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“This isn’t up for discussion.” His boots stomped closer.

Valeen darted inside the room and gently shut the door.

“How dare you disrespect me like this. I am your betrothed and you bring the goddess I know you’re in love with into this house? I’m just someone you like to screw. But her? That devious bitch has had both of you in her grips for years.”

Her heart thundered.

Something crashed and glass shattered on the floor.

“Yes, throw a tantrum, why don’t you, because you know I love that. And if you believe I’m in love with her then why are you still here, Varlett?”

Layala snappedout of the memory. Varlett? Her stomach dropped. Varlett was War’s betrothed. And they left them back in Adalon together. This is why Varlett despises me. But how did she end up with Hel? Two scorned lovers joined forces?She shook her head, trying to recall more.What happened next? Why was I there in the first place?Nothing came.

Starting around the room, she picked up a black winged horse statue about the size of her palm and wiped dust from its back. A second was on the vanity top. These were her horses, the pair that pulled her chariot, Starborn and…Midnight.Maker above, had Thane known that when he named her horse in Adalon? Some part of him must have. It couldn’t be a coincidence.

She set the horse statue down.I must remember him. I have to get back to him. Even if he said he wanted me to go away, that we were over, he didn’t mean it, not really.Still a little woozy from either the realm change, or the ale,Layala took off her weapons belt and sword and set them on the dresser top. Then meandered to the full bed pushed up against the far wall and flopped down on it. Without kicking off her boots, she picked up the throw blanket beside her and curled up in it.

She cried herself to sleep.

“I’m assuming Varlett left?”she asked, setting down the white teacup. She and War sat at opposite ends of the dining room table with a healthy spread of fruits between them.

“She did.” He cleared his throat. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it yet.”

“He’s going to come here.”

“I know.”

“What do you want me to do when he does?”

“Tell him to go away. Tell him I don’t want to see him ever again.”

War looked down at his plate, tapping his fingers beside it. “You need to give me a reason if I’m going to do that. I can see you’re hurt but you know what he is to me. You’re putting me in a bad position.”

The scenery of the dream shifted to a dark bedroom. It was night, a different place entirely.

A different time.

Floorboards creaked and her eyes shot open. Pulling a golden dagger from under her pillow, she whipped around, the point of the blade stopped at Hel’s throat. “What are you doing here?” she snarled.

He held up his palms in surrender. “I came to sneak you out.” She lowered the dagger and sat up. His gaze trailed over her bare shoulders along her close-fitting, silk night dress the color of crimson. It barely covered the tops of her thighs. “Well, damn, love. I wasn’t ready to see you in that. It makes me think of what you’ll wear on the night I make love to you.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “You’re confident, a little too confident, I think.”

“Is red your favorite color, too?”

“One of them but I prefer purple.”

He grinned. “After that purple swimsuit you wore, I think it’s mine now, too.”

She rolled her eyes and stood, going to her closet. “What do you mean sneak me out?”

“Break you out of your territory for some fun. You told me the next move was mine. This is my move.”

She smiled, rifling through her hanging clothes. “I can leave whenever I want, you know.”

He grabbed her wrist and snapped his fingers. She was suddenly in a tight-fitting black dress with thin straps and deep red whirls so dark they were barely noticeable. “It’s much more fun if we pretend like you might get caught. I think Presco would be upset if you left without telling him.”