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It was Thea’s turn to fumble with her words as he opened the door for her.

* * *

‘Welcome, welcome, honoured guests from Thezmarr,’ King Artos called as they entered the Great Hall. ‘Althea, you look splendid.’ The king beamed at her and motioned for them to join him. He lowered his voice before addressing her again, lingering by her seat. ‘My spies have uncovered more traitors involved in the attempt on your lives.’

Thea didn’t hide her surprise. ‘That was fast, Your Majesty.’

‘I consider what happened a personal insult, dear Althea. Those responsible have been sent to the Scarlet Tower.’

A shiver raked down Thea’s spine as she recalled her last conversation about the dreaded prison.

‘What do you know of the Scarlet Tower?’she had asked Wilder long ago, after seeing a man choose execution over exile to such a place.

‘Enough,’he’d said.‘Enough to know that I, too, would have chosen death.’

The king continued as though it were a mere inconvenience. ‘My guards have dealt with the scene at the storehouse. I am told they have never seen such carnage – or such artistry.’

Thea faltered at his words.

But the king spoke again, still under his breath. ‘Don’t worry. They have been sworn to secrecy. No one will know.’

A nobleman drew the king away with a question, and Wilder took his place at her side. ‘The whole midrealms will know of your antics before dawn,’ he murmured.

‘What? He just said they swore —’

‘They’ll be fighting to tell anyone who will listen that they bore witness to the damage you wrought upon those bastards. There’s only one thing in all the midrealms that can elicit secrets from the king’s trained soldiers, more powerful than torture…’

Thea’s heart rate spiked. ‘What?’

‘Two tankards of ale at the Laughing Fox,’ Wilder quipped.

Thea would have laughed if her gaze hadn’t landed on the crowd. There were almost as many nobles seated at the long tables as there had been when Harenth had celebrated the end of the king’s mourning period.

The magic Thea felt in the room wasn’t as strong as it had been in the presence of all the rulers, but she could definitely still feel it pulsing around her. King Artos was one of the most powerful empaths in Harenth’s history, and now, without the presence of the other kings and queens, she could distinguish his magic properly: a pleasant warmth dancing about the room, exploring between the numerous bodies.

Places had been reserved for her and Wilder close to the king, and Thea found herself once again sitting beside his daughter, Princess Jasira. Wilder looked uncomfortable next to a particularly pompously dressed man.

Thea leant in to speak to the princess. ‘A pleasure to see you again, Your Highness.’

Princess Jasira turned to her. ‘And you, Althea. Though I do remember asking you to call me Jasi.’

‘Apologies, Jasi.’ Thea bowed her head.

But the princess waved it off. ‘Things have certainly developed for you since we last spoke. Not only are you a Guardian of Thezmarr as you wished, but apprentice to the Hand of Death, no less…’

As if he’d heard her, Wilder’s gaze flicked across the table to the princess, but he said nothing, opting to look elsewhere and give them the pretence of privacy.

‘It has been a challenging few months,’ Thea admitted. But when her eyes locked with the princess’, a shiver raked down her spine, a strange sensation creeping across her skin. Magic? Thea wasn’t sure. The last time she’d seen the princess, Jasira had told her that her magic hadn’t yet manifested. It was strange to think that in another life, Thea might have grown up knowing the princess as an equal, perhaps even as a friend and ally… She shrugged the thought off and ignored the prickle across her skin. ‘And how have you been, Jasi?’

Princess Jasira’s attention was on her father, but she immediately turned back to Thea. ‘Well enough,’ she allowed. ‘The life of a princess is rather dull compared to that of a warrior, I’m afraid…’

Thea’s stomach nearly bottomed out at the comparison. ‘Even with magic?’ she heard herself ask.

‘That’s right,’ Jasira said slowly. ‘I forgot you were able to sense it the last time you were here. Is that the case now?’

Something lodged in Thea’s throat and she coughed, forcing down some water to buy herself time. She had said as much to the princess during her last visit, unaware of what stalked beneath her own skin, unaware of who she was… Well, she knew enough now to lie.

‘Oh, no,’ she said quickly, forcing a light note into her voice. ‘Must have been some strange anomaly last time. Perhaps I imagined it.’