“I told you, without me, there would be no more performances.”

“Then punish me. She has nothing to do with this.”

“You, my little bird? At the moment you’re far too valuable. She, on the other hand…” He shook his head, and before I could even fathom what he was doing, he plunged the knife into her chest.

I screamed and ran toward her, catching her as she slipped from his arms. “Aster!” I fell to the ground with her, cradling her in my lap. “Aster.” I pressed my hands to the wound in her chest, trying to stop the flow of blood.

“Tell my bapa I tried, Miz. Tell him I’m no traitor. Tell him we—”

Her last words lay frozen on her lips, her crystal eyes bright, but her breath still. I pulled her to my chest, rocking her, holding her as if I could defy death. “Aster, stay with me. Stay!” But she was gone.

I heard a small chuckle and looked up. The Komizar wiped his bloody knife on his trouser leg and slipped it back into its sheath. He towered over me, his boots dusted with snow. “She got what she deserved. We have no room in the Sanctum for traitors.”

Numbness washed through me. I looked at him, incredulous. “She was only a child,” I whispered.

He shook his head, clucking. “How many times do I need to tell you, Princess, we don’t have such luxuries. Venda has no children.”

I gently slid Aster from my lap onto the snow and got to my feet. I stepped closer to him, and he looked into my eyes with all the smugness of a victor. “Do we understand each other at last?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “I think we do.” And in the turn of a second, the smugness was gone. His eyes widened in wonder.

“And now,” I said, “Venda has no Komizar either.”

A swift act. One that was easy.

I pulled my knife from his side and plunged it in again, twisting for good measure, feeling the blade cut through his flesh, ready to plunge it in again and again, but he stumbled back several paces, finally comprehending what I had done. He fell against the wall near the portal, staring at the red stain spreading across his shirt. Now he was the one who was incredulous. He drew his knife from its sheath, but he was too weak to step forward, and it spilled from his hand. His sword remained useless at his side. He looked back at me in disbelief and slid to the ground, his face twisted in pain.

I walked closer and stood over him, kicking his knife away. “You were wrong, Komizar. It’s much easier to kill a man than a horse.”

“I’m not dead yet,” he said between labored breaths.

“You will be soon. I know about vital organs, and though I’m certain you have no heart, your guts are in pieces now.”

“It’s not over,” he gasped.

I heard shouts and turned. Though the people below couldn’t see what I’d done, those on the high wall on the far side of the square had seen. They were already running, trying to find the quickest route to the terrace, but Kaden and Griz charged through the portal first. Griz pushed both halves of the heavy portal door shut behind him and wedged a bar through the iron pulls.

Kaden looked at the blood on my hands and dress, and the knife still in my grip. “By the gods, Lia, what have you done?” And then he spotted Aster’s lifeless body lying in the snow.

“Kill her,” the Komizar yelled with renewed energy. “She won’t be the next Komizar! Kill her now!” he demanded, choking on his breaths.

Kaden stepped over to him and knelt on one knee, looking at his wound. He reached across and pulled the Komizar’s sword from its scabbard and faced me.

Griz’s hand went warily to one of the swords at his side.

Kaden held the weapon out to me. “You might need this. Somehow we’re going to have to get you out of here.”

“What are you doing?” the Komizar screamed. He slumped further to the ground. “You owe me everything. We’re Rahtan. We’re brothers!”

Kaden’s expression was as grieved as the Komizar’s. “Not anymore,” he answered.

Even as he lay dying, the Komizar continued to issue demands, but Kaden turned back to me, ignoring him—and then we heard the trampling of heavy boots on steps. Rafe appeared at the head of the stairs where I was supposed to have fled already. Jeb and another man stood behind him.

They walked toward us, taking in the scene, and slowly Rafe drew his sword. His men did the same. Kaden looked from Rafe to me. His eyes flooded with understanding. He knew.

“I’m leaving, Kaden,” I said, hoping to avoid a clash. “Don’t try to stop me.”

His expression hardened. “With him.”

I swallowed. I could see it in every twitch of his jaw. He had already guessed, but I said it anyway. “Yes. With Prince Jaxon of Dalbreck.” There was no turning back now.

“You always meant to.”

I nodded.

His gaze faltered. He couldn’t hide the pain of my betrayal.

“Step away from her,” Rafe warned, still cautiously advancing.

Suddenly Griz grabbed my arm, dragging me to the wall where the crowds still waited. He raised my hand to the sky before them. “Your Komizar! Your queen! Jezelia!”

The crowds roared.

I looked at Griz, horrified.

Kaden’s face was equally shocked. “Are you mad?” he yelled at Griz. “She’ll never survive! Do you know what the Council will do to her?”

Griz looked out at the cheering crowds. “This is bigger than the Council,” he answered.