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She glared. She might not always read him easily, but she could tell when he was mocking her.

"It's sweet you think you have a choice in the matter. Khal will bring you back to the Old Keep."

He said so with absolute certainty.

"What if I don't want him to?"

She wished she could wipeRydekar's smirk off his smug face. "You will."

* * *

She awoke full of energy,after a sleep that had proved deep and restful. Rissa didn't dream after Rydekar faded away from her mind. Part of her wondered if their interaction had been the product of her imagination, but to her annoyance, he'd been right: she wouldn't have been able to picture him quite so clearly of her own accord.

Rissa found the clothing she'd removed before bed laundered. She put them back on, grateful; her leather ensemble certainly had seen better days after three days of travel.

She'd only just dressed when a knock resounded at the door. "Come in!"

Khal entered, clothed, with his cloak and bags at hand. She frowned. "Are we in a rush?"

"If you want to make the Wilderness before dark, yes. We can reach the borders today."

She nodded, slowly, suddenly less sure. She liked the idea of remaining here for a few hours. Maybe for a day. She also liked the thought of returning to the Keep, but if she did without even attempting her initial goal, what would Rye say? She didn't like the thought of being so easily swayed. She ought to try, at least.

"All right. I'd like to see the queen, first."

"Sura. Call her Sura. You're the only queen who matters here."

Rissa sighed. When had she stopped protesting that title? So many things had changed in the span of just a few days, her reality seemed to fade away beneath her feet.

"Right. Do you know where she is?"

He shook his head. "I'll find out. Can you gather your things?"

He was in a rush to get going.

Rissa hadn't bothered to unpack before collapsing the previous day. Checking her inventory, she noticed that the rest of her clothing had also been laundered. Nothing was missing from her bag at first glance. Whoever had taken care of the room was honorable—and silent.

Teoran knocked shortly after Khal left. Unlike the rest of them, he seemed far from ready. In fact, he seemed like he was just now coming back after spending the entire night drinking and dancing. Khal wasn't going to like this one bit.

"I see you had fun."

He groaned, wincing to better deal with the brightness filtering through the windows. "Don't you start. Khal's lecture was all I can take. I'm ready to go, if we must, though."

He truly wasn't. "Teoran, you should stay here." He didn't like the idea of waking Tharsen up any more than Rydekar. Or Khal.

Why was she the only one who saw the merit of her plan?

That certainly woke him up."What?"

She shrugged. "The Wilderness is dangerous. Khal volunteered for this—you didn't know where we were going. And you don't want to wake Tharsen, anyway."

"Why wouldwhat I want matter?" he questioned, truly confused.

"It should matter."

The prince shook his head. "I know you're new to this, but let me explain the situation as best I can. You're the queen. I'm a lowly prince of a small court. You've accepted my company, therefore, I will live, fight, and die to protect you until such a time as you dismiss me, as the laws of honor dictate." His voice was clipped, and rising in anger. "Are you dismissing me?"

She blinked, taken aback. Was she?