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“Is what common?”

“Rebels attacking events. It’s happened twice since I’ve been here.”

Vale snorted. “The Courting Festival is drawing them out. Before this, we’d have rebel attacks, or more minor issues, once every six moons. The deepening cold is provoking them to attack more often.”

The fae I’d killed had mentioned the cold, right before I’d taken her life, a fact that I was trying desperately to forget.

Vale stopped, and because we were attached by the arms, I did too. “I didn’t ask how you were.”

I blinked. “What?”

“When we got to the sanctuary, I didn’t check on you. Are you well?”

My teeth dug into my bottom lip. When Vale saidthings like that, it was even harder to deny how wonderful he was. How much I didn’t want to leave him.

“No,” I answered with a long exhale. “I don’t think I am.”

Suddenly, more soldiers appeared, helping the injured fae. My mouth shut, not about to talk about what happened with others around.

As if sensing the reason for my hesitancy, Vale pulled me into a room off the hallway. From the looks of it, the space was used to store healing supplies. A long table littered with cauldrons, bundled herbs, and books dominated the center of the room.

“Tell me, Neve. What happened?”

I drifted over to the table, picked up a sprig of dried lavender, and exhaled. “Well, I killed someone.”

“One of us.”

He meant not a vampire.

“Yes.”

“I’ve done more killing than I like to recall—even if it was for a noble cause. Only time will heal what you feel, and even then, not completely.”

“Yes, but that’s not the only thing that’s getting me down.” Not only was it true, but I wished to move on from the topic of the rebel quickly. Intellectually, I knew that had I not killed her, she would have ended my life, but my body still felt heavy with remorse for killing a fae. Hence, I welcomed the distraction that had been plaguing my mind.

He arched an eyebrow and waited.

“For the last few days, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my family.”

“Anna? Those in the Blood Court?”

“No, though they’re family too. I mean my blood family, if I have any left here.” My voice wobbled, and Vale was there, wrapping me in his muscular arms.

“I’m so sorry.”

A tear tracked down my cheek. “You’ve helped me more than anyone else. I-I.” I paused and drew in a breath, needing to share more with him, to unload. “Did you see that female during the attack? The rebel who looked like me?”

He drew back. “Where?”

“The archer.” I peered up at him. “She had black hair and blue eyes, but we looked alike in other ways. That, and things people have said, I guess it has gotten to me.”

He lifted a hand and wiped away the wet streak the tears had left before moving up to my temple and caressing the scar there with such tender care. One would think his big hands, calloused from battles, could not be so gentle, but they were.

“Neve, Iamyour family,” Vale whispered so devoutly that the words sent chills down my spine. “Even if this ends with you running as far as you can from Winter’s Realm, which I would not blame you for,we’re family. I’ll never be able to stop thinking about you.” He swallowed. “I’ll always care for you.”

His brown eyes softened as if he wanted to say more, as if he was holding back something important. I had ahunch of what that might be, and though it scared me to death, it also invigorated me.

Vale, the male I’d married, a prince of the realm, had feelings for me. As I did for him. We’d started off distrusting the other, moved on to vague dislike, then intrigue. Trust and caring had snuck up on me. Now, what did we have?