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“How is she? Does she have a room? If Talon said anything rude to her…” she hurried over to the vanity and plucked a comb out of the drawer and ripped it through her tangles. “Where is Presco?”

Hel appeared suddenly and wrapped her in a hug from behind, putting them both in the frame of the mirror. He rested his chin on her shoulder. “You think War would allow your sister to sleep in the hallway? Of course, Katana has a room. Presco hasbeen in the library most of the past two days as far as I know, looking for a way to break the link between you and Varlett. Relax.”

His reassurance lifted the weight off her shoulders some but relaxing wasn’t something she did well. She’d been hunted for so long. Someone always wanted to use, hurt, or kill her. She set the comb back on the vanity. “I can’t relax when I’m being hunted and the whole of Adalon will suffer simply because I am here. I should try to create another magical barrier around Palenor and connect it to this moon, but I don’t know if I have that kind of power anymore, and we’d need an anchor. A powerful one. In House of Night, it was my castle made of moonstone, and of course my own magic. And we’d risk this moon being broken if I do.”

“Canyou create a barrier with a single moon?”

She ran her hands through her black hair, pulling out of Hel’s arms, and walked over to the window to peer out over the castle grounds. The trees along the front path bloomed soft pink and white. On a breeze, petals fluttered through the air like snowflakes. “I don’t think it would be as strong, but something would be better than nothing. It would at least slow them down and keep out assassins.”

“Can you use Castle Dredwich as the anchor?”

“No, its stone is not connected to the moon.”

“What is?”

Valeen lifted a shoulder. “Other than me…?”

“I can only assume that would drain you. Find something else.”

“So demanding,” Valeen said, crossing her arms, and leaning back against the window ledge.

“Yeah, well I’m not going to watch you suffer so you can protect the people who’ve treated you like shit. The same people who wrote gossip columns about you, who have entire secretsocieties that have wanted to ensure your death since you were born here, and who believe you’re a dark mage, a plague on their people. I don’t give a fuck what they think about me, but I do care what they say about you. You create that barrier to protect you, your aunt, your sister, and your friends.”

“I’m not you, Hel, I can’t ignore that there are plenty of innocent people in Palenor who don’t feel that way about me.”

“You’re innocent.”

This wasn’t an argument he would relent on, and in the end they both wanted the same thing for different reasons. “I will talk to Presco. He helped me create the first one.”

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” he purred. “You can talk with the god of magic.”

With a laugh, Valeen sauntered over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I agree, but three minds are better. Presco is brilliant.”

“I know. Too brilliant. It annoys me.”

“Stop it,” Valeen chuckled. “You like Presco.”

“He’s not the worst,” Hel said, failing to hold back his smile.

A knock on the door startled her.The servants—I didn’t really think about it but—with me and Hel sharing a room…

“Yes, their king’s former betrothed is now sleeping with his cousin. No doubt it’s all the gossip.” He went quiet for a moment. “I almost feel bad for him.”

Valeen let out a slow breath. It was going to be difficult in the coming weeks. They were supposed to be in House of Night, away from anyone who would know her as Layala. “I think he is at peace with my choice. He understands.”

Hel put his finger to his temple. “He understands here.” Then he dropped his hand to his heart, “But it’s this that will take time to understand and move on, and it will be difficult to do with you always around and people gossiping about it. Trust me, I know.”

Valeen pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I don’t even know what Thane told everyone when we left for Ryvengaard. Was the break off of our engagement announced?”

“I think Talon and her dreadful mother were all too eager to leak it to thePalenor Scroll.”

Another knock. “I have your breakfast, Lord Hel,” a feminine voice came from the other side.

Hel waved his hand, the warmth of his magic tingled along her skin then he called out, “Go away. We’re busy.” Then closed his hand into a fist. She didn’t even ask what magic he was using, but guessed there was a silencing spell on this room.

“Lord? And do you have to be rude?”

“I’m direct. And yes, ‘Lord’. I’m the king’s cousin. Obviously it’s not just Hel. It should be most magnificent Lord, most wise and powerful god, Hel, but I let them get away with just ‘Lord’.”