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I laughed. “I’m shocked that wasn’t his first shift.”

For a moment, amusement gleamed in her eyes, but then she caught herself and looked away. “But his family married into the Falk line at least once. Tore Lisika was Sassa Falk’s king consort. Roar helped the Drassil tree in Traliska. So he has winter magic too, right?”

“He does. Having at least a small bit of winter magic is possible for anyone in the great houses of Winter’s Realm,” I conceded. “They’ve all married into each other at one point. Usually more than once, so there’s a little of Falk blood in all of us. I have seen Roar wield winter magic before, though his magic isn’t strong.”

Neve studied me for a long moment. “Right, so he does have the power to use the Scepter, if he has it, but I really don’t think he does. I mean, his own wings were affected by the blight, and don’t people say that’s related to the Scepter’s disappearance? Like its disappearance caused a flux in the magic of the kingdom?”

“That’s what some whisper,” I agreed, “though no one can prove it. My question is, how in the world could his family lose such an item?” I shook my head. “I can’t seethathappening.”

“Well, I don’t know!” Neve threw her hands up. “People lose precious things all the time.”

I sensed a subtext there. “Why didn’t you sleep?”

She huffed out a breath. “Just worried.”

“About Rhistel?”

“Yes.”

She was lying. I wasn’t sure how I could tell, but I got the distinct sense that my brother was not her primary concern. Though, now that I was reminded of what he’ddone, my blood began to boil. Last night, I’d dreamed about confronting him, about teaching him a lesson.

“I’m going to get ready to train.” Neve shifted and stood. Her nightgown had been bunched up and fell around her shapely legs. Legs with thick thighs and muscular calves wrapped in a softness that I longed to touch again.

My cock began to harden, ready as it ever was where she was concerned. Thankfully, Neve had already turned and left. The bathroom door shut behind her, and our moment of revelation and connection was over.

She doesn’t want me here.

The message rang home every time Neve turned her back on me during training. Each time, it hurt a bit more.

Sometimes I caught glimpses of the Neve I’d been getting to know, the night before we’d explored one another’s bodies. But it was always gone in a flash, like a shooting star disappearing into the night sky.

“What’s wrong with you two?” Luccan came up beside me. “You seem off.”

“I’m not sure,” I admitted.

“You didn’t say something stupid?”

“Likely I did,” I replied with a chuckle. “But I don’t know what.”

“Hmm, well, she’s having trouble today.” Luccan met my gaze. “I think you’re distracting her. That and she looks like she didn’t sleep. Do us all a favor and, if youwant your wife to be able to fight off vampires, go take a walk? A run? Whatever, just get out of here. I wish to teach her how to throw axes today, so she needs to concentrate.”

“That would be irresponsible,” I retorted.

My friend gestured to the sparring room floor. “We’re in the castle, the most protected building in all of Winter’s Realm. But even if no other soldiers roamed the yard or halls, you really think that Than, Sian, Filip, and I are going to let anyone touch her? Come on, Vale.”

I exhaled. I trusted Luccan and Sian wholeheartedly. Filip and Thantrel, while I wasn’t as close to them, were devoted to me too. My friends wouldn’t allow harm to come to my wife, and with all the tension between us, I should have welcomed the time to myself.

But I didn’t. No matter how chilly things had been, I still hoped that whatever Neve was going through would thaw. That soon we’d be able to be normal together again.

That our relationship might even deepen.

I didn’t dare bring that up to her, though. Not in her current state. I only wished she would tell me what troubled her. I suspected it was far more than the threat of vampires arriving in the city.

“Fine,” I agreed grudgingly. “I’ll take a walk.”

“Good call.” Luccan punched me in the shoulder. “That way we can show Neve all the slick fighting moves Sian and I have.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What moves?”