The Veiled Kingdom

Dacre enters the training grounds, and Kai warns him that his father, Davian, is present. Dacre’s father asks him about Nyra; Davian is fixated on locating the lost princess and finds Nyra’s past with the palace compelling. (The rebellion’s raid against the palace last year, which resulted in the death of Dacre’s mother, was undertaken to find and capture the princess, but this operation failed.) Now, Dacre tells his father that Nyra has no magic, but they both believe that she is hiding her magic from them so that they cannot use it for the rebellion. Dacre plans to begin training her the next day, though he still does not trust her.

Mal leads Nyra to the warriors’ quarters. When Nyra asks about the layout of the hidden city, Mal rebuffs her, reminding her that she is still considered a traitor and cannot know the rebellion’s secrets. Mal leaves her in a room with two beds, and Nyra feels uneasy. She knows that her father hates the rebellion, but she also resents King Roan for his refusal to recognize her as heir. She also hates the fact that he forced her mother to try to have another baby against the healers’ recommendations, as this decision resulted in the queen’s death.