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“You were—are—princesses,” Lord Riis said as if that was a valid reason.

Maybe it was valid to my parents, but to me, it was only heartbreaking.

I sighed, and though the ice had left my veins, I found I wanted nothing more than to sit in the hot water and think over all that had happened. “Lord Riis, might we talk more later?”

“Of course. I’ll have a servant waiting outside to show you to a new room when you’re ready.”

“Thank you.”

He showed himself out, leaving me with Clemencia and Anna. The moment we were alone, my throat tightened.

“Do you two think Vale will forgive me for not telling him? That he . . .”

That he’d what? Would love me? Impossible. Fae families intermarried, particularly noble houses, but not asclosely as we had. A relationship such as ours was taboo, and we would have to dissolve it.

That felt like someone was punching me in the stomach. My body could not fall in line with my head.

“He will, Princess Neve,” Clemencia answered.

“Clem”—I stopped her—“please call me Neve.”

I’d never shied away from the title of princess, not even when it was all pretend and had nothing to do with my past, but I considered Clem, like Anna, too good of a friend to use a title.

“It’s clear in his gaze that he loves you.” She paused. “And even if you can no longer be married and have done normal things that married couples do, you will both come to terms with the truth—you didn’t know. No one meant harm by it. Quite the opposite.”

“He seems like he does what he says,” Anna added. “He tried to sneak you out of the city. And helped you kill another royal.”

“He’s the most honorable person I’ve ever met,” I admitted.

My friends said nothing, and I found I couldn’t sit there a moment longer. I made to stand, wobbled, and they were there, holding my arms and helping me to stabilize.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “I want to use the bath.”

Though every one of my muscles ached, I pushed through the pain and exhaustion and, with their help, walked to the bathroom.

“You’re no longer blue,” Clemencia said, her tone soothing. She was always there to help me, and it seemedshe was slipping into that role now. “But you need to stay in the bath for a good long while to make sure you’re warmed from the inside out. It was terrifying how blue you were.”

“Truly,” Anna agreed.

I didn’t argue, just slid into the tub. Arie and Thantrel had chosen the perfect water temperature. It was not too hot but not lukewarm, either. My muscles loosened and as I allowed the water to warm me, I wondered what Vale would say when I next saw him.

Chapter 44

VALE

Outside, the waning moon shone, though it somehow felt like only minutes had passed since I’d last seen Neve. Since I’d learned we were related.

We’d been intimate, and I’d dreamed about taking her and burying my cock in her every way possible.

I’d fallen in love with her.

I swallowed down the revulsion and chased it with a strong ale. The horn was empty, so once again, I held it out.

Sitting in a dilapidated armchair across from me, looking at home in his small family library, Thantrel cleared his throat. “You might have had enough, Vale.”

“That so?” I grumbled, fingers walking along the top of a side table. “I seem to remember what happened today. So I would argue not.” I stood, intent on filling my horn. The motion threw me off, but I righted myselfquickly. Or so I’d thought. The way Arie and Thantrel looked at one another hinted otherwise.

Gryphon’s balls. If they’re agreeing on something, it must be true.