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“No.”

“I think you’ll like it. It’s a place where the bestscholars in the kingdom live and learn,” Vale replied, surprising me with how he could deduce such a thing about me after so little time together. “I have a close friend who studies there. He can help us.”

“Is he part of yourcabal?” I teased.

Vale gave a playful smirk. “He is. In time, you’ll meet them all.”

The faint tinkling of a bell came from the bathroom.

“But for now, you’d better get in the tub before it overflows,” Vale added. “It’s close.”

I pulled my borrowed cloak tight around my body. Before the ceremony, the princess had gathered up the pants and tunic I’d been wearing during my failed escape. Seeing as the clothing wasn’t mine, I didn’t care that she’d brought them back with her. But I had made sure to grab the vials of blood out of my trouser pocket before they left my sight. They were now tucked in the cloak, safe and sound. Where would I keep them? Vale didn’t know about them, and I had no intention of telling him. Of telling anyone.

“Would you mind giving me a place to store my dress?” When another issue presented itself, I added, “and supplying a sleep shirt? Or something?”

“The top drawer is yours.” Vale patted his dresser, a wide wooden thing that was large enough to hold all the clothing I’d ever owned. “And while you bathe, I’ll send a servant to find your sleeping gowns and a few dresses to choose from for tomorrow. Servants can deliver the rest of your things later.”

“Thank you, Vale.” I paused, marveling at how well hethought things through. He had a militant mind. One trained to expect any and all sorts of issues or attacks. “For everything.”

My gratitude seemed so insufficient for what he’d done—defied his father’s orders. Married a commoner and one who had killed a vampire royal, at that.

“You’re welcome. We’re in this together now, Neve.”

I nodded and when he said nothing more, I went to soak in his copper tub. To cleanse the horrors of the night from my body. To try to relax.

Because tomorrow would bring another day, and with it, the wrath of the King of Winter.

Chapter 5

VALE

The sun had risen. Out my window, snow drifted to the ground. Down in the castle yard, I heard wheels rolling, horses neighing, and distant shouts—all signs of fae starting their day. And at my side, Neve slept, her long, white hair cascading around her, and her silver wings tucked close to her back.

My wife.

Moon above, I couldn’t get over it.

Not even after I’d watched her sleep for hours.

I hadn’t slept a wink, but I was relieved that she had managed to find rest. My wife would need her strength today. For when my father called, his fury would be great.

This wasn’t the first time I’d gone against the king’s wishes. What youngling dideverythingtheir parents wished?

Though this time was my most severe transgression. Not only had Father claimed Neve for his own, and he’d done it in front of other lords and ladies, but I had wed without his knowledge or blessing. Without concern about how it wouldmake our family look. And, most importantly, without an alliance in mind because with royals, that’s what a marriage was.

The female in my bed, the one with her silvery-white hair splayed out around her face so prettily, could offer me no alliance. Quite the opposite.

Once the Blood Kingdom heard what had happened, they’d demand retribution. As she had taken our name, my family would have to protect Neve, or the vampires might believe our house, our kingdom, fractured. A risky proposition. At the first whiff of weakness in our realm, the Blood might attack to gain territory—to take fae slaves. They had before, many centuries ago.

The threat of them doing so again remained alive and well. It was why we had no vampire representative in our court, nor a fae in theirs, though housing diplomats from other kingdoms was a practice in most kingdoms. Whenever a fae had to deal with vampires or went to the Blood Court, they did so heavily armed. If not, their lives were in their hands.

So my family would have to appease the vampires. How, I wasn’t certain, but Neve should not have to pay for what had happened. She’d been through too much in her short life for me to allow it. She should have never been a blood slave to begin with.

She is a fae of Winter’s Realm. We should have protected her, but we’d failed. No more.

Neve stirred, pulling me from my musings. I turned, facing forward so she wouldn’t see me watching herwhen she woke, though the sharp intake of breath told me that my presence had still shocked her.

“You’re awake,” she whispered, voice raspy with sleep. Stars, her voice made me want to reach out and touch her. “Has anything happened?”