Chapter 31

**I** grimaced and the dirt and smell and darkness, but said nothing as Maple came in behind me.

“Keep moving,” she whispered.

We crawled on, until there was some light shining from ahead. I looked closer, to realize that it was the hole, the light coming from the tears in the fabric of the tapestry covering it.

I pushed the heavy cloth and jumped out, wincing as I landed on my ankles.

The room was completely empty, small and lit with one fire. I looked at it slowly, not remembering the last time I’d been in here.

It was a safe room, a secret passage connecting to it from many places, like the dungeons and the servants’ hall. My sisters had showed me and Maple, and we hid in it quite a few times.

But as we grew older and I spent less time outside of the dungeons, I never came here.

“Hi,” Maple whispered from behind me.

I looked to the side, my eyes landing on the twins. We’d agreed to meet up, because we all just needed to talk without fearing discovery.

“Pecan couldn’t make it,” Arden said.

Maple shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m just glad we’re safe.”

“How are you?” Aiden asked. I assumed he was directing the question to both of us, but his eyes were fixed on mine.

“Fine. Everyone’s nice,” I said, sighing.

“What’s wrong?” Aiden asked, taking a step closer to me.

I bit my lip. “It’s just—when the rebels attack, if any of the servants get hurt, I’ll blame myself. They’ve all been so welcoming —”

“It won’t be your fault,” Arden said.

Aiden pursed his lips. “The rebels will try their hardest to only hurt the soldiers—but mostly the nobles, Queen and Prince. They won’t touch the servants unless the servants attack them. Then it’s the servants’ own fault.”

“It’s their fault they’ll die!” I gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.

“They shouldn’t attack the rebels.”

“Aiden, really,” I said, frowning at him.

He shrugged and sat down right there, on the carpet. “I’m just telling the truth.”

I shook my head and sat down as well, Maple and Arden doing the same. “A harsh truth.”

“But truth,” he said stubbornly.

“So, how are you doing?” Maple asked, clearly changing the subject.

Arden shrugged slightly. “I think we’re winning a few over to the rebels’ side, slowly.”

“That’s good,” she said, nodding.

“I don’t think the maids are on anyone’s side, really. They just want it to end,” I said, exhaling.

“We all just want it to end,” Aiden said dryly.

I nodded, giving him an agreeing look. “I’m scared of how it will end, though.”

He pursed his lips, looking at the floor. “We have to win. I think Nalvia is on our side—they can’t possibly win, not with everything they’ve done.”

“Of course not. We will win,” I said, as much to myself as to him.

“So, all good, right?” Arden said. We nodded. “Okay,” he said, “We shouldn’t spend too much time here.”

“I’ll leave—El, you can come back a bit later,” Maple said.

I nodded. “Yes, I’m feeling miraculously better now.” She chuckled.

Arden looked at her. “And I, being an honorable soldier, shall escort you back.”

Maple blushed slightly and nodded. We watched as they climbed into the hole, Arden hoisting her up and then getting in himself. Maple waved at me before the tapestry swung over the hole.

“I’ll wait for some time, too,” Aiden said.

I turned, facing him fully. “Aiden, why’d you decide to join the rebels? Was your family just born into it?”

He exhaled, looking down. “No. We worked at the palace first. I was born here, in fact.”

I raised my eyebrows. He must’ve seen me, then, as little as we were.

“I always hated how the royals had such luxury, and we—the servants didn’t.”

“That luxury soon went away,” I said, giving him a pointed look.

Aiden sighed. “I know. I know that now. But one day, my grandfather was framed by a soldier—they claimed he’d killed one of them—but he didn’t.”

“He was executed,” I said, leaning back. The price of a life paid by another—that was the law.

“Yes,” Aiden said, not meeting my eyes, “We left immediately, and somehow father met the rebels. That’s how.”

“I’m so sorry,” I breathed, scooting closer to him, “That’s terrible. Were you close to him?”

Aiden gave a sharp nod. “Very. He was everything to me.”

“Aiden —” I couldn’t think of anything to say. All I could do was sit beside him—it was what I’d wanted after my sisters’ deaths. For someone to stay with me.

“I know. And it’s not like it didn’t happen to you,” he said, finally looking at me, “You and your sisters.”

“I miss them,” I admitted.

Aiden’s shoulder nudged mine. “I miss my grandfather too.”

“But that’s what we’re trying to prevent,” I said, giving him a wry look, “Things like that might not happen if Ivy is gone.”

There was a small pause. “Is it hard? Training with the people you might have to hurt? Especially if you’re friends with some of them now.”

He nodded. “It is. But it’s necessary. I will avenge my grandfather’s death.”

I shrugged. “I want to get justice for my sisters, even if it means getting rid of my mother.”

“Killing your mother,” Aiden said.

I took in a deep breath, nodding. “As terrible as it sounds, yes. I probably will have to kill my mother.”

“Well, she wasn’t much of a mother to you, if that’s anything,” Aiden said.

“She wasn’t,” I agreed, shaking my head.

“I think she deserves it. After everything she did to you—” Aiden broke off, his eyes drifting to my back.

He moved my hair, which was loosely tied back, his fingers grazing my skin. I didn’t move as he whispered, “Can I see them?”

I shrugged, my heart beating away. “I don’t know why you’d want to—they’re awful.”

His breath warmed my skin as he loosened the laces of my dress slightly, letting it hang open to show him the extent of the ruin.

“They might be ugly—but they’re you. That makes them beautiful.”

“Aiden Poplar, did you just call me beautiful?”

He chuckled, a finger running down one of my scars. “I suppose I did. Don’t make me take it back.”

“I’ll always remember this day,” I said, leaning into his touch. I would, all jokes aside. This was…so different from anything I’d ever experienced.

“You should. I’ve only called Meadow and my mother beautiful before,” he said, tracing another scar.

“No one else?” I asked, somewhat incredulous. Aiden was handsome, after all.

“No,” he said simply, his finger drifting lower, to a large scar.

“Why not?”

“I never really had the time. And I suppose no one truly caught my eye,” he murmured.

“Anyone caught your eye now?” I asked teasingly, turning to look at him.

I could see the flecks of green in his brown eyes—like they’d never truly left. “It’s possible,” Aiden said, pushing my shoulder to turn me back around.

“What are you going to do about it?” I asked as he laced up my dress again.

He stood up and walked around to stand in front of me and offered me a hand. I took it and let him pull me up, until we were nearly nose-to-nose.

“This,” he whispered, eyes searching mine.

Then he kissed me.