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I checked that the goblin had nothing else on his person before tossing him from the sleigh to the soldier. Manacles clapped around the creature’s thin wrists, and the goblin snarled and fought as the soldier led him away.

Alone, Clemencia entered the carriage and took in the area. The goblin had tossed a few items around, mostly gowns, my sewing supplies, and the books, when he’d been searching for treasure. We tidied up, and once we put everything in its place again, we settled in.

“You tried to bargain with it.” Clemencia stared at me as she sprayed her perfume to cover up the goblin’s stink of raw meat and unwashed feet.

“I did.”

“But why?”

Because everyone deserved a choice? Did I really believe that? He’d been a thief, and in that instance, he should have been punished. Still, my background, as a person who’d had practically no choices, made me reflexively wish to give people chances.

“I don’t know,” I lied. “Did you hear that they’re stealing because they have no food?”

“Winter takes much. It always does.” Her uncomfortable gaze flicked to the window.

I paused. “Are other people hurting?”

“I know nothing of the various tribes or lone fae in the wilds, but I have heard that a few smaller villages are being hit hard.” She paused and cleared her throat. “You should know, Lady Neve, that except for leprechauns, no lady of your standing, or even someone from the merchant class like me, would touch a goblin.”

“Soldiers do.” The one I’d tossed the goblin to had not hesitated.

“The warriors sometimes must do the most unfortunate things for the rest of us.”

She seemed to see no problem in what she said. Maybe she had an underlying reason that I was ignorant to? If one came too close to an ogre, it would eat them, so I could understand not touching them. Who in the world would even get close?

But the goblins? They thieved. They fought too, of course, but all fae did that. The goblins weren’t cannibals like ogres. Nor were they violent and dim like most trolls and giants. Goblins actually had intelligence.

Perhaps goblin skin carried an illness?

I didn’t think so, but instead of pressing the matter, I merely pulled out my gown and set to work again, content to think in quiet.

Chapter 20

Roar opened the sleigh door and, hanging from the foot planks, leaned inside. Behind him, snow-covered evergreen trees flashed by. “I’ve spotted the castle’s spires.”

“Really?” I pulled back the curtain to peer outside.

For ten long days, we’d been traveling through the forested midlands. Due to all the snow and wind, we had gotten a full day behind schedule, but since we’d left early, it would not affect us negatively at court.

“I wouldn’t joke about that.” Roar entered the sleigh and shook the snow from his long hair as he took a seat next to me. “Not after the journey we’ve had.”

Outside my window, those traveling with us began to point and become more animated. With my limited view, I couldn’t yet see anything of interest, but I did notice the trees growing thinner. My excitement grew, and I remained pinned to the window, desperate for my first glimpse of the capital.

Minutes later, I was rewarded as we exited the forest, and I finally saw the palace towers topped with spires. They were so tall that they dwarfed even the tallest of trees in the surrounding woods.

“Frostveil Castle.” Clemencia sighed. “I’ve heard it’s so beautiful.”

The Palais Immortael had been breathtaking too, but even from this far away, I could tell the two were very different. The vampire’s castle resembled a night and its stars. Whereas this castle looked as white as the snow outside and the tips of the spires and towers gleamed a bright silver in the midday light.

“What are those at the top?” I pointed to the closest spire. “It looks like there’s a—bird? But that’s far too big to be natural.”

“That’s because it’s a silver statue of a white hawk,” Roar answered. “The Falk’s symbol.”

My eyebrows pinched together. “Oh . . . you’d think they’d take that down.”

“Rumor has it the palace has resisted certain changes since the rebellion.” Clemencia spoke with the detachment of an academic. “The royals put the word out that they left the hawks up because they’re also a symbol of prosperity and power in our kingdom.”

Roar snorted. “A likely story.”