Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

it later. “He’s given himself up to Rufina in order to save your neck, so curb your vitriol.”

An emotion Lydia couldn’t name flickered through Malahi’s eyes, then she turned away. “Then he’s given himself up for nothing.”

“Mudamora is falling beneath the blight as we speak,” Lydia said, the way Baird was watching the door telling her she was running low on time. “It needs a tender to repair the land.”

“I tried.” Malahi’s voice was bitter. “I couldn’t do it. Mudamora is lost.”

“Then why are you bothering to resist Rufina?” Catching hold of the other girl’s shoulders, Lydia spun her around. “Why not just give her what she wants and spare yourself the pain?”

“Because I refuse to betray the gift Yara gave me!”

“Isn’t staying here and doing nothing just that?”

They glared at each other, then Malahi looked away. “There is no escape. Do you think I haven’t tried?”

“He’s going to take you back to Mudamora.” Lydia gestured to Baird. “You’re going to leave this room disguised as me.” Opening the satchel, Lydia pulled out the cheap wig Baird had procured at a brothel and pulled off her cloak. “Put these on.”

“This will never work. You’re almost a foot taller than I am, and we look nothing alike.”

“It will, because the guards out there believe Baird on their side.”

“And what about you?”

“When they discover it’s me in here and not you, they’ll bring me to Rufina. And I’m going to kill her.” She could only pray that Rufina, like the Denastrian king, wouldn’t see her as a threat until it was too late.

“And just how do you plan—”

The rest of Malahi’s words were drowned out as the door exploded inward. Terror surged through Lydia’s veins as Rufina stepped into the opening. Malahi screamed, scrambling to the far side of room, where she cowered, rocking and sobbing.

“So it is you, little healer.” Rufina smiled at her like a cat who had caught the canary. To her left, Agrippa leaned against the broken door frame, his eyes glittering with amusement. And beyond, Killian was chained and on his knees between a pair of corrupted, one of his eyes swelling and his lip split. And he was staring at her like he’d never seen her before.

“You traitor,” she hissed at Agrippa. “You gave your word.”

Rufina chuckled. “You’ll find, Kitaryia, that Agrippa’s word isn’t worth the rag he wipes his ass with. The only thing one can trust in is his own self-interest.”

Lydia’s blood turned to ice at the name, because no one, least of all Agrippa, should know her identity. “How…”

“Those in Derin call them mimics,” Agrippa answered. “But what I never told you was that I call them reflections. Not only because they see who you are, but also because they see who you once were.” He gave her a lazy shrug. “Sorry, Princess, but she wasn’t going to give me what I wanted unless I sweetened the offering. And for Her Majesty, you are the sweetest prize on all of Reath. She really does not like your family.”

“You’re a bastard!” Lydia clenched her fists, but Agrippa only laughed and said, “Guilty.”

“Enjoy your gold and your freedom, pet,” Rufina said, stroking his cheek. “Although don’t expect either to last forever.” Then in a blur of motion, she grabbed Lydia by the hair, dragging her across the floor toward the door. “Put Calorian in the dungeon, and for the love of the Seventh, do ensure he’s secure.”

Killian moved.

He twisted behind the corrupted soldiers holding his chains and wrapped them around the man’s neck. A loud crack filled the air as he twisted the links, breaking the corrupted’s spine. The man dropped and Killian lunged toward Rufina, but the other corrupted soldier yanked on the chains, snapping him onto his back.

Lydia screamed, struggling, but Rufina only pushed her to the floor as Killian fought against his chains.

Cold steel pressed against her cheek, and Rufina said, “Healers can endure a remarkable amount of abuse, Lord Calorian. More, even, than you.”

Killian froze.

“Good boy,” Rufina purred. “Remember who holds your reins or Kitaryia will feel the whip.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Lydia pleaded. “Don’t let her use me against you.”

His breath was ragged. “You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be safe.”

Lydia’s heart felt cleaved in two. “I couldn’t leave you.”

And she didn’t regret that choice. The only thing she regretted was placing her trust in someone born of the Empire.

Twisting in Rufina’s grip, she hissed at Agrippa. “I’m going to rip your gods-damned heart out for this.”

“It’s nice to have aspirations.” He crouched next to her. “It was a good plan, Princess. But plans only stay good until the battle begins, and then everything changes. You adapt, or you die, and I’ve always been a survivor.” He patted her cheek. “Good doing business with you.”

“Don’t touch her!”

Killian lunged upward, but Agrippa only grinned and said, “This is for Alder’s Ford,” before swinging his fist.

Killian dropped like a stone, and Lydia sobbed, trying to get out of Rufina’s grip to reach him.

“Take him to the dungeon,” Rufina ordered. “Ensure he is well secured. The Princess and I need to have a little chat.”

“Sounds lovely,” Agrippa said. “Hate to miss it, but it takes time to count out five thousand gold coins, and I want to be gone from Helatha. Too many people want me dead.” Then he gestured to the doorway. “After you.”

 107TERIANA

She stood frozen on the far side of the wall, listening to the screams coming from the Domitius villa.

He told you to go.

“Since when do I listen?” she growled, then reached up to climb back over.

Only for a hand to close on her wrist.

“What are you doing out here?” a young voice demanded.

“Let me go.” She tried to haul herself loose, but the young legionnaire’s grip was strong. “There’s something happening at the Domitius home.”

“I know.” The moon peeked out from behind a cloud, revealing the face of Austornic. And behind him half a dozen more young legionnaires. “The commandant is on his way there