anything other than normal, like we told him years ago. Zandria is safe in that respect at least.”

Mama barks a mirthless laugh. “Yes, she is very safe locked up in the Palace.” Something clatters in the kitchen. “We should go after her ourselves right now. Before the city is awake.”

Papa lets out a quavering breath. “We can’t. If we go after her, disobey a direct order, Isaiah will not let it drop until he finds out why. We are trained to compartmentalize our emotions; failure to do so will put both our daughters in even more danger.”

“What are you suggesting? That we just leave her there?” This time a tea kettle clangs onto the stove.

“If we deviate from our mission, we leave them exposed. I hate this as much as you do, and we will find a way to get her back. But perhaps we can use the mission to aid us. The plan is to hold the Heartless girl for ransom in exchange for our Magi prisoners. We’ll just have to use all our resources to find her faster.”

Mama scoffs. “That’s just what Remy said. He’s becoming a bit too much like his father.”

“He’s right. More than he realizes.”

“Aissa will never agree to this, you know. She’ll be livid.”

Mama is right. I already am. Part of me wants to tear down the wall that separates us and scream at them for even considering for one second that leaving Zandria where she is right now is the best course of action.

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