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“He isn’touranything,” I snapped.

“No,” Briar whispered. “He’syourmate, Calla. He is your everything, as you are his. Your lives are tied together now. I don’t think he would deny you anything.”

“I don’t care,” I hissed. “He lied to me. I walked into that office like a fool and one word from him could’ve prepared me. If he was on our side, he would’ve told us as much.”

My chest clenched again.

Briar brushed her hand in circles down my back. “He didn’t say anything at all?”

“Not in the King’s office,” I said. “He followed me afterward...”

“And?”

“And I put a knife to his throat.”

Briar doubled over, cackling. “Of course you did.”

“It’s not funny,” I growled.

“It’s a little funny,” she wheezed, trying to stop the giggles by pressing her lips together. She wiped her eyes. “Oh, Goddess,I love you. Maybe he would’ve explained himself better if you weren’t trying to slit his throat.”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest. The sound of my twin’s cackles was infectious. Like two mischievous children, we chuckled there in the tall grasses. Briar always had a way of replacing my tears with laughter. I’d given her plenty of occasions to hone that skill.

“You’re right. I should probably have a conversation with Grae without my weapons.” I sighed.

“That’s probably a good idea.” She smiled warmly, plucking a weed from between the meadow grasses. “He’s your mate now. Killing him would end your life, too. You need a better plan.”

“You’re not mad?” I held my sister’s pale blue eyes. “You planned your whole life to be a queen. I’m taking that from you.”

“I never wanted to be a queen.”

“What?” My brow furrowed as she twirled the dried weed in her hands.

“Nobody ever asked me what I wanted.” She blew on the featherlike seeds and they scattered into the air. “I was only ever told.”

“What do you want?”

“A quiet life with someone I love.” She stared up at the stars. “A cottage in the forest, a little stream to bathe in, a garden patch to grow food...”

“You never told me this,” I whispered. “You tell me everything.”

“Not everything. Some things are too precious to even whisper.” Briar’s eyes welled as she grinned. “Especially when there seemed no chance of it ever coming true. But now that I’ve met Maez, I want to shout it to the moon. Gods, I feel like I love her already. How can that be? Do you feel it, too?” She pounded her fist against her stomach. “That burning ember inside you?”

I looked up to the moon, wishing I could lie but instead saying, “I do.”

“Of course you do—you’ve felt it forever.”

I flushed, because even though I had keptthatsecret from her, of course she knew.

“I know you never planned on this, Cal,” Briar said. “And I’ll be here to help you do all those courtly things, but this is the first and only thing I ever truly wanted for myself. Love.” Her brows knitted together as her voice cracked. “And the Goddess’s blessing means no one can take it from me now.”

She had hid that deepest wish even from me. I had thought Briar wanted the crown more than anything, and I felt the pang of her choice to marry Grae all the keener. She had wanted none of it, but she’d done what she thought was best for our people, knowing she’d never have the kind of love she craved... just as I would deny myself that love in favor of her.

She placed a gentle hand on my forearm. “You’ll make a better ruler anyway, Cal.” I opened my mouth to protest, but she carried on. “Wolves don’t need diamonds and lace. They need strength and smarts. And you have more of that than anyone I know. You’ll find a way to defeat Sawyn without King Nero’s aid. That’s what matters to our people, our legacy. And I will help you with the gowns and rouge.”

I huffed, my lips pulling to the side. We stared up at the twinkling stars as fireflies danced around the meadow. My thundering heart settled. We’d find a way forward together, as we always did. Somehow, it would be all right.

“You should go back to the castle,” I murmured. “Be with your mate.”