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Honesty.

And for the first time, Kallie allowed herself to be honest with herself, and the tears fell freely from her face.

Tears were not weakness, she reminded herself. Tears were a sign she was human. A sign she cared. Tears showed strength. Despite what her father thought, the ability to mourn, to shed one’s skin, and to show vulnerability was true strength.

With each tear that rolled down her face came a truth that Kallie had buried within her mind. As each tear fell from her face and into her palms, Kallie allowed herself to accept the three truths she had been harboring inside:

1. She had a secret family which she did, in fact, care for despite knowing she shouldn’t. She was the reason her family’s home had been attacked and burned to the ground. Although she had not pushed the blade through Fynn’s chest, her choices had led to his death.

2. Guilt may have plagued her thoughts, but she was unwilling to give up her quest for power.

3. Kallie no longer trusted anyone.

Once the truths piled into her palm, she let them slip through the spaces between her fingers and fall to the ground, where they melted into the floorboards.

She pushed herself off the floor and folded up the family portrait.

There would be no more tears.

Chapter4

KALLIE

Kallie awokesweating and disoriented as she searched for the comfort of something familiar in a foreign room. A room much too large for the limited number of belongings in it.

The walls of the queen’s quarters were charcoal black, and the deep color swallowed any light that seeped through the thin white curtains. Only a large bed, a small vanity with a short stool, and the three wooden chests from the ship, nearly overflowing with custom Ardentolian dresses, occupied the room. The rest of the room was bare, cold, and lifeless.

Last night, Phaia had informed Kallie that while these were the queen’s quarters, the former queen had not used them. According to the handmaiden, Tessa favored her late husband’s quarters over hers. When King Lothian died and her son took his place, Tessa moved into a different section of the castle that wasn’t filled with memories of her husband.

Kallie did not fault the former queen for sharing her husband’s quarters. Still, the staff could have at least maintained the space and outfitted it for Kallie’s arrival. But they hadn’t, even with the extra time to prepare.

Kallie’s brows furrowed.

Unless the staff had believed that Kallie was never going to arrive . . .

First, Rian’s blatant absence last night because he wasindisposed, and now this.

Kallie threw the blankets off her sticky skin.

“Morning, Kals!”

Kallie inhaled sharply at Myra’s bright voice calling out from the closet.

Myra peered around the closet door, her smile wide and straight blond hair shining. “How are you—” Myra cut off her question as she inspected Kallie. She hurried forward, a satin sky-blue dress scrunched against her chest. “Are you all right, Kallie?”

Kallie forced a smile, but her lip twitched at the corners. “Only a nightmare.”

Myra sat, her knees lightly bumping into Kallie’s. She placed a hand atop Kallie’s and squeezed it. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Kallie shook her head. Talking, she realized, wouldn’t make the piercing screams disappear from her memory; it wouldn’t prevent the next nightmare from coming. What Kallie needed was to forget, to move on.

“I just need a bath.”

Myra squeezed her hand again before releasing it. “I’ll go prepare it.”

Myra stood, but before she could walk away, Kallie reached for her hand, tugging her back. “I appreciate your help, but I think some time alone would do me well.”

Concern swam in Myra’s hazel eyes. “Are you sure?”