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“She was Fülöp’s intended, Ágota. Your romance was doomed to end.”

“They are all doomed to end.” Ágota slumps over his desk, lying upon the piles of reports and ledgers.

“Your adoration of pretty young girls is legendary in this castle, but you must understand that most of those pretty young girls will be marrying handsome young men.”

“It is so unfair,” Ágota whines.

I step forward to pat her back. “There, there, Ágota. One day you will find your true love.”

“I want many true loves, otherwise I will be so very, very bored.”

“Must I remind you that one day you will need to pick a male witch to have a child with, Ágota?”

“Not this conversation again.” Ágota lifts her head, her lips twisted in a snarl. “A male lover! How grotesque!”

“Unless Erzsébet ascends to being an Archwitch, you are the hope of our race.”

“Ugh! So disgusting!” Ágota slumps

onto the floor and lays there sprawled upon the wolf fur rug.

Staring down at my sister, I admire her dramatics. She always expresses exactly how she feels. I envy her for I find that it comes rather naturally to me to pretend to be unperturbed by the world around me. I rather people believe I am obeying the rules of society than see the true darkness inside my soul. I rather be underestimated.

“Your wife hates me,” Ágota laments. “She deliberately makes everything so difficult.”

“My wife is a complicated creature with her own struggles,” Balázs answers. “As you well know.”

“She followed us out into the garden during our lover's rendezvous and screamed at me like I am a child. I was sorely tempted to shift her to the top of the castle, but I refrained. For you, Father!”

“For which I am immensely pleased for she would have complained for days like the last time.”

“How was I to know that common witches cannot fly without rituals cast by the coven?”

“You are powerful, Ágota, and must use your magic wisely. Tormenting Soffia is a waste of your time and only causes the coven to distrust you and your sister.”

Ágota sits up abruptly. “Erjy is innocent. She is pure and good. They have no right.”

“We have had this conversation before, Ágota. Today I repeated it with Erjy. You know the difficulties Soffia and the others suffer because we are not of this world. You must make allowances for their frustration.”

“I did not take their power! I was not the one who reduced their abilities! I refuse to be blamed!”

Listening to father and daughter speak, it is evident that I have been excluded from much of the coven intrigue. I resent being sheltered in such a manner. After all, I have endured in my short life, I am no naive child. Though I appreciate the sentiment behind shielding me from the drama of the coven, I resolve to not be so ill-informed in the future.

There is a rap on the door and Balázs summons the person into the room. It is Fülöp, the handsome young man I noticed the first day of our arrival who obviously disdained Ágota and me. As one of Balázs’s closest aides, I have to deal with his dour looks in my direction quite often. Ágota loathes him with good reason since he married her beloved. He regards both of us with his usual contempt, but is smart enough to step past Ágota with caution. He, too, spent time atop the castle in a snowstorm thanks to my sister.

“The girls should leave the room,” Fülöp says. “I come with important information.”

“My ward can remain,” Balázs answers. “She rather enjoys hearing about political maneuverings in the Kingdom of Hungary.” I have never said such a thing, but I suspect Balázs enjoys the flustered response he induces in his aide. “Furthermore, Ágota as Archwitch should be privy to any troubles that might face us.”

“Very well. If you insist. There are troops moving in this direction,” he says. “They are in service to the King of Hungary.”

“Oh?” Ágota rises to her feet in one graceful motion and stares at Fülöp with interest.

“He is attempting to move against Transylvania to solidify his power.” Balázs shakes his head with disapproval. “When will the king understand Ladislaus Kán will not relent?”

As a castle warrior beholden to the voivode of Transylvania, Ladislaus Kán, Balázs is naturally a target for King Charles. There has always been the threat of war with the King of Hungary as news of his battles against those who opposed his reign reached us by messenger. The gossip in the castle about the power struggle between King Charles and the oligarchs of Hungary has kept many tongues wagging, but the king’s forces had yet to arrive outside the walls of the castle until now.

“We are the bulwark between the king and the voivode. Our allegiance to Ladislaus is the cause for this impending attack. If we were to swear our allegiance to the King of Hungary, we would not be at risk. You must consider this option.”