Summary

The kiss to Jude feels dangerous, even as Cardan kisses her harder. They pull away and Cardan refuses to tell her how it made him feel. Cardan wants Balekin to give him land far away from the castle in exchange for the crown. She goes outside and tells the other spies she needs time to form her plan. She goes to the Lake of Masks alone. She knows Balekin would make a terrible king. However, Madoc would fight endless wars and train Oak to do the same. She wonders if she can crown Oak while taking him away from Faerie. She creates a plan (without telling the reader) and sees her mother and Madoc as a reflection in the lake. At the hideout, Jude tells Bomb they are going to steal a crown. Jude gets Cardan to make a deal. He says...