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“Unhand me,” I ordered.

I was certain he was not a man who yielded to anyone. He was a warrior who took what he wanted. His existence was built on strength, on exerting force, on domination. For a moment, I did not think he would oblige.

Then he did.

“Of course.” His arms loosened a fraction, allowing space between us. Even so, I paused, lost in the glory of that face and hair and eyes, bewildered at the tumult of sensations overwhelming me.

I finally broke free, staggering back a step. It did little to help. The air charged and sparked around us like an approaching storm. His eyes glowed, a beast stalking in the dark. Fitting.

He continued, “I’ll let you get back to your... whatever it is you’re doing thatisn’tspying.”

I opened and closed my mouth, disliking his mocking tone and wanting to put him in his place and let him know... what? That he waswrong?

Because he was not. He was not wrong. I was spying. I didn’t regret that either. I would do that and more to keep my girls safe.

The door to the chancery opened abruptly, and the lord regent stepped inside. “Ah, my lord, we thought you were—” The lord regent’s gaze landed on me, and he startled, his lips thinning in displeasure.

I tensed. The pompous windbag tolerated me, but I knew he disapproved. Even though I provided a service as the royal whipping girl, he believed me too indulged, too embedded in the king’s household. He especially did not like my friendship with his son. Sometimes I caught him watching me with Stig, and the look in his eyes frightened me. Made me feel as though I was doing something wrong. It was a sensation I despised. I tried so hard to behave properly. It was enough that I was punished for my sisters’misbehavior. I did not need to be disciplined for my own missteps.ThatI could control.

“What are you doing in here, girl?” He stared down his long nose at me. “You shouldn’t be here. Off with you, off!” He waved his hand at me, shooing me away, treating me as the nuisance he deemed me to be.

I hesitated only long enough to send Lord Dryhten one final, guarded look—as though expecting him to leap out at me and seize me, grab me and punish me for eavesdropping.

He didn’t, of course. He let me go, and I fled the room, his gaze palpable, hot and feral, slithering over my back.

I didn’t venture to the Great Hall as I’d originally planned. Lord Dryhten would be there, and one encounter with him was enough for the night.For a lifetime.There was also the possibility that he would call me out as a spy in front of the king and queen.

I shuddered at the prospect. The king and queen were good to me, but even they had their limits. I knew better than to shame or embarrass them in front of the court and our very important visitors.

I hastened to my bedchamber, where I paced its length, wondering if the lord regent would seek reprisal for finding me alone with Dryhten. Should I expect a visit from the lord chamberlain to deliver another whipping? It had been a long time since I’d had two whippings in a single day. I didn’t relish it.

The distant sounds of merriment carried from the Great Hall below. I wanted to believe that the lord regent, deep in his cups, would forget all about me, but I knew that unlikely. The lord regent never lost his head to wine, and he would be extra vigilant with the border lords here.

One of the maids arrived to turn down the coverlet, but when she found me in the chamber she stayed and helped ready me for bed, brushing my hair until it crackled like fire and then securing it in one long braid.

“Did you have a nice time this evening, my lady?” she asked, assuming I’d been in the Great Hall with everyone else. With thepalace brimming with people, it was a simple matter to lose track of one less-than-important princess.

“Yes,” I lied, staring numbly at my reflection. There would be no explaining the truth—that I had not been to the Great Hall at all. “Have my sisters returned to their chambers yet?”

“I don’t believe so. The celebration is still going strong.”

Of course it was. Except the girls would not be downstairs much longer. Mama would not permit them to carouse late into the night. I would wait up for them. They deserved to know. Theyneededto know what was being planned for one of them. They needed to be warned. We could come up with a plan together.

A brief knock sounded on my bedchamber door. Without waiting for my summons, the king and queen entered, followed by the lord regent. My stomach dropped at the sight of Stig’s father.

The queen nodded in dismissal at the maid. “That will be all. You may go.”

The girl dipped a curtsey and left us. The door clicked shut behind her, and the sound reverberated through the space, which suddenly felt much too small. It was a wholly unique scenario—the king, queen, and lord regent alone with me in my private chamber, sucking all the air out of the room. I could only assume their presence here was because the lord regent had caught me alone with the border lord.

The Beast was a valuable individual to them. Clearly. They were giving him a princess as his bride simply because he asked. No doubt they were here to interrogate me about our encounter and make certain I had done nothing to offend Lord Dryhten.

I hurriedly got to my feet, wiping sweating palms down the front of my night-robe. I was not certain I hadn’t offended the Beast. His narrowing eyes flashed across my mind, so frosty gray I felt their chill blow through me. I fought to control my expression and reveal none of my misgivings.

I curtsied in acknowledgment of my mother and father. I could muster only a stiff incline of my head for the lord regent. He stood stoically beside them, his expression as coldly cunning as ever.

My father studied me with a smile. “Tamsyn, I understand you found your way into the chancery when I was meeting with Lord Dryhten.”

My cheeks went hot. Of course he had been informed. “Yes, Papa.”