I pace back and forth in my chambers. I didn't think I would see this room anytime soon, in a month or two. But now that I shuffle along the rug and the floorboards, I wonder if this room belonged to Darlene at some point. Or if Oisin had run through here with his father and laughed underneath the presence of the golden bear tapestry.

If they were here, every evidence of their existence has been wiped away. They're merely ghosts now, the same regarding their belongings and the stories people are keeping locked up. If they lived anywhere near here, I haven't seen their chambers or hints of their past. Like Renit wanted nothing to do with their reminder once they were gone.

Part of the healing process, I tell myself.

After we left, someone came in here and straightened everything. My clothes have been straightened in the closet, my boots rearranged to sit from tallest to shortest on the shelves. I wonder if a servant was that precise or if Mani woke up in the middle of the night, wondering if I had bothered to be so clean with my belongings.

The crown I despise looking at rests on top of the armoire, out of sight, out of mind. I ignore the opal and black rubies staring back at me and glistening in the strip of light that casts across the room—as if the person that put it there knew the crown would cast a sheen. In a matter of hours, all notice of that royal emblem will be gone and I won't have to think about that heavy weight anymore.

I have other things to worry about. Not the emptiness of this room or the entire tower as Renit isn't here yet and he won't be for a while, if my plan works. If she doesn't take—

The door opens slowly and I nearly jump for joy as Dalis peeks her head in, surveying the room first and then me. I wave her in with a desperate hand and the door clicks shut behind, leaving us in the room—alone. There's no backing out now, we're officially in a secret meeting.

I rush to her and throw my arms around her neck. With the coins I gave her to watch over Celestine, she bought herself an entirely new wardrobe of clean tunics, comfortable pants, and stylish boots. She sports every piece of that as she wraps her arms around me in a tight embrace. She smells of spices and smoke from the kitchens and I breathe in the familiar scent of the castle itself.

When Dalis pulls away, she holds me at arm's length. "You summoned me?" She asks quietly.

"I need your help," I respond equally as silent. No one can know we're talking about this, not even the lowly guards at the bottom of the tower. Now that we're back, the king ordered two guards to stand watch in case the rebellion came inside the castle.

He doesn't want to relive the past as much as Renit doesn't. But would the prince be opposed to extra watch?

Dalis nods quickly, her sapphire eyes wide with concentration. Not fear like I've seen expressed so many times when others are around me but concern; she wants to help. Anyone in Arego would have offered an excuse to get out of helping me so I never bothered asking more than one person. I'll do it myself was a common thought.

"I need you to order one of the healers to sedate Renit for the night," I mutter. I wince and she draws herself back, lips parting to speak before she closes them again.

"Why...what? You want me to order the prince to be sedated?" She asks, somewhat harsh.

"You're close with the healers, you work with them to create remedies. I've seen you down there." I place both my hands on her thin shoulders and force her stare to me. A warrior's face, a fighter forced to spend her days in the kitchens. "You can tell them this is an order from me but I need you to ask—without Renit knowing. Slip it into something he eats or drinks."

Dalis steps out of my reach and crosses her arms over her chest. I've never noticed the whorls of dark ink wrapping around her ears, in vines and leaves like those resembles on the walls surrounding the castle. "First I need you to tell me what you are involved in. I will not do anything for the wrong cause," she orders.

I wring my hands and turn towards the rest of my chambers. Can I trust her? I have to be able to trust Dalis, besides Celestine, she's the only person I can talk to about this. She was very interested in whispers of the rebellion that first day I was ordered to kitchen duty and if she wants to be involved, this could be her shot.

My heart can handle dragging another soul down with me, along with the rebels currently making their way to the flower meadows. I can do that. Dalis is as strong as any of them, not only in the heart but in her skill as well. Her power alone can choke the life from the king, if he is caught unaware.

With my back turned to Dalis, I quietly say, "The king is leaving to his death at first light." The air in the room turns thick and I think not even Dalis is breathing—or she left before I could finish what I had to say. That is why this is so risky; the life of the king is involved. Dalis's king.

I don't think she heard me until the quiet shuffle of her boots, slow steps, sounds in my ears. I stare straight ahead until she is there, brows furrowed. My eyes meet hers and I find a new, fiery rage staring back at me. "You're involved in the rebellion," she breathes. Her voice is merely a whisper in the breeze coming from the open window. I had to open it, the air was suffocating me before she arrived.

Not breaking my stare, I nod solemnly. "Enough to orchestrate this."

She laughs under her breath and drags a dark hand down her face. "And you came to me because..."

"Because out of everyone in this castle, you seemed the most likely to agree with this. You wanted Arego to succeed and when it didn't, you were more than disappointed. If you don't want to be involved then I'll find another way but if you wanted an open door to the rebellion, this is your chance."

Dalis searches my face, likely looking for one sign of insanity. I haven't taken a bath yet and scrubbed the rest of the berry stain from my face so she's starting there, around the disguise I built to steal from innocents on the trail. My hair is in knots, it's grown to nearly my breasts and I have no intention of cutting it. My mother always wanted me to grow out my hair so I will allow that to happen.

"Where is the prince now?" She asks. Her voice is much softer this time around.

"He's down in the healer's catacombs. They're likely cleaning him up and examining the damage underneath the skin." I allow myself to take a deep breath. I didn't expect to make it this far with her. By now, she should have stormed out and told me to go to hell. "I don't know how much longer he'll be down there."

She squeezes her eyes shut. "Fine, I'll do this. But I want to hear nothing of it again, do you understand?" One of her dark brows arches and I quickly nod. I wouldn't put it past Dalis to pummel me if I didn't agree with her terms. "If you are somehow found out and tortured, my name will never rise. Never."

Dalis's bright eyes are intimidating as ever. Again, I nod, sticking out my hand for her to shake. When her palm closes around mine, she purses her lips together and shakes her head in disappointment. She doesn't want to do this as much as I don't. But I have someone on my side now, someone very valuable.

"Next time we talk, I want information on your rebels," she adds.

"Deal," I accept quickly. Anything to get that information off my chest. I can't stand to hold it in any longer than I already have.

Dalis walks to the door and places her hand on the knob. "You summoned me because you needed consolation about your relationship with the prince. That's it."

"Of course." I wring my hands again. "That sounds realistic enough." If it wasn't for her, I never would have thought about the secret manner of this meaning. If anyone asked...I wouldn't be able to give them an answer and Dalis could give them another. Somehow, that information always makes the easy trek back to the king.

Dalis looks me up and down one last time. Determination clouds what was the confusion she had upon entering my chambers. "I hope for your case that it is."