No. 24: "I thought they were with you."

Zoya had accompanied many royal processions in her time as the king's general, but it was quite a different experience being the center of one. She understood the reasoning behind their importance: show the people their monarch cared about them and was willing to walk among them. Nikolai had been so much better at it, though.

"Smile," he said, walking beside her.

She forced her lips to curve upward as she nodded to the crowds. The people cheered for her, their Dragon Queen, the living Saint who would usher in a new dynasty for Ravka. She only hoped she wouldn't end up a martyr burned at the stake for it.

A loud pop abruptly exploded nearby, spewing sparks and smoke into the air. People screamed and scattered. Zoya shot her hands up, prepared for a fight, but then her bodyguards were grabbing her and herding her away. There were more explosions and smoke, obscuring all visibility. Zoya couldn't see with Tolya and Tamar forming a turtle-like shell over her as they propelled her forward and away from the street.

"What's happening?" she demanded, her soldier instincts kicking in. Unfortunately, she wasn't a general anymore; she was the queen, and this was the one instance where her subjects outright refused to listen to her.

Screams continued to punctuate the air behind her, fading as they put more distance between them and the ambush. The twins finally ushered Zoya into a building and quickly moved to shutter the windows and watch the doors.

"I need to know what's happening," she once again demanded.

"Your security is our first concern," Tamar replied.

Zoya huffed in irritation. She wasn't a powerless otkazat'sya who needed protection, nor was she any normal Grisha. She could handle herself. But she stayed put and waited nonetheless.

When First Army soldiers in uniform began to flood the street, only then did Tolya open the door to call for a captain.

"We have the queen," he told them. "The perpetrators?"

"We're still assessing," the captain replied. "I'll send half my men with you to get the queen back to the palace."

Zoya bristled at being spoken of as though she weren't standing right there, but she held her temper, if only because had she still been general and Nikolai king, she would have insisted on the same course of action.

"Where are Nikolai, Nadia, and Adrik?" she spoke up.

"We'll find them," Tamar assured her.

Again, Zoya clenched her jaw in frustration but let herself be escorted by a large armed guard back up to the safety of the Grand Palace. Once there, the twins left to return to the streets and help discern what had happened, leaving Zoya to pace in agitation that she couldn't be with them.

Genya came hurrying into the room. She hadn't attended the procession. "Are you all right?" she asked anxiously.

"I'm fine. Just annoyed."

"What happened?"

"We're still waiting for information."

It was about an hour before Tolya and Tamar returned with Nadia and Adrik.

"There was some smoke inhalation but no injuries," Tolya reported. "Which is surprising."

"Who's responsible?" Zoya asked.

"We haven't found them yet," Tamar answered.

"It seemed they just wanted to disrupt the procession," Adrik put in.

Zoya narrowed her eyes. There had to be more to it than that. She looked past her friends toward the hall but didn't see anyone else outside. "Where's Nikolai?"

The others suddenly exchanged blank looks.

"We thought he was with you," Nadia said.

"No, Tolya and Tamar dragged me away after the first explosion," Zoya said, pitch rising.

The twins blanched guiltily at that.

"He probably stayed behind to help in the chaos," Genya said.

"Then why isn't he back yet?" Zoya countered. He would have at least wanted to make sure she was safe.

A horrible feeling began to twist in her stomach, and she strode past everyone toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Tamar asked.

"Back down there."

The others followed, this time not preventing the Dragon Queen from doing what she wanted.

The streets were still full of soldiers who remained to provide a presence of order while some people had begun to clean up the debris left in the mad trample to escape. Zoya scanned every face, searching for the one that mattered most. He wasn't among them.

"Have you seen Nikolai Lantsov?" she asked sharply of a young soldier.

"Er, no, moi tsaritsa," he replied.

Zoya's entire body tightened with growing fear. Where was he? Who had ambushed them in the street and why? Was Nikolai the target instead of her? Just because he wasn't the king anymore didn't mean he still didn't have enemies. Was he somewhere in the city? Was he beyond it? It was going on two hours since the attack…

"We'll organize a search," Tamar said earnestly.

"Of every building in the city, yes," Zoya agreed. "And I'll conduct my own search."

"What do you—"

Zoya spread her arms and let the dragon come forth, scales sliding over skin and wings sprouting from her back. Her friends scrambled backward in surprise, and she ignored their calls for her to wait as she launched herself into the sky.

Soaring over Os Alta, Zoya tapped into the dragon's amplified senses. The dragon let out a roar as it veered over the countryside, searching for its mate. When it picked up the scent of merzost mixed with blood, it screeched and picked up speed toward it. Only one person in the world had that scent.

The scene the dragon came upon filled it with rage—Nikolai bound and gagged and seated on a horse under a large tree with a noose around his neck. Zoya belted out an ear-curdling screech as she dove toward the ground, landing with an earth-shaking impact that threw the group of gathered people off their feet. The terrified horse threw Nikolai, and though the rope hadn't been fully secured to the tree branch, it still jerked taut.

Zoya transformed back into human form in a cyclone of dust and summoned up a surge of power by instinct alone. She didn't even realize she had formed the Cut out of wind until she shot it forward and it sliced through the rope, and Nikolai fell heavily to the ground.

She drew her shoulders back, hair billowing in a wispy halo around her head as the air crackled with static. Lightning shot down from the sky and struck the ground all around her, spewing dirt and charred grass into the wind.

"I should execute you on the spot for this treachery," her voice boomed like thunder.

"Moi tsaritsa," one babbled on his hands and knees. "No, we did this for you!"

Zoya narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"

The man whimpered but dared to lift his face. "The demon is a threat to you, moi tsaritsa. As are all Lantsovs. We only wished to preserve your rule."

Zoya stared down at him in dismay, the electricity in the air increasing. "How dare you?" she seethed.

"Please, Your Majesty, we are loyal to you. That's why we made sure no one was hurt in the procession!"

"Nikolai Lantsov abdicated the throne of his own volition and swore fealty to me. After everything he has done for Ravka, this is how you repay him?"

"The monster—"

"And what am I?" she roared, eyes turning to slits and hair still afloat around her.

The group cowered in fear.

"Stay where you are and do not move," Zoya commanded. "I am not done with you."

With that, she released the elements and hurried to Nikolai, dropping to her knees next to him and reaching for the gag.

"Are you hurt?" she asked urgently as she removed the noose next.

"Just a little bruised," he said with a hoarse cough. "You have impeccable timing."

Zoya reached out to touch the reddening mark on his neck. "This never should have gotten so far," she retorted harshly, though her anger wasn't directed at him.

"I'm all right," he repeated softly.

Zoya exhaled heavily and undid the ropes around his wrists, then helped him to his feet. She didn't miss the wince he made and was sure there was more abuse he was hiding. She needed to get him to a Healer. And deal with these so-called loyalists.

Zoya grabbed Nikolai's hand in hers and squeezed tightly. "Never leave my side again."

He gave her a loving smile. "As you wish, my queen."