The voice makes my blood freeze. Slowly, painfully, I turn my head toward the sound.
Zari sits in an ornate chair that looks absurdly out of place in this dungeon-like setting. Her dark hair is perfectly arranged, her court dress immaculate. She looks like she’s holding audience in a throne room instead of...wherever this is.
“Lady Zari.” My voice comes out as a croak. “What—”
“Confused?” She tilts her head with mock sympathy. “I suppose you would be. After all, you thought I was safely locked away, didn’t you? Another of your precious prince’s miscalculations.”
I struggle to sit up straighter in the chair, assessing my restraints. The rope cuts deeper into my wrists with every movement. “When Lucian finds out—”
“When Lucian finds out, the Council will already be through with you.” Th
