Page 174

“I am not who you think I am.” I paused, the next words battling their way up my throat. “I’m not Vale Trahal of House Aaberg, but Vale Trahal of House Riis.”

Caelo’s mouth fell open. “Lord Riis is . . .”

“My birth father.”

“Bleeding skies,” Caelo swore. “Now that is one thing I would have never expected to come out of your mouth.”

“Never something I expected to hear, either.”

“He told you last night, didn’t he? Hence the yelling?”

“He thought it might help with Neve, because apparently everyone can see I love her. Even if I haven’t told her myself.”

Caelo chuckled dryly. “I’ve dragged my feet on such a matter before.” Eyes wide, he clapped a hand on my shoulder. “But I have to say, there is one beacon of light here.”

“What’s that?”

“If you wish, you can be with her now and not feel disgusted.” He cocked his head. “And, to be honest, I’m a bit relieved that the king is not your father.”

My eyebrows flew up. “What do you mean?”

Caelo dropped his arm. “The king is a bastard, literally and in every other way possible, Vale. You have always loved him, and sometimes he can be halfway decent, but of late? He’s become harder, crueler. I heard what he did to Sir Qildor, and I doubt you have forgotten it.”

I’d never be able to forget that day, and I knew what Caelo meant. I recognized how my father was changing as winter grew stronger, as his grip on the kingdom weakened.

“I’m not saying you should not love him. I’d never say such a thing,” Caelo added. “But knowing you do not have a blood tie could help you stand up to him in ways you have not before. Ways that can be seen in the light, and not only in the shadows.”

Not by using the cabal. That’s what he meant. Our group endeavored to assist those that my father did not seem to care to help. Though we remained inactive since the Courting Festival began, a fact that haunted me, especially when I remembered the dead actors from the Royal Theater.

“It’s not like I don’t stand up to him, Caelo.”

“Not enough, though.”

My hand went to my heart. “Ouch.”

“Sometimes the truth hurts. But we need to hear it all the same.”

Chapter 47

NEVE

Idropped my trembling arms to my sides, annoyed that my magic had appeared, seemingly to do whatever it wanted.

“You’re tired,” said Thantrel, my tutor and only companion for the morning. He shielded his green eyes from the sun, so brilliant against a backdrop of pristine snow. “You worked too hard yesterday.”

Between practicing magic in the morning, swordplay with Caelo in the afternoon, and then volunteering to mend some of the Riis family pieces their servants didn’t have the skill to do, Thantrel was right. I’d fallen into bed the night before, exhausted.

And yet, I still had the energy to wonder about Vale for a couple of hours before sleep claimed me.

Only Caelo had seen the prince since the day my magic burst out of me, and the knight had said nothing about their meeting. Not to me, anyway.

“I suppose I should be happy I won’t experienceany magical growth spurts.” I sighed, blowing a stream of white air from my lips. Though it wasn’t snowing at the moment, it was still freezing outside. “It would be embarrassing to be unable to control my magicandbe clumsy.”

The corner of Thantrel’s eyes crinkled. “You say that like youknowthey aren’t going to happen.”

I scoffed. “You’re hoping for the opposite, aren’t you?”

“Until Filip arrived at court, I was the last in my circle to experience a growth spurt,” Thantrel replied. “It’s far more fun when you’re not the one experiencing it.”