The Opal Crown by Jenny Lundquist

Author:Jenny Lundquist [Lundquist, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-7624-5552-2
Publisher: Running Press Book Publishers
Published: 2014-12-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

Elara

We? Did I hear that right?

Wilha does not introduce me and invite me to address the crowd, as we agreed. Instead, she continues speaking, pausing and stumbling over her words in a breathy voice as she tells the crowd how we will restore our kingdom, how together we will begin to repair the damage done.

Behind me, I hear Lord Royce shift. Was he in on this? But a quick glance in his direction tells me no. Lord Royce—for once dropping his impassive gaze—looks just as shocked as I feel.

“In the coming weeks, you shall hear from us. And when you do, I hope you shall rise up and join us.” Wilha finishes and the crowd begins to applaud.

And then we’re leaving. Lord Royce ushers us from the box and out into the hall, before the spell breaks. Before someone thinks to summon the guards with a message Andrei will not ignore: The Masked Princess has just declared herself an enemy of the king.

“We have much to discuss,” Lord Royce is saying to Wilha as we travel down the stairs.

“Indeed we do,” Wilha says regally, leading the way as we start down a narrow corridor lined with sconced candlelight. With a pang, I realize Wilha doesn’t need Lord Royce to tell her where to turn to find the back entrance where our

carriage waits.

Lord Royce drops back, drawing level with me. “Your sister picked a very inconvenient time to suddenly grow a backbone,” he says.

“My backbone may be new, but my hearing has always been quite remarkable,” Wilha says, turning around. She takes my arm. “And I promise you, Elara, I only did what I thought was best. Let us talk this through tonight after we have left the city.”

I nod dazedly and allow Wilha to lead me down the corridor. Are we to share the crown now? Is that even possible?

Wilha opens the door at the end of the hall; a blast of heat and acrid smoke greets us as we step into the alley where Rolf and Nicolai are waiting with our carriage. Wilha halts at the sound of screams echoing from atop the hill near the Opal Palace.

“Fire.” She turns incredulous eyes upon Lord Royce. “Did you hire men to start a fire near the Opal Palace?”

“I merely paid them to create a disturbance at the golden gates,” he says, shielding his eyes against the smoke.

“Well, it looks like you’ve succeeded,” Wilha says, her voice edged in steel. “Lord Murcendor himself couldn’t have done a better job.”

A sharp whistle sounds, and Rolf opens the door of our carriage. Wilha and Lord Royce enter. I have just handed my jeweled mask to Rolf in exchange for my satchel with my mother’s book stuffed inside, when the door to the opera house bursts open.

“Stop!”

I turn. A group of men wearing crimson and black costume masks stand behind me. All of them except for the man in the middle hold a sword. He removes his mask, and my heart both leaps and plummets.

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