Emilie swallowed. Her mouth was so dry she wanted to drink the entire blue river, fish and all.
“You hear about bad things happening to girls. And even when the men get caught and go to jail, what do the girls get? They just have to go back to school. If they’re lucky, I mean. Some of them go to the morgue.” She looked at Skya. “I always thought a girl who went through something like that at least deserves her own castle or maybe a private island or something.”
“I don’t have a castle. I have a palace. That looks just like a castle.”
Skya blew on the smoke again, and the first red flame sparked to life.
“Can you teach me to do that?” Emilie asked, nodding toward the fire.
“It takes a long time to learn. We don’t have much time.”
“Wait, why not?”
The fire was beginning to glow hot. Skya tossed some dry leaves on it, then sat back and let it burn.
“We have a problem,” Skya said. “I have to handle it.”
“What? Where?”
“There’s a place called the Ghost Town. That’s where the Bright Boys live. Not a nice place. I’m heading out in the morning.”
“Why?” Emilie moved closer. She’d hoped when they met there’d be hugs and tears and laughing, but apart from throwing a blanket over her and carting her off, her sister hadn’t so much as held her hand.
“Two days ago, a Bright Boy named Ripper got into the palace and stole something very precious. They do that sort of thing, and it’s a game of keep-away. I always get it back. I rode out immediately after it and ran into Ripper at the border of the Ghost Town. Usually, we just fight it out. I always win. The Bright Boys always die. Then they waft away to the Ghost Town and come back to life. Then I kill them again. But he didn’t want to fight me. He wanted to keep it.”
“What was it?”
“Doesn’t matter. But first, I have to get you to safety.”
Emilie’s stomach dropped. “Why did you rescue me and not Rafe and Jeremy?”
“Because they can take care of themselves,” she said. “And you’re my sister. You’re my responsibility, like it or not.”
“I’m not sure I like it.”
Skya laughed.
“Sorry,” Emilie said. “That was mean. Thank you for saving me from the Bright Boys. They sound terrible.”
“They are. But don’t be afraid. Aurora is watching out for them.”
“I’m not afraid now. With you.” Emilie wasn’t being nice. She meant it. Her sister had speared a fish, cleaned it, started a fire, and all after rescuing Emilie from a forest full of monsters.
“Good.”
“So what happens now?” Emilie asked.
“We’ll camp here tonight. Tomorrow morning, we’ll ride to the Painted Sea. There I’ll put you on my ship. It will take you to the middle of the sea, where no one can reach you or harm you. The Bright Boys don’t go near water if they can help it. That’s the only way to kill them.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll go into the Ghost Town and do what I have to do. If I don’t come back, then you’ll have to decide whether to stay and rule my kingdom or return to your own world. But that’s a choice only you can make.”
“Wait. If you don’t come back? You think you might not make it out of there alive?”
Emilie trembled, and her chest tightened like a giant fist was squeezing it.
“I have no choice. There is someone very, very dangerous in the Ghost Town who can’t be ignored.”
“Does he want to kill you or something? Take over the world?”
“He wants to hurt my prince. He’s done it before. I can’t let him near Rafe. I have to go alone. You understand?”
Slowly, Emilie nodded.
“Something you need to know about Shanandoah. There are no kings here. Never have been. Never will be. If something happens to me, Rafe can rule as prince regent, but he can never be king. I can’t ask you to stay and rule if I’m killed but—”
“Stop, stop. Please,” Emilie begged. Skya went silent. Emilie took a breath. “I just found you.”
“I might come back.”
“You might not.”
Skya shrugged. “Shit happens.”
“Is that how queens talk?”
“It’s how queens from West Virginia talk. Eat. You need to eat. Long day tomorrow.”
