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But he once had. Once, I called him uncle. Once, he’d brought me gifts, and I’d loved practicing swords with him.

“Thank you,” Lord Riis said, still embracing me. “Thank you, Vale.”

“Of course,” I murmured as we broke apart. “You’ve always had a place in my heart and Luccan, Thantrel—even Arie—are some of my closest friends.”

The sadness in the Lord of Tongues’s eyes lifted a touch. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.” His hand, large and rough, clapped on my shoulder, squeezed. “I believe you have a wife you need to be getting back to?”

“I do,” I said, relieved for an out to distance myselffrom the cloud of emotions rolling between us. “Good day, Leyv.”

We parted, though I still felt the spymaster’s eyes on me until I turned the corner.

I was at the door to my suite before I knew it, so great was the depth of my thoughts. The Clawsguard on duty opened the door for me.

“Welcome back, my prince. I’m sure the princess will be happy to see you.”

I nodded, slipped inside, and inhaled. The room smelled like smoked vanilla. Like Neve.

“I’m back,” I called out, half hoping she’d respond from the bathroom, and I’d find her waiting for me in the tub again, violet eyes calling me closer.

But there was no response. Only silence.

In his letter, the Clawsguard at the door had assured me that Neve had not left our suite. Was she asleep?

“Neve?” I asked, more softly, in case she slumbered.

Still no reply, but when I ambled down the short corridor that opened into my bedroom, she was there, sitting on the bed, staring out the window at the falling snow.

“Neve? Are you well?” I approached the bed and sat near her feet.

My weight pried her from a trance. She turned, looked at me, and swallowed.

“No.”

“You’ve fallen ill?”

She’d been fine that morning. More than fine. Nevehad been happy, but the female before me appeared anything but.

“I think so.” She looked at her hands.

Something in her voice hinted that she wasn’t telling the entire truth.

“Did something happen?”

“Nothing.”

“All right . . . Well, we found many rebels,” I said, hoping to engage her.

She said nothing. No matter how sick she felt, I had news. So I told her about the house in Rall Row, the infiltration, and chasing the black-haired faerie. That captured her attention, albeit briefly. Then she continued to stare at her hands.

“I lost the rebel when I saw a vampire.”

Neve didn’t look up. She didn’t blink. It was as if she’d gone as cold as ice.

“They managed the journey quickly.” Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“The question is how,” I said.

She didn’t reply.