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She runs her hand along my side, and I try not to shy away. “Oh, Henrik, you’re thinking too small.”

“What are you plotting?” I demand. “Princess, whatever it is—”

“Whatever it is…well, it’s my business, isn’t it?”

“I’m saying this because I’m worried about you,” I insist. “I don’t know what you’re dabbling in, but this is dangerous. Do you realize Augmirian is building war golems? We found the High Vales’ illegal mining endeavor in the Dorian Mountains while your father had me looking into the aynauths’ irregular migration. If the duke plans to go to war against your father, what do you think he’s going to do with his human bride?”

Agitated, Camellia huffs out a breath. “It figures that Father would send you on a trivial mission, and you’d stumble upon all that.”

“You knew about it?”

“You’re entirely too competent,” she scolds. “But it’s no matter. I don’t intend to let my husband drag us into war.”

I pause. “Your husband…or your intended?”

She flashes me a smile. “I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you. We were married as soon as I arrived in Ferradelle.”

“What?” My head begins to spin. “But Augmirian’s men told your father—”

“I know what they told him—and I do need Father here. We have things to discuss, and I knew that anything less than a wedding would likely be ignored. I also predicted he’d send a rescue party ahead of time, and look—here you are.” She frowns. “I didn’t expect him to send Lawrence, however. That will likely complicate matters. And while we’re discussing your group,whydid you bring Clover?”

“She insisted on joining me and managed to get her way through your brother.”

“She’s such a wretched thorn in my side, constantly nosing in where she doesn’t belong.” Camellia pins me with her gaze. “I want you to get rid of her.”

My stomach drops. “Get rid of her?”

She waves her hand. “You know what I mean.Dispose of her. I tried, but apparently my plan fell through—though it’s certainly not my fault she’s too incompetent to deliver a letter.”

“Camellia.”

She walks her fingers up my chest, thankfully not noticing how I flinch when she touches me.

“Consider it your first duty as my personalknight.” Her eyes meet mine, and she raises a brow. “You want that, don’t you? A title. Power. I’ll give you everything, Henrik.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “Promise yourself to me, and in a year’s time, I will make you king of Caldenbauer. I swear it.”

My heart beats like a drum in my chest, and I feel like I’m going to be ill. “Camellia,” I say slowly, “Are you planning to double-cross the elves?”

Smiling, she presses a finger to my lips. “You shouldn’t utter such things, not here.”

I push her hand away. “You killed the man in your closet. Didn’t you?”

“Why do you care aboutthat?” She rolls her eyes. “Did you hear a word I said?”

“Answer me.”

“Yes.” She waves away my concern. “I needed a substantial amount of blood, and he was feebler than I realized. I didn’tmeanto kill him. Obviously, I would have brought two men if I’d known he would up and die. He almost ruined the whole process.”

“Why did you need blood?” I ask, feeling sick at the flippant way she can speak of such a thing.

“For a spell,” she says cryptically.

“What kind of spell?” I demand.

Camellia bites her lip as if she cannot contain her eagerness. She’s like a child on the eve of a holiday. “Oh, Henrik. The things I have planned. You cannot even imagine.”

She looks perfectly sane, but it’s obvious she’s not. What sort of plans has the princess concocted while the world looked upon her beauty and ignored her heart?

“Are you using a tambrel stone to contain the ill effects of the magic?” I demand. “Do you have any idea how dangerous they are?”