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“Given your lack of control, you’ll need to strengthen your sympathic skills before you can fulfill your part of our bargain. You’ve much work to do before you’re prepared.”

“You want to make this thing inside of me stronger? Isn’t that the opposite of what the Council would want?” she asked.

He narrowed his eyes. “What precisely did you believe this assignment would entail?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I figured you’d want me to tell you if someone was bluffing or hiding an ace up their sleeve.”

“Card tricks?” he snorted. “Close but think bigger. Higher stakes.”

She frowned. “How high?”

The arrogant arch of his brow said,“Too high for you, Little Girl.”Shit. In all fairness, Jericho did try to warn her.

“My liege, could you enlighten me on the exact nature of this assignment?” Jericho asked. Though the inquiry was polite, somehow, it still managed to reinforce his authority over all thingsAlex.

Victor’s look of smug superiority faded. He struck Alex as a man who wasn’t used to being questioned.

“I require Alexandra’s council while interviewing several persons of interest. I’m afraid I cannot say more at this juncture. Rest assured, it won’t be anything too taxing.”

Translation, Victor wanted her to be a faerie lie detector. She struggled to keep her tone even. “With all due respect, if you’re searching for secret intel, wouldn’t a member of your guard be better qualified?”

Victor propped his elbows on the chair’s armrests and steepled his fingers. “Why send a fire-breathing dragon when a little mouse is better suited for the job? Especially when the mouse will pass unnoticed and cause far less damage.”

But if you already had a dragon… Dragon trumps mouse, hands down. “But—”

“The details are not necessary for you to begin your training. For now, I would prefer that what happens in this room travels no further than these four walls. Am I clear?” Victor’s steel-gray eyes bore holes into the two of them.

Alex stifled the shiver at the thinly veiled threat. Not trusting her voice, she nodded.

“Yes, my liege,” Jericho answered tightly. “However, my claim still gives me certain rights where my Chosen is concerned. I’m sure you’ll understand when I insist on accompanying her.”

“Of course.” Victor’s tone became downright glacial. “I didn’t expect otherwise.”

Alex wanted to sag with relief.

Victor’s gaze leveled on her, and the tension returned. “Shall we begin?”

She squared her shoulders. “As long as you remember your promise not to engage in any—mind fuckery.”

“Alex,” Jericho warned, his voice a disapproving growl.

Victor’s lips twitched. “Consider me reminded.”

Three hours later,Alex was ready to chuck a couple priceless artifacts at Victor’s thick skull.

“Again, Alexandra.” The command grated on raw nerves.

“I told you, I can’t,” Alex bit out through clenched teeth.

“Yes, you can.” Victor’s lean fingertips enveloped her hand. “Again,” he demanded.

Jericho paced in front of Victor’s desk, glancing in their direction but remaining silent.

Once more, Alex closed her eyes and concentrated on beating down the mental barrier Victor erected to keep her out of his head. She narrowed her focus, struggling to power through the impenetrable wall. Again, she failed.

“This is impossible.” She jerked free and lurched to her feet, putting some distance between them.“I’ve been blocking emotions for years. You can’t expect me to suddenly go on the offensive. Not only are you insisting I force the connection, but you’re actively resisting me, making me the aggressor.”

Alex would defend someone she loved with her last dying breath, but she didn’t have an aggressive bone in her body. “It seems wrong and immoral. Like I’m taking something that doesn’t belong to me.” Like she was pick-pocketing pieces of his psyche. Only this kind of filching was far from innocent.