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“Come on.” Vale took my hand and pulled me down a hallway.

I peered into an open doorway as we passed by. Most looked like common spaces for servants. One was a kitchen.

“How many kitchens are in the castle?” I asked Vale as we climbed the stairs.

“What?”

“Kitchens? How many?” Frostveil was enormous and one kitchen wasn’t enough for the royals and the courtiers. Perhaps the servants had dedicated kitchens too?

“A dozen? I’m not sure.”

“Have you stepped foot in a single one?”

He eyed me. “Most recently, during the night of the Courting Festival’s opening ball.”

Oh. Right. The night Prince Gervais appeared, and I’d lost it. Lord Riis had pulled me into the kitchens off the throne room, and I’d been confronted with the harsh truth that the winter fae didn’t only rely on paid servants for their labor, but slaves. Human slaves, from what I’d seen.

One had even pointed to my scar—mistaking me for someone at court. That had to have been the case because the haunted look in her eyes didn’t make sense otherwise.

“Are you all right?” Vale asked.

“What?”

“You fell quiet.” We reached the top of the staircase and were in the more opulent part of the palace. He turned left, and we climbed a wider white stairwell.

Shockingly, no one was around. I wondered if that wasbecause they were preparing for the event being held in a couple of hours. Or if Sir Qildor’s whipping scared them into their rooms.

“Oh, nothing,” I said.

I could tell he didn’t believe me, but he also didn’t press. We continued in silence, finally arriving in the hallway where his suite was located.

“Does anyone else in your family live in this part of the palace?” The king didn’t. I knew this because, unfortunately, a pair of Clawsguards had shown me to his room. Saga was not nearby either. From her room, she had a sea view, and Vale, for whatever reason, looked down into the palace yard. But perhaps Rhistel or the queen were nearby?

“No, they all chose rooms facing the Shivering Sea. Though Mother and Father are in different towers.” His lips tightened. “A view of the sea would be nice, but I kind of like looking out into the yard.”

I would have chosen a view of the sea, but to each their own.

As we approached the door, my eyebrows knitted together. “Why is no one at your door?”

“I took the Clawsguard stationed at my door with us to the port. He was one of the injured. I suppose no one replaced him after. Seeing as I wasn’t there and the door is locked, it’s not a big deal.”

“I always thought they followed the royals everywhere.” I gestured to the empty space behind us. “But Saga ditched her Clawsguard too. Once.”

When she’d pulled me from the Lisika suite and forcedme to gamble the night away with her friends. The memory brought a small smile to my lips.

“Once?” Vale laughed. “Saga ditches her shadows as often as she can.”

“Seems to run in the family.”

“I’ve been known to dismiss them,” he admitted sheepishly. “And no, we’re not supposed to, but it’s nice to have time alone.”

I didn’t know how Saga managed it, but I supposed that since Vale was a warrior, the knights saw no harm in following the prince’s orders. For now, that was fine. But in a few days, once the vampire royals had the time to send assassins, I would feel a lot better if guards surrounded us at all times.

“That might have to change,” I said as we reached the door, and Vale brought out his key. “At least for a little while.”

He nodded and stuck it in the lock. “I won’t put you at unnecessary risk. Now, to our room, wife.” A soft but strong hand pressed into my back, urging me to go in first.

I repressed a delighted shiver at his touch and instead pursed my lips. “A polite gesture,husband. Though you might want to stop staring at my rear.”