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“Did you enjoy your afternoon, your Highness?” Charlotte asked.

He grunted in response, since she’d caught him in the middle of eating around the bone of an animal. Once his mouth was free, he finally answered her.

Savannah sidled closer to Valerie for a moment while he was distracted.

“The pretty story about your father forcing your expressionless mask is not enough to appease me. You expect me to believe–”

“You are attempting to make an enemy of me. You are painting me as though I am some sort of villain,” she quickly interjected.

“You threated Charlotte with a knife,” she whispered. “I will not tolerate you pretending you are not truly a viper.”

Valerie gave a small laugh, not mockingly, but with true humour. “How could I have wielded a weapon with the court watching us on our stroll? I threatened her hair with nothing more than words.”

Savannah crinkled her red dusted brows. “You still threatened her. It is the same.”

“Did she forget to mention what she had been doing at the time to cause such a reaction from me?”

“She claims you tripped her because you were jealous.”

“Gossip is often a terrible habit, but I will rectify the lies with truth. She should have kept her elbows to herself and not altered my hand.” Valerie brought her hand above the table. “Perhaps you should check under her nails for my skin.”

The girl had been digging her nails into the flesh of her wrist, and the evidence of that was clear as day upon her skin. Little semi-moons bruised her flesh, as well as light scratch marks.

“I do not think she knew she had been cutting my skin, though,” Valerie told her truthfully. “She was upset and reacted. Unfortunately, I also acted accordingly.”

Savannah pursed her lips together, but Valerie could tell her opinion was changing.

“Mayhap we can restart our dinner conversation and join in on the discussion with the king?” Valerie suggested, wanting to steer away from the conversation before someone overheard.

She ducked her gaze over her shoulder, eyeing the guard behind them. He raised a brow at her, but she could see the peek of a grin on the corner of his lips.He was listening. Hopefully, he will not tell Bradwick of my and Charlotte’s transgressions.

There was nothing she could do about it. She turned around and began to eat while the war in the west was discussed.

He is trying to understand how we will assist him in ruling the kingdom.She wondered why he would while they were in a group rather than on their own – where they would be free to discuss their opinions.The fact that he cares at all about our opinion is strange. Men do not usually care.

Then Valerie almost laughed, had to snuff out the urge, especially when she was invited to comment on it.

“War is for men, your Highness, not for ladies. Like everyone, I wish for peace and tranquillity for all, but my opinion is nothing more than a soft-hearted plea – not that of a political warlord.”

She knew her response earned his respect because he grinned.He is testing us, seeing if we will be submissive in the ways that matter.

Human men, so easy to understand.This hierarchy wasn’t the same for her kind, for Witches. Status came from the strength of their magic.Many female Witches are stronger than male Witches.Male Witches would treat them with respect because of it.

Women were also usually the head of their covens. They were known as the high priestess and would anoint a trusted adviser as a priest. They were usually treated with more respect than mortal human women.

Although, women were notalwaystreated gracefully within her species.

Sometimes, powerful Witches were captured and forced into special rituals. They were rituals where death was the result, or where they were raped or even consumed – they were cruel to their own kind. Other times, it was so a certain Witch would be forced to birth a child sired by another powerful Witch, then that child would be taken from her arms and raised elsewhere.

Only dark Witches commit such terrible sins.

Thinking of terrible crimes soured her own mood.

As if she’d conjured it with her thoughts, a conversation about her species was ignited.

It wasn’t a conversation she felt comfortable with, more so when they began speaking about putting Witches on the stake to be burned, without trial, like they didn’t deserve the chance to plead their case.

They all agreed with each other, even Wyetta, who went into far gorier detail than the rest.