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Sebastian tossed his hands in the air. “By the gods, woman. Speak up.”

Kallie gave Sebastian a sidelong glance. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was what she had to look forward to, for she knew little about her betrothed. But if King Rian was anything like his brother, she had a strong inclination that she would not get along with him. She had no taste for men who silenced women, title or no title.

“Well?” Sebastian asked.

Lystrata’s attention flicked to Kallie but just as quickly returned to Sebastian.

Kallie quirked a brow in question.

Eyes cast on the ground, Lystrata said, “The king is indisposed at the moment.”

Kallie took a step forward, in line with Sebastian. “Indisposed?” She had been around the lords of Ardentol long enough to know that beingindisposedonly meant one of two things. And from how Lystrata’s body begged to shrink back into the shadows behind her, Kallie knew she would not like the answer.

“Yes, my lady, as I said, King Rian is indisposed,” Lystrata said, repeating the word as if Kallie simply had not heard the woman. As if Kallie was a naive princess from a foreign kingdom who did not know the hidden meaning behind the word. Because the only reason a man would be indisposed was if they were preoccupied with other activities—activities a bride would not want to hear her betrothed participating in upon her arrival.

“If that is the case, please give your king a message when he is notindisposed,” Kallie said as she lifted a hand, observing the sharp nails that needed extra maintenance after a week at sea. If her betrothed wished to treat her arrival with indifference, Kallie would also treat his absence as such. “Tell him his bride says hello.”

The woman’s brows knitted together in the center of her forehead. “Hello?”

Kallie nodded.

“Anything else?” Lystrata asked, waiting.

Kallie pursed her lips, tapping a finger against her chin. With a sharp glint in her blue eyes, she added. “Please tell whichever whore he is with that their time with him is short-lived and that they should make the most of it while they can.”

The servant gasped, surprise flaming her cheeks. Yet Lystrata held her tongue, not bothering to convince Kallie otherwise.

“Oh, and one more thing.” Kallie opened her mouth but closed it as she looked at the woman expectantly.

“Lystrata, my lady,” the woman said, annoyance reddening her round cheeks.

“Lystrata,” Kallie smiled softly. In truth, she had not forgotten the housekeeper’s name, for she never forgot a name. Not that of a king, a long-distance relative, or a staff member. A name was everything. A name was power. Kallie had seen how her father used them as weapons, how people reacted when he addressed them directly. She had also learned from her father that forgetting a name could be just as powerful. The Frenzian staff needed to know that she was here to stay and that they would not deter her.

When Kallie spoke again, her voice was cold despite the fire brewing in the pit of her stomach. “Next time, you will do well not to insult my integrity or my intelligence.”

Lystrata’s eyes widened as the blood rushed from her face. “My lady, I—I—”

Kallie huffed, dismissing the woman. She turned to the rest of the staff. “Who can show me to my rooms? I am exhausted and have been looking forward to sleeping on a bed that is on solid ground.”

“Princess Kalisandre,” a young woman said, stepping out of line and curtsying. The handmaiden had pin-straight black hair, and, if Kallie had to guess, she was no more than Kallie’s age, perhaps even younger based on her sweet, round face. “My name is Phaia, and I have been placed under your service as one of your handmaidens, courtesy of the king and Queen Mother. It would be my pleasure to show you to your rooms, Your Highness.”

“Wonderful,” Kallie said to the servant. She turned to Domitius. “Father, I will see you in the morning.”

Domitius gave her a slight nod, and Kallie noted the small flame flickering within his gaze.

She turned on her heel and followed the young handmaiden. Her shoes clapped against the dusty floor, the sound ricocheting off the empty walls and down the dark hall as Phaia led her. With each step, Kallie reminded herself why she was doing this.

As the Princess of Ardentol, she has spent her entire life looking up at her father as he sat on his throne. While she was happy to be able to assist her father in the pursuit of unifying the seven kingdoms, she craved more. Frenzia was not only her opportunity to bring them one step closer to achieving that goal but also to grant her the freedom she desired.

For weeks, she had seduced, lied, and betrayed the people around her, her family, her blood. Pontia, however, was only the precursor for what was to come.

Now, it was time she stole the throne.

Chapter2

GRAESON

Graeson’s gazefell to the wooden deck worn from decades of men and women carrying their sorrows on their shoulders as they trudged down the dock toward the Black Lake. Years of grief were streaked into the scuff marks emblazoned on the oak boards.