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A wave of bafflement hit her.“You were ready to kill me as a traitor only days ago.”

“I was wrong about that,”Tes replied.“But even then, I didn’t question whether you were sexually faithful.”

“Do you realize how strange that sounds, dearest?”

“I suppose it does.”She smiled to herself. “Isn’t it nearly time for morning court? Don’t be late just because you’re trying to reassure me.”

His mental grumble of assent made her smile widen.“I will come find you when I can, but it may be the evening,”he said.

“I know.”And there would be hours of danger in between. She swallowed with sudden nerves.“Be safe, my love.”

His only answer was a wave of such tender emotion that her eyes grew damp. It wasn’t fair that he had to bear the bulk of the danger while she hid in safety. How much more darkness would he be able to bear? She needed to refine her own schemes against her father, a revenge that was long in the coming.

So instead of returning to the disguise room to hide, she searched through her costumes until she found enough accessories to pass as one of the servants. She still wore the dress Ria had created, but after adding an apron, using a potion to change her hair color, and shifting her features with a glamour, she was sure to pass undetected. After one last study in the mirror, she began her descent to the lower levels of the tunnels.

But in the darkness, the dream wouldn’t leave her.

How often has he pretended to torture someone? Has he been forced to do so in truth?

Her throat closed off at the thought. Ber had listed torture as one of his misdeeds in his journal, but he’d said nothing about pretending. Yet the thoughts she’d experience in that dream had made it clear that it was closer to the norm. Despite that, he’d never tried to defend himself or his actions, though her father had relied upon him more heavily because of his connection to her.

She and Ber might have snuck around, hiding their physical relationship, but her father had known they’d been in love. Over the last century, his hints had grown more pointed that she should seduce Ber. Her father had even arranged for them to be alone upon several occasions, though normally she was carefully watched. She’d never doubted that her father had known about each courtier and dignitary who’d slyly groped her, and there’d inevitably been someone spying on her and Ber, too. They’d maintained a polite distance during those little traps.

Tes turned down the long passage that followed the length of the throne room wall. There were observation points hidden in the stone all the way down, allowing one to hear the whispers of the courtiers in the back of the crowd. Her father had ordered more than half of them added when he’d been prince, or so she’d heard, but over the last millennia or two, he’d stopped going into the tunnels entirely.

Otherwise, her presence here would be a serious risk. The spell that allowed entry might recognize the energy signature of any with a magical key, but it didn’t provide an alert if another approved person entered. So even though she’d given Ber entry centuries ago, he wouldn’t have detected her arrival here when she’d returned for her vengeance. It was designed that way in case of internal treachery.

She couldn’t recall an ancestor as terrible as her father, but they hadn’t all been nice, either, as evidenced by the safeguards.

Tes stopped behind one of the tiny holes situated near the dais. The higher level nobles tended to gather here, so when court began, she would be well-positioned to hear any whispers. She could listen for a while before slipping out to serve refreshments to those who lingered in the receiving rooms to gossip.

She bent down to peek into the room—still empty—but the angle brought a flush of heat to her cheeks.Remember the time we left court early to slip into the tunnels to spy? Admirable how you still kept watch as I pounded into you from behind.Gods, that had been here, hadn’t it? What hidden desire for torment had led her to stop at this exact spot?

It was a good memory, though.

Tes rested her head against the smooth stone and squeezed her thighs together against the heat building there. She couldn’t afford to be distracted once court began. She was here to gaininformation, not reminisce about past…encounters. Resolved, she stepped back to lean against the other wall and wait.

She would simply have to appease her desire later.

The heavy,elaborate cloak weighed Ber down as thoroughly as his past deeds did, but it was the kind of pomp that Ryenil enjoyed. With the way the king had been acting, Ber found it prudent to tread wisely—and use even the most trivial means of appeasement. So he bore the weight as he bowed to the king and then proceeded to his place, a less elaborate seat to the left and slightly behind Ryenil’s. The one Tes had once held.

It felt no more right now than the first time he’d sat here.

At the king’s gesture, the doors opened, and the courtiers began to be announced. This tedium was rarely performed in Llyalia. Why name every single noble when they’d all known each other for centuries? It was an absurd and pointless show of rank, one he and Tes had laughed about on multiple occasions.

If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine she was here. There was a feel to the air, almost as though… He went still.Wasshe here? She couldn’t pretend to be one of the named courtiers, and the usual guards were, well, usual. Yet he felt certain he sensed her presence. Was it the new link between them? Subtly, he tried to pinpoint the location, only to arrow in on her energy near the wall.

She was in the secret passage. There. The spot he’d mentioned to her last night.

His cock went suddenly—and inconveniently—hard. Cursing to himself, he ran through his usual litany of unpleasant thoughts. Excrement. Torture. Literally any moment in Ryenil’spresence. The latter helped immensely, thankfully before the line of courtiers drew close enough to notice.

“His Grace Lord Ormero Abret Naiess Hayl, Duke of Aony and Earl of Woifen and his sister, Lady Selesta Elere Hayl,” the herald intoned.

Ber’s attention snapped to the doors. Had Aony’s sister been scheduled for her introduction today? He hadn’t thought so, but a young woman who resembled the duke glided at the man’s side, her hand on his arm. As befitted the child of a duke, she was outfitted nearly as elaborately as a queen, her pale dress glimmering in the mage globes’ light. Even her golden hair glowed atop her head, strands of jewels flashing subtly in her hair.

No wonder Aony had been concerned. His sister was beautiful, but despite her elaborate dress, her eyes were demurely downcast. More telling, though, was the subtle shake of the fan dangling from her wrist. Most wouldn’t have noticed the nervous tell, but Ber made it his job to see. Between her shaking and her frozen expression, it was clear that Lady Selesta was terrified.

He didn’t blame her. Aside from a reasonable fear of her introduction to the king, her loveliness would cause a frenzy, especially amongst the most salacious of the courtiers. She was the nearest to perfection he’d ever seen, except for his own gorgeous wife, of course. And Tes had suffered for many of the same reasons.