Page 101 of This Prince Is Not Charming

“To the east side of the castle, on the very far end, at the border. There’s a door there, and that’s where we’ll be.”

“Let’s not waste any more time.” I moved toward the door, but Ceri reached out and grabbed hold of my arm.

“Cillian.” She bit her lip. “There’s something else you need to know.”

Oh godwitches, had someone already died? “Tell me,” I said, not sure what could be so important that she had to tell me right now.

“Lor,” she said. “Your brother is here.”

I lost all ability to speak for a moment, my tongue heavy, my throat closing, my chest tight. I sagged against the wall next to the door, my hand involuntarily going to my pocket for the vial that was no longer there. I squeezed my fist tight.

“Ceri, that can’t be,” Mr. Morgane said. “Lorcan Wolfgang? Back home?”

“And with the enemy,” she said, sympathy flashing in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Cillian. I can’t believe he’d actually come back here with them.”

I swallowed thickly.

“I just wanted you to know in case we walk in there and you’re . . . put in a difficult position.”

“Right.” Anger filled me. How dare my brother come back here like this? I wrenched the door open. “Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 44

Ceri

We burst through the doors of my dress shop, the spring breeze blowing past us. The ground started trembling under our feet, and I locked eyes with Cillian.

“Please don’t tell me,” he started, but before he could finish his sentence, we were disappearing.

Like every other time, wind pushed my body this way and that, darkness swallowing me as it felt like I was spinning in open air, but a short second later my feet landed on solid ground.

My eyes had to adjust to the dim lighting of the cavern, and I braced myself for what I was about to see. All I’d thought about as I ran through the forest and to the other side of the castle was that I might be too late, that these brave, amazing women would be murdered in cold blood.

“You all have been busy,” Marsten drawled.

I forced myself to look, and my mouth dropped open.

Lila was back on the couch being fed grapes while Clio sat in her chair, feet being scrubbed. Siobhan was reading her book like absolutely nothing had happened while Liadan was sitting on a soft white rug, sipping her tea while holding Lor’s magical axe, watching the struggling brotherhood members, all bound, gagged, and sitting against the wall.

“You all did this?” Cillian gestured to the brotherhood, his gaze immediately finding Lor, who scowled, baring his teeth.

A stone mask slipped over Cillian’s features, and he looked away from his brother.

Siobhan flipped a page. “It’s easy when your assailants underestimate you. They thought they’d just easily overtake us. They had another thing coming.”

Lila finished chewing a grape. “Nobody gets between me and my grapes.”

“Ooh, grapes?” Marsten put a hand to his chest. “And a tub for your feet? Is this where you’ve all been? Oh my godwitches, I would’ve begged for elimination far sooner if I’d known about this place.”

“What am I doing here? Oh, don’t tell me it’s another trial.” Meera had appeared with her lantern flickering by her side.

That was why we’d disappeared. Of course. We were starting a new trial. Except . . . I’d already been eliminated, so I had no idea what I was doing here along with everyone else.

“Glad I’m not part of that anymore.” Siobhan turned another page.

Liadan raised her cup in a toast.

Cillian clapped his hands. “Well done, ladies.”