Part 2The Omen in My Voice

Cassian saw that I hadn't moved and warned me again.

"Quick. Get back in the sacrifice coffin."

I nearly cursed him aloud and wished him a miserable death.

Before I could, he pressed half of a crest-marked medallion into my palm.

"Survive tonight.

"Whatever Northcott Hall owes you in blood, I'll collect it for you myself."

He coughed, and black blood stained the corner of his mouth.

"Whatever they owe you, I'll collect."

I'd heard too many beautiful promises inside that family.

My father always said he'd buy me new clothes once my stepmother calmed down.

Moira always promised that if I admitted fault, she'd let me out of the shed and feed me.

Beatrice had sworn more than once that sisters could never truly harm each other.

But trusting Cassian was the only path out alive.

"Your Majesty had better keep his word."

The moment I lay back inside the coffin, someone outside started pouring powdered lime through the gaps.

I didn't dare cough. I covered my mouth and nose with both hands.

Tears, blood, and bitter lime ran together down my throat.

Chaotic footsteps filled the outer passage. The Dowager Queen's agents had entered the mausoleum.

The officer leading them went straight to the central sarcophagus, saw that the lid hadn't been nailed shut, and turned toward mine.

"Inspect the sacrifice first."

Through the wood, I heard the men talking.

"Lord Northcott took three thousand silver crowns from the Dowager Queen. He sold this cursed daughter without blinking."

"Lady Northcott slipped us an extra purse too, with instructions.

"If the wretch isn't fully dead, finish her before she can crawl home and spoil Lady Beatrice's luck."

My whole body started shaking beyond my control.

Three thousand crowns. That was the price my father took to nail me into a coffin.

"Hands that greedy should rot before they hold another coin."

The instant I spoke, a scream erupted outside.

"My hand. What's happening to my hand?"

The officer stopped lifting the burial cloth.

Dark blisters spread across the back of his hand and started breaking open.

Everyone retreated in panic.

"The dead woman's spite is on us."

Cassian used the moment to cough a mouthful of black blood inside the neighboring sarcophagus.

He sounded like something crawling up out of a grave to take a life with it.

The Dowager Queen's guards stepped back.

The officer clutched his hand and forced out an order.

"Seal the mausoleum. Her Majesty commands that the living and the dead stay inside."

The hammering carried me back to the steps of Northcott Hall, where Beatrice had bent toward my coffin and smiled.

"Don't be afraid, Elara. It's dark in there, I know, but that's better than having you where I can see you."

My arms and legs were going numb.

I couldn't let myself be trapped and smothered again.

I searched the coffin floor and found a short ceremonial knife among the burial goods.

I cut through the ropes binding my wrists and ankles.

Cassian didn't move. He pressed a raised stone set into the base of his sarcophagus.

A thunderous grinding came from the deepest burial passage, and dust fell from the ceiling.

"The vaults are collapsing. Run."

The guards forgot the burial order and fled for their lives.

Hollowcrest Mausoleum fell silent again.

I dragged in breath after breath and believed we'd escaped.

Cassian sat up in the central coffin and wiped the blood from his lips.

"Tomorrow morning, the Dowager Queen will announce my death before the Crown Council.

"Every guard in Stoneharbor will be ordered to search for our bodies."

Cold sweat covered my back.

"What happens if Northcott Hall catches me first?"

Cassian looked at me. "I'll save you."