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“Oh? How far into it are you?”

I sensed a trap. “I’ve read about five chapters.”

“Has a troll shown up yet? I always loved reading about trolls.”

“You’ve read it?”

“As a youngling.” He came closer, but as he passed the spot on the wall that led to the hidden parts of the palace, he paused. Glanced at it with longing.

Besides spending time with friends during our free days, we’d tried to get into the hidden part of the palace. Four times we’d made the attempt. None of them with any luck. Apparently, when Vale was with me, the palace decided I wasn’t in danger.

It was difficult to be upset at that, even if we were both dying to delve deeper into Queen Revna’s diary.

After spying his mother leaving the Lord of Tongues’s chambers, Vale had not told Lord Riis about the king’s suspicions. That choice was eating him up inside.

Vale wanted to do the right thing, but he also wanted to understand Lord Riis better. Obviously, everyone had a past and the new information we had, combined with Lord Riis’s past, made Vale question quite a lot.

In the past, the Lord of Tongues had taken manylovers. I had been stunned to learn that Luccan, Arie, and Thantrel were far from his only children. They were simply the only ones at court. The only oneslegitimizedby King Magnus and hence, able to take part in the Courting Festival.

Had the queen been one of Lord Riis’s lovers once?

If so, how would that change Vale’s opinion of him? If at all?

I didn’t think even Vale knew the answer to that.

“Any glowing?” Vale nodded to the door, perhaps sensing that my thoughts, like his own, had wandered.

“None.”

“Pity.” Vale came closer and perched on the edge of the bed. “So what is your favorite part of that book so far?”

“What?”

He smirked. “I should put a shirt on if you’re going to be so distractible.”

“You’re so full of yourself.” I rolled my eyes, and desperate to get off the subject of my ogling him, I pressed the book to my chest. “Like I said, I haven’t read much, but I also like the bits about the troll. I can see why you did too. You don’t read about them often in stories.”

Vale’s lips curled up into a smirk. “No. Not even in the pages of that book.” He winked. “I guess I am that distracting.”

I gaped. “Stars, I hate the way fae can twist truths!”

Vale burst out laughing. “Well, you’d better get used to it. Soon you’ll have to do the same.”

My stomach clenched.

“About that.” I set the book on the side table. “I was thinking, maybe I should take the potion again? I don’t know what it’s called, but it’s the same one the vampires force-fed me every full moon?” The words burned leaving my throat, but if continuing to smother my magic for a while longer would save my life, then I’d do it. “It is possible to get here, right?”

“We call it the Liar’s Salvation,” Vale said. “It’s illegal.”

I swallowed. “Well, what do you think I should do, then?”

He shook his head. “I’ve been wondering that too. We’ve been lucky these past days, with no events, but tomorrow we’ll have to go to the theater.”

We’d received the summons this morning that our peace would soon be ending. Normally, the idea of going to the theater would fill my heart with joy. I’d always wanted to experience such a spectacle. But after two days with no drama from the Courting Festival, I wasn’t ready for it to start up again.

“And it’s likely that events will take place more often,” Vale said. “Father might have needed time to cool down after our wedding and everything else that happened with Lord Armenil and Lady Virtoris.”

“Or he was planning something to make a scene again.”