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“You will not speak to me again on this matter. I am sorry for your loss,” she said. “I know what it is to grieve a loved one. To suffer their murder, to suffer the pain of their leaving their bodies too soon and in such a violent manner. I am no stranger to the grief you feel, to the pain in your heart. I do mean it when I say I am sorry for your loss. Ka Grey’s suffering has been unique to position us in a place of sympathy that nobles rarely achieve.”

She held out her hand, and I took it.

“That being said,” Lady Romula continued, her shrewd eyes taking me in, “after tonight, a countdown begins. A month until your Aunt Arianna’s consecration. She will become Arkasva Batavia, High Lady of Bamaria. And order will be restored to the country at last. However, it cannot be ignored that when this happens, Lady Naria will become Heir Apparent. And you, your grace, will be referred to as such for the very last time.”

I blinked. “Yes,” I said, unsure where she was going with this.

“The Emartis may be pleased for the moment,” she said. “Their champion is coming to power.”

“Do you think that means they will go away now? Because they won?”

Lady Romula’s eyes darkened. “I thought you more intelligent than this. They won, and winning has a way of making one want more. They will believe their tactics were successful. So, no. They will not go away,” she said with disdain. “They will become louder. And now, without your title, what benefit is it to Ka Grey for you and Tristan to wed?”

My mouth fell open. Was she really doing this now?

“Lady Romula,” I started, but she held up her hand.

“My dear. I have always cared for you. And I do wish you the best. But I must look out for my family. My Ka comes first. I told you, I didn’t like their presence. And now, they have essentially placed themselves in a position of power and authority from behind the scenes. The restoration of order to Bamaria will be a façade, and it will be brief, and I will not risk Ka Grey. You passed your test, congratulations. But you still remain powerless. You still remain the blood of a vorakh.”

I stepped back, my throat going dry. Tristan stood with Naria across the room, watching us, his eyes full of guilt.

“So you intend to break apart our engagement?” I asked.

She stepped forward, retrieving my hand again, her bony fingers running up and down my ring finger. “This remains empty,” she said. “I cannot break apart that which does not exist.”

I pulled my hand away. Spiteful old crone. Things were over with me and Tristan. I’d known that for months. I suspected on some level he might know it, too. But this was not the day. This was not the way to go about it. Before we’d courted, we had been friends. In the scope of a day, he’d lost his cousin, I’d lost my father. Whatever else was wrong between us, whatever complications existed, we both did care for the other and it was cruel for us to lose each other as well.

“Even if,” she said, “I could look past your magic status, your family history, your lack of station….” she trailed off, her mouth tightening and twisting as if fighting to keep back her own emotions. “Do you think I will ever forget the image of you murdering my Haleika? I know what happened. I know what she was. I know you only did what you had to do. But sometimes, logic isn’t enough for forgiveness. Ka Grey will never forget. And though Tristan may be more romantic than I ever was, I do not believe he will be able to look past this either.”

“He loves me,” I said. Even though I knew she spoke the truth, I couldn’t allow her this. The hateful hag had no right to come to me now, to tell me this. Not when my father’s body wasn’t even in the ground. “And if you end things between us now,” I seethed, “in this manner, I will not forget.”

She bowed her head. “I don’t expect you will. But soon your reach for revenge will be quite small.Bar Ka Mokan.He did the best he could. May our next arkasva finally bring peace.” She turned her back on me and strode across the room, waving to Arianna, who looked resplendent and queenly despite wearing a black mourning dress. She had styled her red hair in braids that crowned her head. Golden jewels had been threaded through the braids, giving them the appearance of a red-and-gold diadem or laurel. In one month, she’d wear it—the Laurel of the Arkasva.

My chest tightened. Beside her was Lady Romula and Tristan, who was whispering something to Naria. The Imperator gazed my way, his black eyes predatory and feral.

I couldn’t face him. I was out of all energy, all courtesy, all caring. The ceiling was starting to cave in, and I just needed to get out of there, to go outside, to breathe, to….

A cool breeze caressed my skin, and a warm hand glided past the crook of my elbow.

“Partner.”

“Can you get me out of here?” I asked, still facing the Imperator.

“Walk to the opposite corner of the room. The tapestry behind the column is well concealed. Stand behind it. When no one is looking, move behind the tapestry. Go. Now.”

Rhyan’s back retreated, heading for the room’s exit, and I turned in the opposite direction, my stomach twisting to the point I thought I’d be sick all over the floor. Several nobles looked at their feet as I walked by, and I clutched my stomach, realizing for once, no one wanted to look at me, talk to me, or gain my favor. Now they needed Arianna and Naria’s approval.

I reached the other side, leaned against the column, waited a beat, and stepped behind the thick tapestry. Rhyan was there, waiting. His arms wrapped around me. There was a tug in my stomach, and my feet hit the ground behind Cresthaven. We stood before the pools, their waters shimmering in the starlight and fires of the fortress. It was the place where I’d first kissed Tristan.

We were alone, not a soul in sight. Everyone was either in the Seating Room or standing outside the front gates, guarding against the Emartis.

Rhyan wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned into him, finally letting the tears fall.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

I could only cry in response.

After a minute, I sucked in a breath and pulled my head back. He reached for my face, wiping the tears away. A bandage covered half his neck, and I saw then he was holding his head stiffly.