Page 60 of Liar Witch

“When you’re at the feast, Niklaus won’t be able to speak to you or even look at you. You’re not going to be allowed within touching distance. In fact, it would be better if you ignored him altogether. Our mother is the one you’ll be expected to impress.”

“Cassandra, you know that won’t happen.”

“Adella is her favourite fornow.”

“An alliance with her family is the only thing which…” Alexandra begins, but Cassandra just smirks.

“Nilsa’s going to offer her a groom price. The head of the mage in charge of Ignira. That’s better than an alliance with one family of dissenters.”

“That’s what she wants?” I shrug, seeing no problem. “One head, coming up.”

“Honourless assassin,” Alexandra spits.

“A witch who gets results,” I retort. “Where’s the honour in letting your enemies live?”

“Death with pride—”

“—is still fucking useless to everyone still living.”

Alexandra stares at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be a servant of the Goddess of Death?”

“Oddly enough, that job also requires me to remain alive,” I say, grinning. “If you think I plan to fight fair at this challenge, you’re sorely mistaken. I came towin.”

Cassandra just claps, beaming with genuine happiness that’s almost contagious. “I can’t wait for you to meet Mother for the first time.”

I raise a single brow at Alexandra, who just shrugs.

“Seers,” we sigh at the same time.

In that second, I feel a kind of kinship with this blunt warrior that I didn’t expect to find among the sirens holding my mate hostage.

We both glance away, the awkwardness returning, before Alexandra reluctantly joins in with my education. Her words are calm even as she tugs our trio from left to right, preventing Cassandra from dragging us into every obstacle in the square.

How the Seer got to us without injury, I’ll never know.

“When Niklaus is presented to you, you can leave a gift to show your regard for him.” She glares at a group of males until they scurry apart to let us pass. “It’s a common courtesy, but it’s not necessary as you’re fated for one another.”

My hand goes to the tiny purse at my belt. It’s lighter than it should be. I didn’t have the heart to take money from the witches at Sanctum, and I wasn’t about to ask my men for gold.

I definitely don’t have enough for whatever lavish gifts someone is supposed to buy for a prince.

We pass the stalls filled with gems and fine tapestries in silence. Each one makes my expression sour further.

“I thought this was just a fight. Not a public spectacle.”

“Ordinarily, you’d be right, but Mother’s got to show off her only son now that he’s suddenly desirable.”

“Cassandra!” Alexandra looks scandalised. “You know it’s not like that!”

The Seer is unfazed by her sister’s outrage. “She was content to have him married off in a quiet, shameful ceremony before he was suddenly interesting enough to be worthy of a mate challenge.”

“It’s not that,” Alexandra protests, but her voice is quiet.

“Why the hell does she dislike him so much?” I’m outraged on my mate’s behalf.

“He’s too much of a warrior. Too much like her.” Alexandra doesn’t give Cassandra a chance to answer. “She’s always forcing him to be something he’s not, and he makes no secret of how he resents her for it.”

“Klaus was born with his father’s looks, which doesn’t help matters,” Cassandra adds.