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Never for nearly killing my twin brother.

Rhistel had been rushed to the healers. Since then, I received only one update—that he lived, but had I gone on for even seconds longer, his fate might have been different.

I would have killed him.

His blood still caked beneath my fingernails, a memory of an act that felt like a blur. My twin had hurled insults at me, at Neve, but when he’d said he’d makemegive her to him, I’d lost it.

I’d do no such thing, but if it came from my lips? If I said it in front of her?

Would Neve believe me? Would she remember she was mine?

But then, she wasn’t, was she? As much as my body and heart yearned for her, she was her own fae, and so much distance separated us.

Footsteps fell down the corridors, fast and heavy. I twisted to find my father striding toward me, his face red and set in hard lines. Had he been the kind to beat his children, I would have expected that. As it was, Father either had others dole out physical punishments or he had disciplined us in other ways.

Was this the day he froze me in a room again and left me for hours?

Father reached me, stopped, and motioned for his Clawsguard to stand outside. “Vale, with me.”

We entered his bedchambers, and it was obvious he’d recently had someone, a female, inside. Lacy undergarments were strewn across the floor.

“How could you be so stupid?” my father growled the moment the door shut behind him and the silencing charm was in place.

“I-I don’t know,” I replied. It was common knowledge that I was, in fact, the stupidest Aaberg. Though my actions today had taken the cake. “He made me so mad that I lost it.”

Father’s ice-blue eyes were hard, unforgiving. “Is she your mate?”

Of all the things I’d expected him to say, that was not it.

“Do you have a marking?”

“No,” I replied. “She’s not.”

It pained me to admit it, but aside from my territorial need to protect her, the usual signs of being a mate weren’t present. No markings. No sense of wholeness from the other. No mind link—though that one seemed rather rare, from what I’d read.

Neve and I had none of that.

“And you’d still beat your brother nearly to death for her? You are a fool.”

“I’ll take any punishment.”

“Of course you will.” Father sighed. “And not just from me. You realize Rhistel will never forget this. Never forgive you. I have half a mind to send you south to the Summer Court because when he becomes king, I don’t know that he’ll let you live.”

I said nothing, but the truth of his words resonated in my bones. And yet, leaving Winter’s Realm, leaving my home felt unbearable.

“But for now, I still have use for you,” Father said, and my head snapped up.

“What?”

“I would send you away, but I need you.” Father went to his drink cart and poured a glass of whiskey. “You will leave Avaldenn to hunt rebels. Find their hideouts. You will obliterate them. Only bring back their leadership or the Falk bastard among them.”

“Fine,” I said, somewhat relieved. “Neve and I will leave?—”

“You will not take your wife.”

I stiffened. “Why?”

“She is too much of a distraction.”