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“Our wedding,” Prisca said carefully. “Since we will all need to separate tomorrow, Lorian and I decided to get married now.” She scanned him, shifting from bride to queen. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Vicer nodded absently. He looked vaguely shocked, as if all the sights and sounds were too much for him.

“And who is this?” Lorian asked, nodding toward the woman.

“Stillcrest and I made a deal,” Vicer said, seeming to come back to himself. “I bring her to you, and she never speaks to me again.”

Stillcrest flinched, immediately attempting to hide it within a shrug. But everyone had caught it.

“And why would you want to see me?” Prisca askedthe woman, her expression as cold as I’d ever seen it.

Stillcrest took a step closer. And then Marth was there. “Careful,” he snarled.

I doubted Stillcrest was attempting to assassinate anyone, but I could see the wisdom of watching her closely.

“I come to join your army. To fight by your side. If you’ll have me. There is nothing I can do to remove the stain on my soul from the choices I have made.” Her chin wobbled, and she managed to firm it, meeting Prisca’s eyes. “No way to bring back the innocents lost through my own audacity. But I ask that you allow me to fight with you to make those who took their lives regret their actions.”

Prisca’s eyes burned. It was rare for her to show her fury these days. She was learning to control her expressions. She stalked close to Stillcrest…

And slapped her across the face.

Stillcrest’s head whipped to the side, her cheek stained red.

I jolted, taking a step forward automatically. I didn’t know exactly what I was planning to do, but Lorian and Marth had done the same thing.

And then Prisca wrapped her arms around the woman responsible for the deaths of hundreds of hybrids.

Kaelin Stillcrest lowered her head to Prisca’s shoulder and cried like a baby.

My breath shuddered from my lungs, and my eyes burned. I understood.

Kaelin wasn’t going to forgive herself. She wouldn’t have believed Prisca’s forgiveness or respected her ifshe hadn’t shown some sign of her displeasure. The slap was a public humiliation that said everything that needed to be said. Prisca didn’t need to tear into her with harsh words. The woman was clearly doing that to herself every moment of every day.

The slap was the displeasure of a queen who knew Stillcrest wanted to feel some kind of punishment.

But the hug…

Thatwas my best friend. The girl who had sat next to me on the roof of the bakery in our village as we made our own clumsy blood vow. The woman who had tricked her way into Regner’s castle and saved me from certain death. The person who loved those around her with such intensity, the thought of them in pain was intolerable to her.

And even though part of me felt Stillcrest deserved worse—deserved to be turned away, her offer of help denied…

Prisca released Stillcrest, who wiped at her eyes, her head low. “I believe there are a few rooms left near our chambers,” Prisca said with a glance at Rekja, who gave her a nod.

Stillcrest bowed her head, sidling away. But she raised her gaze, staring defiantly at anyone who glowered at her.

“How could you consider forgiving her?” Demos bit out.

“I’m not forgiving her,” Prisca sighed. “Not truly. But it’s not my place to punish her either. I could have been Stillcrest, Demos. I’ve made decisions in this war that have cost people their lives. I’ll likely do it again.And again. And despite my desire to blame her for what she did, I’m the hybrid queen. That camp was my responsibility, and I failed. What kind of hypocrite would I be to turn her away now?”

There was no use telling Prisca the camp wasn’t her responsibility. I understood her reasoning, even if I disagreed with her logic.

Demos shook his head. But he clearly knew he wasn’t going to change her mind about Stillcrest.

“I don’t want to argue,” Prisca said, and her voice was low. “Let’s just enjoy every moment we have together. Please.”

Demos slung an arm around her shoulders and rolled his eyes at Tibris, who grinned at him.

The musicians resumed playing, and Lorian swept Prisca into his arms once more. Demos murmured a few words to Vicer, who nodded, yawned hugely, and wandered away in the same direction Stillcrest had gone.