Page 206 of The Witch Queen

Verity nods and starts to guide us away. But then—

“Ayleth!”

Someone fights their way out of the fray and my heartleaps.

“Jacquetta!” I meet her halfway and pull her to me. “I thought you were captured.”

Or worse.

“They certainly tried,” she says, briefly returning my embrace. “But we had help. Look!”

She indicates the doors, where yet more people are charging into the throne room. Most are wearing colors I don’t recognize, but I spotSindony and a few other witches. And then…theDwarves.There are at least a dozen of them, gemstone-colored eyes blazing as they hack and swing with their enchanted weapons.

“Mistress Witch!” Roland fights his way over to us. Joan is with him, carrying an axe of her own. “Not dead, I see.”

As usual, I can’t decide if he’s happy about that.

“Not yet,” I agree, nodding a quick greeting at Joan and the rest. “What are you doing here? You said the Dwarves didn’t want to be involved.”

“Aye, well. Turns out, some of them did,” he explains gruffly. “Tilda convinced them. They showed up just after you were fool enough to get arrested. Along with that one.”

He jerks his chin toward the battle, where a young man is deflecting a palace guard.

“Gavin?” Blodwyn gasps.

He turns. Finishes with the guard and rushes over. “Blodwyn! You’re here. I thought—”

“I’m fine,” she says. “What areyoudoing here? Verity said you left.”

“I did,” he agrees. “But I sent word ahead and had my men meet me halfway to the palace. We were on our way back when we ran into the others.”

Blodwyn crosses her arms. “On your way back? To stage a coup?”

“No, of course not. Blodwyn, I’m so sorry.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I never should have listened to my father. Should have told you what was going on. I’m an idiot.”

I have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about and share a puzzled look with Jacquetta, who merely shrugs. Verity nudges Blodwyn and they exchange a silent conversation.

“All right,” Blodwyn says at last.

His brow furrows. “You…forgive me?”

“That’s not what I said,” she replies. “But I’ve made enough of my own mistakes of late to understand yours.”

She glances at me. The mark on my palm prickles and I notice her clench her fist as well, as though she might be able to feel it.

“Right,” Roland says. “I hate to interrupt whateverthis”—he circles his hand around our group—“is, but there does seem to be more pressing matters at the moment. Such as the king?”

Damn everything. I look back in the direction Callen had fled. “He ran off as soon you arrived. He could be anywhere by now.”

“We have to go after him,” Gavin says.

“Oh aye. Just search the whole palace, shall we?” Roland grouses. “That sounds like a good idea. Why don’t we—”

A deafening crash splits the throne room. Screams erupt as glass bursts inward, the enormous windows exploding. I duck, pulling Jacquetta down with me before we’re sliced to ribbons.

“What the hell was that?” she asks when the room settles.

I shake my head, my ears still ringing from the blast. “Whatever it was, it came from out there.”