Then Kate saw the faint flicker of Sophias eyelids, the barest movement of her hands against the bedclothes. She stared at her sister, daring to hope.
Sophias eyes opened, staring straight at her, and Kate couldnt help herself. She threw herself forward, hugging her sister, holding her close.
Youre alive. Sophia, youre alive.
Im alive, Sophia reassured her, holding on as Kate helped her to sit up. Even the forest cat seemed happy about it, moving forward to lick both of their faces with a tongue like a blacksmiths rasp.
Easy, Sienne, Sophia said. Im all right.
Sienne? Kate asked. Thats her name?
She saw Sophia nod. I found her on the road to Monthys. Its a long story.
Kate suspected that there were a lot of stories to be told. She moved back from Sophia, wanting to hear all of it, and Sophia all but fell back to the bed.
Sophia!
Its all right, Sophia said. Im all right. At least, I think I am. Im just tired. I could do with a drink too.
Kate passed her a water skin, watching Sophia drink deeply. She called out for the sailors, and to her surprise, Captain Borkar himself came running.
What do you need, my lady? he asked, then stared at Sophia. To Kates shock, he fell to one knee. Your highness, youre awake. We were all so worried about you. You must be starving. Ill fetch food at once!
He hurried off, and Kate could feel the joy coming off him like smoke. She had at least one other concern, though.
Your highness? she said, staring over at Sophia. The sailors have been treating me oddly ever since they realized I was your sister, but this? Youre telling them that youre royalty?
It sounded like a dangerous game to play, pretending to be royal. Was Sophia playing on her engagement to Sebastian, or pretending to be some foreign royal, or was it something else?
Its nothing like that, Sophia said. Im not pretending anything. She took hold of Kates arm. Kate, I found out who our parents are!
That was one thing that Sophia wouldnt joke about. Kate stared at her, barely able to believe the implications of it. She sat down on the edge of the bed, wanting to understand it all.
Tell me, she said, unable to contain her shock. You really think you think that our parents were some kind of royalty?
Sophia started to sit up. When she struggled with it, Kate helped her.
Our parents were named Alfred and Christina Danse, Sophia said. They lived, we lived, in an estate in Monthys. Our family used to be the kings and queens before the Dowagers family pushed them aside. The person who explained this said that they had a kind of connection to the land. They didnt just rule it; they were part of it.
Kate froze as she heard that. Shed felt that connection. Shed felt the country spread out before her. Shed reached for the power in it. It had been how shed been able to heal Sophia.
And this is real? she said. This isnt some kind of story? Im not going mad?
I wouldnt make this up, Sophia reassured her. I wouldnt do that to you, Kate.
You said that our parents were these people, Kate said. Are they did they die?
She did her best to hide the pain that went through her with that thought. She could remember the fire. She could remember running. She couldnt remember what had happened to her parents.
I dont know, Sophia said. No one seems to know what happened to them after that. All of this the plan was to head to our uncle, Lars Skyddar, and hope that he knows something.
Lars Skyddar? Kate had heard that name. Lord Cranston had talked about the lands of Ishjemme, and how theyd managed to keep out invaders using a combination of cunning tactics and the natural defenses of their icy fjords. Hes our uncle?
It was too much to take in. Just like that, Kate had gone from having no family beyond her sister to having a family who had been kings and queens, who did rule in at least one far-off land. It was too much, too quickly.
On instinct, Kate found herself reaching for the locket that she wore around her neck. She took it out, looking down at the image of the woman within. She had a name for that woman now: Christina Danse. Her mother. That made her Kate Danse.
Kate smiled. She liked the sound of that. She liked the idea of having a family name that she knew, rather than just being Unclaimed, marked by the tattoo on her calf.
Whats that? Sophia asked, and Kate realized that she wasnt looking at the locket, but at the ring shed placed on the same chain for safekeeping. There was no doubt that Sophia recognized it. Of course she would, when it had been her engagement ring. Where did you get that?
There was no point in trying to hide it now.
Sebastian gave it to me to give to you, she said. But Sophia, you need to stay away from him.
I love him, Sophia said, and if he loves me
He stabbed you, Kate insisted, feeling an echo of the anger that had been there when shed first seen Sophia lying there near death. He tried to murder you!
Even given that, Sophia still shook her head. That wasnt him.
Because thats not how he really is? Kate guessed. It sounded like the kind of excuse some farmers wife might make when her husband got drunk and beat her. Because he loves you really?
No, Sophia said. I mean that it wasnt him. A noblewoman called Milady dAngelica stabbed me, not Sebastian.
Kate hadnt met this noblewoman, but she hadnt been the one kneeling over Sophias body.
He was here, Kate insisted. He had the knife in his hand. He was covered in your blood!
Maybe he was trying to save me, Sophia insisted.
And maybe youre just reaching for anything you can find to defend him, Kate shot back. Maybe you even really believe that this woman was here, rather than Sebastian, but I know what I saw.
It was Angelica, Sophia insisted. She stabbed me, and Sienne tore a piece out of her back as she ran. Please, Kate, I just want you to believe me. Sebastian wasnt the one who did this.
Hes done plenty of other things, Kate pointed out. He was the one who sent you away so that you ended up in this mess in the first place. He said he wanted to find you, but as far as I can see all he did was lead half the royal army to hunt you. Even if he didnt stab you, he did nothing to try to save you.
You cant blame him for not having the magic to heal me, Sophia said. She reached up for Kate, pulling her close. I dont want to fight, Kate. You saved my life, and were traveling together now to find our family. I love Sebastian. Cant you just accept that?
Kate wished she could, but as far as she could see, loving Sebastian had brought her sister nothing but pain. She took the ring from the chain around her neck, pressing it into Sophias hand with bad grace.
You should have this, she said. If it were me, Id take it and throw it into the ocean, or sell it for extra coin, but youll probably take it as a promise.
Kate saw Sophia nod, and knew that her sister was thinking in those terms. She really thought that the prince whose hands had been covered in her blood would come to her and be the perfect husband. Kate saw her slip it onto her little finger, holding it there almost reverently.
Why do you want him so much? Kate demanded. Why is it so important that things work out with him? You have a whole life ahead of you. Youve just told me that we have a chance to find our family. Youve told me that goddess, Im a princess, arent I?
Youre a princess, Sophia said with a faint smile, and you will have to wear pretty ball gowns from now on.
Not in a million years, Kate said. And youre avoiding the point. Youre not some Indentured girl anymore. You could have any man you wanted. So why him? And dont just tell me that you love him.
Is love so stupid? Sophia asked.
Kate found herself thinking about Will, but didnt say anything. If this was the way love made people think, then it was stupid.
Kate, I need him, Sophia said.
Why?
Because Im pregnant with his child, Sophia said.
Kate stared at her. Youre pregnant?
She hugged her sister again then.
Of course, you realize what this means? Sophia asked. Youre not just going to be a princess, Kate. Youre going to be an aunt.
Kate hadnt thought of it like that, and just the thought of it was mildly terrifying. There were other, bigger, fears though. The two of them were heading off to a place Kate had never been to find a man they didnt know, all while her home was in the middle of an invasion.
She didnt know what their trip to Ishjemme would involve, but she suspected that it wouldnt be easy.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sebastian shambled into the palace like a dead thing when he arrived, and not just because Rupert had made them ride hard on the way back south, apparently enjoying his discomfort.
The fact was that the world seemed too empty for anything else now that Sophia was gone.
You should go get cleaned up, Rupert said with obvious amusement. Im sure Mother will want to speak to you as soon as she hears youre back.
He was clearly looking forward to the thought of what their mother would have to say, but he was still quick to leave Sebastian to it. Maybe he was that eager to get back to his carousing and his cronies. Maybe he was just certain that Sebastian didnt have any reason to go anywhere else now.