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“Do it,” he said as I flashed my glinting canines again.

I snapped at the air and Navin squeezed his eyes shut but neither did he run nor cower nor beg.

“I’d rather die with your jaws around my throat than have you hate me forever.”

I let out a disgusted huff. Killing him and hating him forever were not mutually exclusive. Mouth poised, maw open, I inched closer and his throat bobbed.

“But know this,” he said, his voice growing deeper. “If you let me go now, I will never stop wanting you. I can’t. I won’t. Kill me now or I will keep fighting for this, for us. I’m yours, Sadie. I never lied about that.”

There it was—the fight—I needed and craved it, that dualityof the soft and hard edges that melded into one. I needed the softest apologies and the fiercest promises and everything in between.

I froze, pulling my teeth away from his skin.

No. I didn’t need anything from him. I shouldn’t want him at all. Not after everything he’d done.

I didn’t know what this was—this spell he’d put on me, this magic he cursed me with. How could I tell what was even real anymore? But it didn’t matter, I knew, even without a monster lurking in the sand, I wouldn’t be able to kill him. His soul had its hooks in me. So I simply turned and prowled away, losing my resolve with every step to go on hating him forever.

Calla

The Ice Wolves crammed into the giant ballroom, the crowd so tight it was nearly impossible to navigate through. Wolves, in all their splendor, danced and mingled in silver and diamond-studded attire—gossamer gowns as white as snow, shined silver boots the shade of moonlight, and enough jewelry that the room rattled with their movements, cutting over the music. The crowd was filled with a glittering lack of color, the ballroom overflowing onto the frozen balconies that looked out over the city. A ten-piece orchestra played for the ballroom and a lone violinist played for the balcony.

I hung close to Mina. She was wrapped head to toe in furs to keep warm. Meanwhile, I was overheated in my golden coat and tails, my thick hair in loose curls around my face making my cheeks hot. The warmth from the ballroom seeped out through the open windows, enough to fight off the winter’s chill. It was nice out here away from the throng, but I knew I would eventually have to go in and participate in plan Manipulate the Ice Wolf Queen.

“I hate this,” I signed to Mina and she smiled as she carried on playing. “You should be in a ball gown beside me right now.”

She paused, tucking her violin and bow under her arm to sign, “I am a musician. Politics is your game.” She gave me anincredulous look. “Let me perform.” She paused for a moment as if debating herself before adding, “The music will help.”

She carried on playing and the sound of her song did actually slow down my racing heart a little. I spotted Briar moving through the crowd, her fan fluttering to catch my attention. I locked eyes with her and nodded.

“See you in a bit,” I said to Mina. She waved her bow at me and kept on playing.

Briar breezed through the crowd, and they all seemed to part for her. She was a beautiful blue beacon in a sea of white and silver. Klaus worked his way through the crowd toward her, and the two of them quickly struck up a lively conversation.

I found Grae next to Ingrid, chatting with similar joviality although the hoops of Ingrid’s glittering ball gown were so wide that Grae stood beyond arm’s reach.

“Ah, there you are.” Grae’s smile broadened as he reached out to me and pulled me into a lingering kiss. I wanted to tilt my head back and melt into him more, but I knew my crown would slip right off my head and clatter to the floor. Grae broke the kiss and wrapped his hand around my waist, pulling me into his side.

Ingrid watched us, a mixture of scrutiny and some kind of sadness, longing maybe, sketched across her face. I wondered if she had any lovers. I wondered if she ever got lonely on her frozen throne.

“Your sister is quite the charmer,” she said, falling straight into Briar’s trap.

I turned to find Briar and Klaus at the center of the ballroom. Briar’s head was thrown back in laughter and Klaus beamed down at her. Judging by the look on his face, Briar’s misguided attempt to onlyappearto ensnare Klaus’s heart was most certainly failing. They twirled around the ballroom like something straight out of a storybook, drawing everyone’s gazes.

“They certainly make quite the pair,” I said, tilting my head and acting like I was admiring them. “Very regal.”

Grae let out a little hum of agreement.

“Yes,” Ingrid said with an air of boredom. “Such a shame your sister will never be a queen.”

“Who knows.” I shrugged, pretending to be just as casual about the tense topic. “Lines of succession change all the time. Who knows what will happen to either of us.” Ingrid paused for such a brief moment that I almost missed it, but it was there. My words had landed their target. Now time for a hasty retreat. “Anyway,” I said with a light laugh. I turned to Grae. “Shall we get another drink?”

We bowed our heads to Ingrid and she bowed back, the two of us skirting away before I could undo the work I’d done. Too heavy of a hand and Ingrid would be enraged, too light and she’d never consider it.

“Is she still looking at them?” I whispered to Grae. He twisted half back to steal a glance at Ingrid.

“She’s staring daggers at Briar,” Grae said and I pinched my lips together to keep from laughing. “Hector’s talking to her now,” Grae added and I had the urge to look back at our friend. I wondered why he would put himself in the line of Queen Ingrid’s wrath, but maybe he was trying to stoke her suspicions as well.

“We’re going to have to rescue Briar before the end of the night,” I said. “I have a feeling she’d appreciate our helpdetanglingfrom Klaus.”